Sacred Places

From Varanasi, one of the world's oldest continually inhabited places to the ancient temples of Bagan in Myanmar and an unforgettable sunrise at Turkey’s Nemrut Dagi.

For as long as I can remember I’ve been drawn to these mystical places, before the days of the internet I loved to browse Lonely Planet travel guides for the world’s most adventurous and hard-to-reach locations, always dreaming about how to get there.

Borobudur, Indonesia - 2014

Monochrome Buddha statue and stupa silhouette overlooking hazy mountains in Myanmar.
Ancient stone heads at Mount Nemrut lit by golden sunlight in eastern Turkey.

Nemrut Dağı with the mausoleum of King Antiochus I (69–34 BC), Turkey - 1990

Motion-blur street scene of a man pushing a loaded cart past illuminated palace architecture at dusk in Udaipur, India.

Hawa Mahal known as the Palace of the Winds. Jaipur, India - 2016

Black and white Bagan temple silhouettes under a dark dramatic sky in Myanmar.

Sunrise at Borobudur temple, with Mount Merapi in the distance. Borobudur, Indonesia - 2014

Khmer devata statue carved into an ancient Angkor temple wall, surrounded by ornate stone details.

"Temple Aspara", Ta Som Temple, Cambodia - 2018

Silhouetted man performs a prayer ritual beside Lake Pichola at sunset in Udaipur, with rippling water and palace reflections.

Shri Nand Baba Temple, Nandgaon

Udaipur, India - 2015

Dramatic black and white view of people bathing in the Ganges River at Varanasi ghats under dark monsoon clouds, India.

Varanasi, India - 2017

Elderly man bathes in the Ganges River near a stone temple dome at Varanasi ghats, India.

Varanasi, India - 2017

Misty sunrise over ancient Bagan temples and pagodas in Myanmar.

Bagan, Myanmar - 2015

Historic mosque dome and minaret overlooking a rugged mountain valley in eastern Turkey.

Ishak Pasha Palace (completed 1784) in the far east of Turkey bordering Iran. 1990

Bagan temple silhouette at blue hour with soft sky and distant pagodas in Myanmar.

Thatbyinnyu Temple or "the Omniscient", built in the 12th century. Bagan, Myanmar - 2015

Dramatic storm clouds over the Bagan plains with a small golden pagoda in Myanmar.

The gold stupa of Dhammayazika Pagoda rises above the plains, built in 1196 during King Narapatisithu's reign. Bagan, Myanmar - 2015

Machu Picchu ruins surrounded by misty Andes mountains and dramatic clouds in Peru.

Mach Picchu. Peru, South America - 1989

Weathered Bayon temple face covered in moss and jungle greenery at Angkor, Cambodia.

Ta Som Temple, Cambodia - 2018

Tree roots growing over moss-covered temple stones at Ta Prohm, Angkor, Cambodia.

Beng Mealea Temple, Cambodia - 2018

Ancient Bayon temple stone face carved into weathered ruins at Angkor, Cambodia.

Bayon Temple, Cambodia - 2018

Bundi cityscape in Rajasthan with blue houses, hillside palace, and three children overlooking the town.

Kiteflyers. Bundi, India - 2016

Subdued minimalistic view of a ruined palace pavilion reflected in a still lake in India.

Jaisalmer, India - 2015

Tibetan Buddhist prayer wheels lined up inside a Nepalese temple corridor.

Kathmandu, Nepal - 1992

Kathmandu Durbar Square temples and palace architecture with prayer flags in Nepal.

Kathmandu’s Durbar Square, Nepal - 1992

Fushimi Inari Shrine red torii gates forming a tunnel walkway in Kyoto, Japan.

Fushimi Inari Taisha, Kyoto Japan - 2022. Fushimi Inari Shrine has ancient origins, predating the capital's move to Kyoto in 794.

Young buddhist monks lighting candles beside a reclining Buddha inside a warmly lit Myanmar temple.

Shinbinthalyaung Temple. Bagan, Myanmar - 2015

Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion reflected in a pond, surrounded by green trees in Kyoto, Japan.

Kinkaku-ji Temple, Kyoto Japan, 2022

Japanese garden framed through a dark temple window, showing moss, trees, and manicured shrubs.

Daitokuji Temple, Kyoto Japan - 2022

Black and white Zen rock garden with raked gravel and temple roof detail in Kyoto, Japan.

Ryoan-ji Temple, Kyoto Japan - 2022

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