Places Aksel Wants to Go

This artificial archipelago was supposed to resemble a map of the world.

On any given day this sprawling market houses literally tons of government-regulated gold, gems, and precious metals.

An abandoned desert hamlet swallowed up by sand.

The oldest surviving mosque in the UAE has mysterious origins and unusual architecture.

Billionaire's mark on the earth.

Planned as the world’s first zero-carbon city, it had lofty ideals—but is only 5 percent completed and aiming for 50 percent carbon-neutral.

The largest falcon hospital in the world, caring for over 6,000 feathered patients every year.

The world’s largest LED display, built over an F1 race circuit.

Feed it cash, get your very own gold bar.

Whitewashed mosque contains the world's largest carpet.

This mysterious abandoned fort looks like something pulled right from Arabian legend.

Over the dunes of the Empty Quarter, the mysterious music of the desert.

This mesmerizing, colorful structure looks like a tent made from stained glass.

A 19th-century fortress and collection of artifacts offer a tour of Saudi history.

These towering cliffs jut dramatically from the middle of a barren desert.

An annual two-week festival near the city of Riyadh when Saudis let their hair down.

This fortress sits atop a centuries-old well system.

Site where Moses may have received the Ten Commandments.

Made by river sediment, it is the largest alluvial fan in the world.

Described as "the world's most blinging pool."

This Tibetan monastery has survived multiple attacks and is also a sky burial site.

The highest monastery in the world operates a tiny guesthouse with doors open to all.

This weekly market in the remote oasis city of Hotan still has the atmosphere of the old Silk Road.

This grand Pakistani mausoleum can only be accessed via an almost 1,000 foot long alleyway.