Places Aksel Wants to Go

Step inside a Nyonya eatery nestled within a historic museum.

This restored house offers a twist on Penang's Peranakan history.

On the outskirts of Ipoh, this sprawling temple complex is home to one of the world's tallest pagodas.

The best preserved Paleochristian basilica in Rome hides a number of oddities and secrets.

The underground sanctuary of a mysterious ancient cult.

A 4th-century Roman church complete with a hidden underground cave.

Remains of military submarines built in secret jungle factories by the Tamil guerrillas' naval wing.

This fort dates back to 1588 and was colonized by the Portuguese, Dutch, and English and sits prominently on the Indian Ocean where azure water lap the coast.

This peaceful sanctuary is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Colombo.

This peaceful, round shrine in the middle of the Sri Lankan jungle acts as a beacon of peace.

This sacred fig tree with a link to the Buddha is one of the oldest human-planted trees in the world.

This palatial, 99-doored Colonial mansion is a marvel of architectural fusion.

These abandoned ruins in the middle of Jaffna have withstood centuries of tumultuous power struggles.

This amazing mountain temple is topped by one of the tallest sitting Buddha statues in the world.

This ancient cave temple complex is the largest and best-preserved temple complex in Sri Lanka.

Spend the night inside a two-story elephant villa.

An ancient temple to the Hindu god Shiva surrounded by jaw-dropping scenery.

To gaze upon the visage of Sri Lanka's biggest Buddha, one must first pass through the Tunnel of Hell.

This elaborate temple was built around one of the Buddha's teeth.

According to Hindu belief, this shallow island chain was created by a god with an army of monkeys.

Seven beautiful 1,000-year-old rock-cut Buddhist statues.

The remains of a 37,000-year-old prehistoric society were discovered in this mammoth cave, one of the largest in Asia.

One of the few places where inexperienced snorkelers can spot a shark.

This luscious masterpiece created by landscape designer Bevis Bawa inspired the work of his brother, a famous Sri Lankan architect.