Places Riki Wants to Go

A wunderkammer of mysterious objects and stories.

A slice of central Asia in the middle of Berlin.

Started as a kitchen garden, now the second largest botanical garden in the world.

A whimsical and twisted animatronic monster tour beneath the streets of Berlin.

This futuristic German spa allows visitors to float in a pool of salt water while zoning out to underwater techno.

The house where the writer spent his formative years.

A stunning Victorian abbey and walled garden on a lakefront.

More than 5,000 artifacts donated by the people of the city, plus a room entirely devoted to the band U2.

A nun spent 16 years painting the stunning Celtic mural that covers the interior of this WWI memorial.

This cramped crevasse saw the entire population of its island suffocated inside its depths.

An ancient Scottish rock formation said to be the gravesite of a giant remains ensconced in legend and intrigue.

Buddhist university that allows English-language speakers the opportunity to study with monks in Thailand.

A forsaken beachfront condo abandoned after the Boxing Day Tsunami.

This mountain sunrise is one of the most breathtaking views in Thailand, yet well off the tourist trail.

A mile-long navigable cave adorned with stalactites and stalagmites reaching up to 65 feet tall.

A dazzling temple featuring a towering 12-meter golden Buddha.

Its tremendous toad is actually a five-story museum and viewing platform.

Self-mummified monk who wears sunglasses and has become a gecko hatchery.

The cursed island of black pebbles.

Where an entire elephant skeleton, a snakeskin table runner, and thousands of animal remains become art.

Monkeys lounge around at this 13th century temple.

This museum has a most unusual location: inside a giant, three-headed elephant.

The headquarters of the Mahanikai school of Buddhism, Thailand's largest monastic order.

An on-site urban farm and fish pond supply some of the produce for this upscale restaurant.