The National Museum Bangkok is the biggest museum in Southeast Asia and a great stop, alongside the Museum of Siam, if you want to understand Thai history and art. It’s spread across several buildings, showcasing everything from ancient sculptures and royal regalia to traditional costumes and ceramics. The collection can feel a bit overwhelming, so it’s worth focusing on the highlights—like the giant Buddha statues and the Bangkok-period royal artefacts. Guided tours are available if you want the backstory behind the displays, but wandering on your own gives a good sense of Thailand’s past at your own pace.

St Volodymyr’s Cathedral is a busy, boldly frescoed 19th-century church in the city center and a memorable landmark. It is the most important cathedral for the Ukrainian Orthodox church.

This tree-lined boulevard, the main street of Kyiv, is dominated by Stalin Empire architecture and upmarket shops. It stretches over one kilometer through a valley, that is thronged at weekends when it’s closed to traffic