Phuket, Thailand’s largest island, has long served as a cultural and trade crossroads in the Andaman Sea. Centuries ago, it was a stopover for merchants trading tin, spices, and textiles, with influences from Chinese, Portuguese, Indian, and Malay travelers still reflected in the island’s architecture and cuisine. Inland, the Khao Phra Thaeo Wildlife Sanctuary protects rainforest habitat home to gibbons, civets, and exotic birds.

Lac Abbe, straddling the border between Djibouti and Ethiopia, is one of East Africa’s most otherworldly landscapes.

Visitors to this breathtaking and romantic Cyclades archipelago will gaze at the whitewashed cubiform houses sitting cliffside and hovering over the water.

Kanchanaburi, a province in western Thailand, is best known for its poignant history and lush landscapes. It was here that Allied prisoners of war and Asian laborers were forced to build the infamous Death Railway during World War II, including the Bridge over the River Kwai, which remains a powerful symbol of resilience.

Perched on a ridge overlooking the Dudh Koshi River valley, Tengboche is home to one of the most iconic monasteries in the Himalayas. The Tengboche Monastery dominates the skyline, its whitewashed walls and golden roof visible from miles around. Surrounded by towering peaks such as Ama Dablam, Kangtega, and Thamserku, the village offers visitors sweeping panoramas and a sense of quiet reflection high in the mountains.