Places thehaphazardtraveler Wants to Go

Grotto replete with mystical designs laid out in glued shell mosaics.

The first and only planetarium in Sri Lanka.

The heartbeat of modern Uzbekistan’s thriving market culture.

Home to what was once considered the largest gate in central Asia.

Beautiful palace stands tall over the Fergana Valley.

Witness traditional silk production in the Uzbek city that's been a hub of sericulture for over a thousand years.

Where Stoddart and Connolly suffered in the infamous Bug Pit.

One of the most ethnically diverse spots on the planet.

These "50 Fortresses" have been unearthed in the ancient oasis of Khwarezm.

Giant cauldrons overflow with Uzbekistan's favorite rice dish at this cavernous dining hall.

A brilliant turquoise lake in the mountains.

Granny Smiths and Fujis can both be traced back to Kazakhstan, where apples still grow wild.

Submerged trees jut ghost-like out of an idyllic turquoise mountain lake.

One of the most well-preserved temples of ancient Egypt.

A small window on Via Piella offers a lovely and rare peek at Bologna's lost canals.

This abandoned convent keeps the tomb of a legendary beheaded princess.

Fiery-hot river rocks make soup sizzle at this restaurant showcasing indigenous Chinantec cuisine.

A little-known hall almost completely covered in art by the beloved local painter.

Local lore claims this rocky cape hides a lost Aztec treasure.

The ruins of an important pilgrimage destination for worshippers of a Maya fertility goddess.

This small church is surrounded by a landscape filled with hidden Zapotec ruins.

In this beloved beach town, a secret seafood haven lies tucked behind a car wash.

The secret room where early Bolsheviks cranked out propaganda fliers on a smuggled printing press.

Luxury hotel turned into a refugee camp, then turned back into a luxury hotel.