In mainly Muslim Bangladesh you will not come across many Buddhist temples, but this one is among the few. It stands a baby taxi (tuk-tuk) ride from Bandarban and is quite beautiful and shiny. Not much seems to be going on here, but the views over the valley and Sangu river are magnificent.

This tiny Hindu tower would normally not have made the list, if it was not for the fact that it lies in Bangladesh, and not neighboring India. The official name is Khodla Math temple and it lies forgotten in a suburban neighborhood outside Bagerhat. The hollow inner does not contain many surprises, but can be accessed by asking the neighbor for the key to the iron doors.

The Bagerhat area flourished under a local hero named Khan Jahan Ali in the 15th century. Islam was taught and mosques were build. To this day some of these old buildings still stand and attract a small crowd of local pilgrims and the odd traveller. They are all very simple and humbled looking. Shait Gumbad mosque is the biggest. It is also called the 60 domes mosque, which is a bit strange considering it actually has 77 of them. Other mosques in the area worth exploring are Singar mosque, Bibi Begni mosque and Dargah mosque. The old mosques of Bagerhat is one of the few World Heritage Sites in Bangladesh.

In the mid 15th century Khan Jahan Ali, a Turkish Muslim saint, arrived to where Bagerhat lies today. He apparently liked the place so much that he founded a beautiful town which artificial ponds, palaces and impressive mosques otherwise unknown to the area. According to inscriptions on his tomb he died in 1459 leaving behind a thriving Islamic culture along with some of the finest architecture in Bangladesh, with some of the mosques still standing today. His mausoleum is still considered a pilgrimage site where people come to pray and pay respect. In the pond in front of the shrine, there are crocodiles which is believed to give good luck if touched (we kid you not).

A tasteful and modest piece of architecture that shows what oil money can buy. Build in 1958 with the finest material from all over the world; marble from Italy, stained-glass and chandeliers from England, granite from China, carpets from Saudi Arabia and a golden dome. In the artificial lake stands a replica of a royal boat. It's clearly the city's proud landmark and is considered among the most beautiful mosques in the world.

The ancient capital of China holds a treasure of more than 51,000 stone Buddha reliefs and figures. Carved into the mountain wall, they range from thumb-size to 17 meters colossuses. The variations are dazzling: sitting, standing, dancing, colourful, worn and smiling Buddhas, Originally all covered, the sandstone has washed away in places leaving the huge Buddha in the blazing sun. These are the oldest stone carvings in China. Monks have carved the many figures as part of meditation in the secluded caves. Here you may come to terms with the concept of the "thousand Buddhas", symbolizing the Buddha's omnipresence through time and space. The surrounding area is covered in coal-dust, true mining-China.

A Tibetan monastery initiated for more than 300 hundreds years ago by the fifth Dalai Lama. Today it's a massive Buddhism complex, where more than 600 monks live and study. In the morning you can sometimes catch the debating lessons outside on the square, where the novices in lotus position are tested in their ability to answer philosophical questions delivered in a clapping manner by their friends. It's not in the province of Tibet (TAR), so no special permission is need to go here.

A small Hindu temple in Balinese style build on a rocky outcrop between two bays. The black temple faces Bali and legend tells that virgins were once sacrificed to the sea from the outermost slap of rock. Beside the full and dark moons ceremonies, the only drama today is the crashing waves that can easily cover the whole temple in a mist of sticky sea water. Pura Batu Bolong can easily be reached from Sengigi.

Mosaic was, and is, a big thing in Jordan, and St. George church is one of the reasons. The church itself is fairly new (19th-century) Greek Orthodow, but it is build over an old Byzantine church which floor was decorated in AD 560 with a large and detailed mosaic map over all biblical sites in the Middle East. During normal service the map is covered by a carpet but at visitor time the map is revealed. And we must admit that it is probably the most exciting mosaic around.

Do like Moses, and several Popes, go to Mount Nebo and take in the panoramic view over the Promised Land. Moses himself was forbidden to enter the land and it's believed that this was his final resting place. Today you can drive all the way up (not that high, 817m) and when finished with the fairly nice view which also includes the Dead Sea and the valley of River Jordan, you can have a look at the ruins from an ancient monastery and the Moses Memorial Church.