Places astether Wants to Go

The remains of a medieval city loom in one of the most isolated desert regions of Turkmenistan.

Sumptous memorial to a controversial independence.

A dictator's gold statue once rotated to face the sun on a 75-meter high marble tower.

A memorial to the thousands of Turkmen soldiers and civilians who died in a bloody 1881 battle.

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

If you want to get married in the White Marble City of Ashgabat, you should do it in this surreal disco ball building.

This famed Silk Road oasis was one of the largest cities in the world before it was destroyed by a Mongol horde.

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

Next to a newer mosque in Khujand’s main square lies the city’s oldest mosque, whose interiors are spectacularly intricate.

Where the father of Persian poetry is laid to rest.

A bustling bazaar with an elaborate facade in Central Asia’s underrated capital.

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

The first version of this stalwart construction appeared around 3,000 years ago.

This remote, abandoned Soviet observatory promises spectacular views for those who can reach it.

A building facade covered with the statues of 11 giants of Tajik literature.

Lonely minaret stump of a destroyed city.

The Russian author's writing desk remains inside the house where he spent part of his Siberian exile.

A modern tower, symbolizing the legend of a golden egg on top of the tree of life.

This sprawling market is a one-stop shop for traditional Kazakh foods, from mare’s milk to sheep’s head.

Nicknamed Kazakhstan's Grand Canyon, this natural wonder lies east of Almaty near the Chinese border.

A brilliant turquoise lake in the mountains.

Wooden pavers represent a 17th-century barrier that gave Wall Street its name.

Explore the largest pure gypsum deposit in the world, and go dune sledding while you're at it.

Soaring mural splashed across 70-year-old silos in Michigan.