Khujand is a major city in northern Tajikistan, situated along the Syr Darya River in the Sughd Region. It is one of Central Asia’s oldest urban centers and was an important stopping point along historic trade routes linking the region with Persia and China. Today, the city combines a long urban tradition with busy markets, riverside parks, museums, and broad views toward the surrounding hills.
An exotic world, shimmering in lacquer light, lies just beyond the harbor. This Haiphong, gateway to the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi. Have a cyclo take you to town in the morning, just as markets come alive. You can also see the Du Hang Pagoda, a fine example of the country's traditional architecture, and the Hang Kenh House, famed for its intricate wood carvings.
Hatton is a hill-country town in central Sri Lanka, located within the tea-growing highlands of Nuwara Eliya District. Surrounded by steep green slopes, waterfalls, and mist-covered plantations, the town serves as an important center for Sri Lanka’s tea industry.
Yasuní National Park lies in Ecuador’s Amazon region, between the Napo and Curaray rivers, and protects one of the country’s largest areas of lowland rainforest. The park contains dense tropical forest, rivers, lagoons, swamps, and seasonally flooded areas, creating a wide range of habitats. Its location near the equator and its varied terrain support exceptionally high biological diversity.
Gouda is a historic city in South Holland, situated where the Gouwe and Hollandse IJssel waterways meet. Its compact center is known for canals, brick houses, bridges, and a network of narrow streets surrounding the Markt, one of the Netherlands’ largest historic town squares. The Gothic St. John’s Church dominates the square and is particularly notable for its extensive collection of stained-glass windows.