In the snowy wilds of Japan's Yamagata Prefecture, where winter wraps the land in an icy hush, something eerie stirs in the Zao Mountains. As the temperature drops and the storms rage, the trees on these slopes begin to transform—until they no longer look like trees at all.
Picture yourself wandering the colorful, cobbled streets of Guanajuato, a colonial-era city with alleyways that twist like an Escher drawing. You round a corner, and suddenly — there it is. A man made of bronze. Or is it stone? You pause. Then blink. He blinks back. Startled laughter erupts around you — because that statue? It’s alive.
When you think of paradise, chances are your mind drifts to powdery white beaches, turquoise lagoons, and towering limestone cliffs rising straight from the sea. Welcome to the Phi Phi Islands — a sun-drenched archipelago off the coast of Krabi that’s famous for its jaw-dropping beauty and for starring in one of the most iconic travel films ever: The Beach.