Places Added by Max Cortesi

A powerful cyclone once made one of the world's largest sinkholes completely fill with water.

Traditional architecture and ancient irrigation systems are on display in this gorgeous mountain village.

Some claim these desert ruins are from the legendary "Atlantis of the Sands."

A section of the desert with an array of unusual sandstone and limestone formations.

These gnarly desert trees produce the prized aromatic resin traded along the ancient incense trail.

The world's seventh-largest coral reef contains an incredible amount of biodiversity.

A staggering number of rock carvings in an abandoned quarry.

Climb down into the largest sinkhole in Qatar.

One of the holiest Shi'i shrines in Iran honors the life and death of a learned noblewoman who became a saint.

A nearly abandoned Jewish settlement perched atop a hill in the heart of Yemen.

These underground shelters dug by the Japanese during World War II later helped Timor-Leste achieve its independence.

Hundreds of caves filled with thousands of centuries-old statues and murals.

A paradisical gorge with rapids, waterfalls, and wildlife whose raw beauty is the stuff of CGI movies.

Mysterious Incan ruins on a tiny island in Lake Titicaca.

Climb atop one of the world's longest and heaviest trains for an unbelievable journey across the Sahara Desert.

Arguing within this idyllic, circular volcanic lake is forbidden.

More than 100 Hindu temples are slowly being swallowed by the forest.

The river depicted in the antiwar film 'Apocalypse Now' was likely based on this Mekong tributary.

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

This rural Sri Lankan village hides a cluster of small, enigmatic stupas.

This ancient stone bridge is a hub for daredevils.

One of the largest and most scenic of Bangladesh's tea gardens.

These ruins by the Dead Sea is where John the Baptist met his untimely end.

The remains of three different ancient civilizations have been found at this rich archaeological site.