Modern design and unusual architecture make this mountaintop temple no ordinary Buddhist retreat.

On stormy days debris from this unfinished and abandoned skyscraper rains down on the Bangkok streets.

Bangkok's men with dangerous jobs come here in search of protective talismans.

At the right time of day, sunlight floods through the roof of this cave and illuminates the small pavilion hidden within.

A limestone wonderland of water and subterranean secrets.

Stunning wetlands ablaze with pink lotus flowers.

Walk through depictions of the torture inflicted on those who go to Buddhist hell.

Carved by a waterfall in a hard-to-reach rock formation, this heart-shaped rock has inspired romantics for decades.

Costumed elves and mountain bikers co-exist peacefully at this abandoned Christmas-themed adventure park.

A museum dedicated to the decorative arts from the 16th through 19th centuries.

Explore the wide world of desert plants at this unique Palm Springs botanical garden.

A remote desert lookout offers unparalleled views of the California badlands for those who brave the trek.

An off-grid art installation that encourages its visitors to imagine a world without waste.

This abandoned Navy base was transformed into an off-grid alternative living community for thousands of people.

A hand-built folk art installation covered with messages of God's love.

These lush groves of fan palms rise up like oases out of southern California's Colorado Desert.

Version of the French Riviera destroyed by the sea.

While you're unlikely to find riches here these days, this remote mine is a time capsule of the Gold Rush era.

In the middle of the desert, miles from any human life, sat an anomalous pay phone that still magically answers your calls.

A volcanic tunnel illuminated by natural skylights offers a shaded respite from the desert sun.

A desert ghost town—occupied for only 12 years—was once home to more than 500 silver mines.

The "Fun Spot of the Desert" is now a haunting ruin, and a reminder that putting a water park in a desert is a bad idea.

Decommissioned experimental solar facilities that pioneered solar energy technology.

This sun-scorched lakebed contains samples of half the natural elements known to humankind.