Selcuk, a small town in western Turkey’s İzmir Province, is one of the country’s richest destinations for history lovers. It sits at the foot of the ancient city of Ephesus, once one of the great cities of the classical world and home to the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Udawalawe National Park, located in southern Sri Lanka, is one of the country’s best places to see wild elephants in their natural environment. Established in 1972, the park protects an important watershed area around the Udawalawe Reservoir and provides a sanctuary for hundreds of elephants, which can often be seen roaming in herds across the open grasslands.

Rijeka sits at the head of Kvarner Bay on Croatia’s northern Adriatic, shaped by its long role as a port city at the crossroads of empires.

Kaloum, the bustling central district of Conakry, serves as the political, commercial, and cultural heart of Guinea’s capital.

Turkmenistan is a land of striking contrasts, where vast deserts meet ancient Silk Road history. The country is dominated by the Karakum Desert, an expanse of sand and scrub that covers most of its territory, yet it is also home to oases where cities flourished as trading posts for caravans journeying between Persia, China, and beyond.