Monteverde, located in the Tilarán Mountains of northwestern Costa Rica, is known for its cloud forests, winding trails, and biodiversity that has drawn researchers and travelers for decades. The area was settled in the 1950s by Quakers from the United States who were looking for a peaceful place to raise dairy cattle. They also played a major role in preserving the local ecosystem, helping to establish the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve in 1972.

West Yellowstone, Montana sits right at the edge of one of the most visited protected landscapes in the United States, serving as a gateway to vast forests, geothermal fields, and wide open valleys. The town is built around travel into nearby wilderness, with simple log-style buildings, outdoor gear shops, and easy access points that lead directly toward major park entrances.

Nara, located in Japan’s Kansai region, is a city where ancient history and serene landscapes coexist. As the country’s first permanent capital, it preserves a wealth of historic sites that reflect its significance during the Nara period.

The Seychelles, an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, is renowned for its turquoise waters, white-sand beaches, and lush tropical landscapes.

Angkor Thom was the last great capital of the Khmer Empire, established in the late 12th century under King Jayavarman VII in what is now northwestern Cambodia. Enclosed by massive stone walls and a wide moat, the city was designed as both a political center and a sacred landscape, symbolizing the cosmic order of the Khmer worldview.