This cavernous swimming spot doubles as a home to the largest known colony of bats in Central Asia.

A cemetery with goat-horn bedecked gravestones.

A fiery crater has been burning in the Karakum Desert since 1971.

Few people have ever heard of, let alone visited, one of Turkmenistan’s most impressive natural attractions.

This small canyon is home to a treasure trove of geological oddities.

A remote, centuries-old underground mosque with a lunar aesthetic.

Mysterious spherical rocks in the semi-desert of western Kazakhstan.

Jurassic clays where the dinosaurs once roamed.

This airport also offers travelers the chance to view thousands of years of Turkish history.

An eccentric dictator's take on a Turkmen version of Disneyland.

The world's second-tallest flagpole stands proud despite dropping rank.

An underground world of gorgeous, palatial metro stations designed as a nuclear shelter complex.

Once a luxurious flagship of the Soviet Union, this Brutalist structure remains a landmark of Tashkent’s communist past.

One of the most ethnically diverse spots on the planet.

Final palace complex of the last of 29 Kokand rulers.

The ruins of an ancient Zoroastrian Tower of Silence believed to be the earliest example of the traditional funerary practice.

These "50 Fortresses" have been unearthed in the ancient oasis of Khwarezm.

Ancient barriers wrap around what was once an important stop along the Silk Road.

Prowl through this sprawling bazaar under a massive Soviet-era dome for delicious eats.

Giant cauldrons overflow with Uzbekistan's favorite rice dish at this cavernous dining hall.

Witness traditional silk production in the Uzbek city that's been a hub of sericulture for over a thousand years.

An outstanding piece of retro Sci-Fi architecture built into a sacred mountain.

The West's first incursion into the Afghan world lies buried beneath a military base.

Splashes of blue in an otherwise monotonous lunar landscape.