Teh Chin Liang

In Lake Baikal in southern Siberia, Olkhon Island dwarfs the other rocky islets with its elongated spine. From the map, it looks like a small, narrow peninsula extends off the mainland. At Cape Khoboy on the northern tip of Olkhon. Maxim Oksyutik stands atop a rock. Before him, an endless ripple of water opens up in an indefinite spectacle.

In Abiansemal, a rural district north of Denpasar and west of Ubud in Bali, the Ayung River cuts through rocky gorges, winding past rice fields and jungle. Down by the river, a spread of bamboo pavilions rises in a hug of palm trees and thick bushes, their wide thatched roofs fanning out like giant conical hats. From above, the complex gives off the vibe of an eco-retreat in the middle of the jungle. But beneath the thatched roofs are open-air classrooms, designed to nurture young minds through an unconventional curriculum that could reimagine education as we know it.

The red on the thermometer crept past 30°C. In Chiang Mai, temperatures remain volatile, chilly in the morning and sweltering by afternoon. I was in an air-conditioned restaurant and had a bowl of khao soi before me, its turmeric-gold broth steaming a rich coconut bisque. The chanting of monks from the nearby temples, fading in and out in an ethereal cadence, was backdropped by the tinkle of the wind chimes.

The Esplanade in Penang, Malaysia, is a historic seafront promenade that defines the character of the city's colonial past. A long granite seawall spans from the whitewashed Neo-Classical City Hall from one end to the cannon-bastioned Fort Cornwallis at the other.

You get an invitation to stay free in a secluded forest cabin in Sweden. Ecstatic, you pack, follow the instructions, and arrive at the cabin. From the outside, it looks like any other cabin that promises a homey stay. But as you enter, you become conscious of your every move. You tiptoe carefully, doing your best to keep the floor from creaking. Every word comes out of your mouth hushed down to a whisper. In the kitchen, your coffee mug slips from your cold hand, heading straight for the floor. But you are quick enough to snatch it just in time — tragedy averted. The setting is almost like the Hollywood hit A Quiet Place, except you are not dodging a human-snatching monster. What you are dealing with is a decibel meter tucked into a secret corner of the cabin, listening to every sound you make. Just when you think [...]