Ozymandias’ time-keeping temple.

This beautifully restored fortification kept the city safe for centuries.

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

An imposing Omani fortress surrounded by date palm trees.

A sinkhole and now a swimming hole, too, full of dazzling turquoise water.

The world's brightest bioluminescent bay.

This bazaar is one of the oldest in the Arabian world.

Four steel monoliths stand in the Qatari desert, in a breathtaking work of large-scale art by Richard Serra.

This seemingly random 30-foot statue of an oryx in Qatar's capital was a mascot for the 2006 Asian Games.

This 23-foot-tall bear stands amid the hustle and bustle of Hamad International Airport.

A superb spot to appreciate the traditional boats of the Indian Ocean.

This mix of Islamic art, vintage vehicles, weaponry, architecture, and history is an ode to eclecticism. 

The enormous diamond-shaped building packs a trove of academic and literary treasures into one futuristic space.

An abandoned fishing village in pre-oil Qatar.

The shallow, salty inlet was a safe haven for 19th-century pirates.

Qatar's oldest market can trace its origins back more than a century.

The building is a gigantic piece of art inspired by the shape of a desert rose.

This archaeological site boasts temple ruins that date back 5,000 years to the Dilmun culture, and may have been described in the tale of Gilgamesh's search for immortality.

Skyscraper powered by wind turbines attached between its towers.

This beautifully historic Bahrain fortress might not be the most popular attraction around, but that might make it all the better.

This centuries-old tree tells an unusual tale of vegetation and fertility in the desert.

This remarkably well-preserved Egyptian plinth is pretty well traveled for a giant piece of stone.