Some places don’t need grand introductions — they just need to be seen. Emerald Lake in British Columbia is one of those places. Nestled deep in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, this glacial lake glows with a turquoise hue so intense, it almost looks photoshopped. But it’s real, oh-so-real — and it’s calling your name.

Tucked away in the sleepy northern city of Lampang, far from the beaches and big-city buzz of southern Thailand, lies a temple wrapped in silence, legend, and shimmering gold. **Wat Phra Kaew Don Tao** may not be on every traveler's radar, but this quiet sanctuary once held one of the most revered objects in all of Southeast Asia — the Emerald Buddha.