If you close your eyes and picture East Africa, you probably imagine rolling savannahs, dramatic sunsets, and thousands of pink flamingos painting the edges of a shimmering soda lake.

There is a moment just before dawn in the Namib Desert when the world goes completely silent. The only sound is the sudden roar of a burner, lifting your basket gently off the earth and into the cool morning air.

When travelers think of Djibouti, they often picture the otherworldly landscapes of Lake Assal or the steaming limestone chimneys of Lake Abbe.

When travelers think of French colonial architecture in Laos, iconic destinations like Luang Prabang or the lively boulevards of Vientiane usually come to mind.