UNREAL ASIA – Extreme Volcanoes, Burning Deserts, Forgotten Kingdoms
Asia is built on extremes. Along its Pacific edge, the Ring of Fire fuels
more than 75% of the world’s active volcanoes. Lava fields cut into rainforests, creating coastlines where black
rock meets turquoise water. [Music] In the Himalayas, air pressure drops to
half of sea level and temperatures plunge below -40° F. [Music] Yet snow lines feed
rivers that sustain nearly 2 billion people. Life here moves in harmony with
altitude along terrace valleys and high passes where the wind feels older than time. Far to the south, you really get
a sense of Asia’s age. [Music] The world’s spiritual heart beats in places
like Vonasi, [Music] where rituals along the Ganges have continued
unbroken for over 3,000 years. [Music] Places with temples whose bells have rung
through countless empires and centuries [Music] in the East. The Great Wall traces more than 13,000 m of mountain
ridges and desert plains. [Music] Built across dynasties,
it stands as both a barrier and a bridge holding Asia’s stories of
power, invasion, and endurance. [Music] Across the highlands, the snow leopard emerged
as a symbol of strength, mystery, and survival. And then there’s Iran, which sits at
the cultural crossroads of Asia. [Music] Secrets lie buried in salt deserts, volcanic
plateaus, and windswept valleys. Here it remains one of Asia’s most misunderstood
nations. With beauty hidden in silence. [Music] Here lies the scorched crust of Iran’s dash. [Music] A scar traces along the Earth following
the collision of tectonic giants. [Music] This is the Snake’s Tongue Canyon, slashing through some of the highest
land temperatures ever recorded on Earth. West of the Shure River, the
Kouts host windchiseled ruins across an orange wasteland scorched by heat. Nearby, salt basins lie cracked and
dry for most of the year until rare floods fill them with mineralrich water that
reflects vivid green under the desert sun. This striking contrast of emerald
pools against the flaming tones of Gandom Beran forms one of the most
surreal natural color palettes on Earth. Asia is a treasure trove of mysteries like this and quickly shifts from burning salt flats
to mist soaked forests clinging to stone. [Music] Within this world, a narrow stone
staircase cuts upward through mist, clinging to the spine of
China’s wooling mountains. [Music] Fanjing Shan’s twin peaks rise here from a sea of clouds crowned by Buddhist
temples built on bare rock. [Music] A bridge connects this stunning marvel
of nature’s man-made creations. the top. At its summit, golden light often breaks
through fog, igniting these vertical cliffs. The peaks of Indonesia are no
stranger to these altitudes, however. Here, Vanjava’s terrace fields spiral
down the flanks of steep valleys, draped in low clouds and windblown ash. It’s a place where Asia’s jungle
and alpine worlds collide. The settlement formed where fertile
volcanic soil met cool mountain air, ideal for farming, trade, and spiritual isolation. The colorful homes and sheer majesty of the
scene here are nothing short of soul stirring. From the misty farms of Van Yava to the icy cliffs
above the treeine, Asia’s vertical world truly unfolds to the north, where jungle ends and
the silent domain of the snow leopard begins. This elusive predator silently
stalks in rocky terrain nearby. [Music] Seldom seen, always watching. [Music] Yaks and cattle roam open
pastures essential to local livelihoods. [Music] Life for humans isn’t simple in
these heavenlike altitudes of Asia, but they have adapted with the help of friends. Mules and horses graciously help
transport goods where roads end. They are woripped by locals for their life
sustaining contribution to humanity here. Our journey continues northward to Man Pupuna where seven colossal stone pillars loom
over the Pora plateau in Russia. They were weathered by ice and wind as ancient
sediment uplifted over millions of years. Locals call them the seven strong men,
attributing mystical qualities to their silence. Snow often drapes their bases
while winds howl between them. Scientists believe these were once part of a
vast mountain range worn to its last remnants. These pillars mark the western
edge of Russia’s wilderness, while eastward the land grows restless. Mountains scrape the sky. Crusts
crack. And deep within Siberia, Kamchatka and the Al Thai
forests begin to breathe. Beneath Kamchatka’s volcanoes, the Valley
of Geysers roars with steam and pressure, its crust fractured by forces
still reshaping the land. One of the most powerful earthquakes in
modern history was recorded here in 2025. A literal earthshaking 8.8 on the RTER scale. [Music] Acidic rivers cut red canyons where
mineralrich waters shimmer beneath an ashy sky. Snowcapped caleras loom above boiling ground
and fummeralss hiss in every direction. It’s one of the largest
geothermal fields on Earth, yet remains distant, alive,
and fiercely uncontained. Kamchatka’s coastline crashes into the Pacific
with a rawness few places match. Towering cliffs, volcanic sand, and freezing
currents teeming with life. Stellar sea lions haul themselves onto
seastained rocks, barking across empty bays. Beneath the surface, vast kelp
forests sway with the surge, forming green cathedrals where
light flickers in slow motion. [Music] Sea lions often use them for
cover and a place to hunt. [Music] Hidden in their shadows, the giant
Pacific octopus glides silently, changing color with each heartbeat. [Music] It slips between crevices,
wrapping arms around rock and prey. Crabs scuttle below while schools of
cold water fish dart through fronds. [Music] In the forests of Siberia’s Alai,
Geyser Lake pulses with strange life. [Music] Rings of blue and turquoise swirl constantly on the lake bed as geothermal springs
erupt beneath the surface. [Music] [Music] The water stays clear year round, revealing silt patterns drawn
by underground pressure [Music] across Asia. Entire landscapes were shaped not
just by nature but by human vision. [Music] Stone was carved, brick was raised, and entire mountain sides were transformed
to honor gods, rulers, and ideas. [Music] They’re the continent’s deepest
expressions of belief and power. [Music] Where the geysers fade, a circular structure of mud brick rises from the Kaisilum
desert, older than most empires. [Music] Chilpik was a Zoroastrian dakma where corpses were placed to be consumed by vultures.
Sky burial in its most austere form. [Music] Built before Islam, its crumbling
walls still curve around a hollow core. The platform looks out across empty
planes once crossed by Silk Road caravans. In the deserts, ancient cultures shaped
their beliefs into architecture, ritual, power, and cosmos etched into mud and stone. [Music] Massive steps ascend in tears of baked brick angled toward the
southern Iraqi sky. [Music] Built by the Sumerianss nearly 4,000 years ago, the ziggurat of Ur stood at the center of
a vast citystate once fed by the Euphrates. This is where one of the first written
languages, Sumerian, had emerged. Much of it remains original. Its foundation
laid a top layers of floodplane mud. [Music] While Ur’s ziggurat anchored faith
in brick and breadth, farther east, belief clings to air and height,
the tiger’s nest monastery clings to a vertical cliffside 10,000 ft
above sea level. [Music] Accessible [Music] only by a narrow trail
through pine forests and prayer wheels. It honors the legend of Padma
Sambba flying to the site on a tigress. There’s something really ancient and
peaceful in the air here. [Music] [Music] North of Thailand’s party coast, the
sanctuary of truth stands unfinished yet eternal. Entirely carved from
teak without a single metal nail. The temple blends Hindu and Buddhist iconography in a towering display of myth,
morality, and celestial beings. Intricate reliefs depict cosmic battles
and the pursuit of enlightenment. [Music] Every inch is handmade, constantly
repaired due to wood decay. Deeper inland, wood gives way to stone,
where Vietnam’s jungles hide a world within, untouched until a recent misstep revealed it. [Music] Hang Sandondong stretches beneath
Vietnam’s jungle. Discovered in 1991 by a local man seeking shelter from a storm. [Music] It was formed by river erosion
beneath limestone mountains. This massive cave holds its own
ecosystem, weather and jungle within. [Music] Mist swirls through collapsed ceilings. Light breaks across underground rivers. Few places feel as alien and alive. [Music] From subterranean chambers to desert fortresses, the world rises again in Yemen, where
stone villages cling to cliffs and time. This marvel of historic man-made creation, Haidal Jazzil, sits isolated on a
massive boulder in Wadi Dawan. [Music] It’s suspended above a narrow desert
valley built entirely from mudbrick. [Music] The multi-story homes still inhabited defy erosion, stacked tightly against the
rock like an ancient puzzle. [Music] Below it, palm groves line a dry riverbed, drawing
narrow bands of green through barren stone. Yemen’s mysteries drift into the Arabian
Sea toward an island so strange it feels like Earth remembering a
different version of itself. [Music] Sucotra stands apart both
geographically and biologically. Oneth3 of its plant life is found nowhere
else. Most famously, the dragon’s blood tree. Its crimson resin once traded like gold.
[Music] Canyons split limestone plateaus while white sand beaches meet turquoise
shallows filled with rare coral species. Fierce winds isolate the island for months, shaping twisted flora into silhouettes
seen nowhere else on the planet. [Music] Beneath Satra’s waves, the island’s
strangeness deepens. [Music] Bottl-nose dolphins arc through turquoise shallows,
riding currents between coral shelves. [Music] Among the reefs, butterfly fish
flicker like living jewels. Parrot fish grind coral into sand,
shaping the seafloor with each bite. Moray eels lurk like shadows in reef tunnels, their muscular bodies twisting silently
as if the rock itself had come to life. In the shallows, a hawks build turtle grazes on
sponges, its patterned shell catching sunlight that filters through the turquoise water. A
living relic in one of the world’s richest reefs. [Music] These critically endangered turtles
navigate vast ocean distances, returning to the same beaches to lay eggs. [Music] These waters in Satra are clear and undisturbed, holding one of the richest reef
and sea life systems in the world. Back in land, Shibam, often called the
Manhattan of the desert, rises vertically. Its mudbrick towers were built
to defend against Bedwin raids. It remains one of the planet’s oldest examples
of urban planning based on vertical construction. [Music] Even today, the highrises are
maintained by hand using the same sundried mud techniques
that built them 500 years ago. The architectural rhythm continues
east into India where citadels crown cliffs and cities bloom in waves of color. [Music] Mehangar Fort towers above Jodpur, its walls
merging into the cliffs they rise from. [Music] Built in the 15th century by Ralo Joda,
the fort still bears cannon scars and ironstudded gates from ancient invasions. [Music] Below it, the old city spreads in dense blue.
Homes painted to reflect heat and signal cast. [Music] At 240 ft, the red sandstone
tower of Kutub Minar casts a long shadow over Delhi’s oldest surviving Islamic structures. [Music] Built in the early 13th century, its fluted
columns rise in five tapering sections carved in Arabic calligraphy. [Music] At its base
lies the Kuwatul Islam mosque built using remnants of earlier Hindu and Jane temples. The
structures in this complex are very intricate. But far south in Sri Lanka, a different fortress
rises. This time from living rock. [Music] [Music] Cigaria, known as the lion
rock, towers above dense forest. [Music] Its summit is carved into the ruins
of a fifth century palace. [Music] Built by King Kashapa, it once held gardens, reservoirs, and fresco still
visible along its sheer walls. [Music] A stone staircase passes between massive
lion paws leading to the flattened peak. [Music] Archaeologists believe it was both
a royal retreat and defensive stronghold. [Music] Below Sigiraa’s stone summit, the
forest stirs with heavier steps. Sri Lankan elephants move in slow procession. These gentle giants are deeply
woven into the island’s culture, roaming freely in nearby sanctuaries. Their [Music] presence shapes both the land and
the rhythm of the wild. [Music] Beyond Sri Lanka’s sacred forests, Asia
shifts again. Stone becomes vertical, sculpted not by empires, but by
the earth’s own folded spine. [Music] Janglang mountain in China’s Jiang
province is part of the Dangia land form, a series of steep sandstone
cliffs stacked and layered. The mountains vertical ridges
look sliced from the earth, formed by millions of years of uplift and erosion. Snow can sometimes be seen on its sheer faces. [Music] But northwest of Jang Lang, buried
legions sleep beneath the soil. [Music] In 1974, farmers digging a well uncovered the
Terra cotta army. Thousands of life-sized clay soldiers, horses, and chariots arranged
in military formation near Cheyenne. Built to guard China’s first emperor, Chin Shu hang in the afterlife. Each figure is
uniquely detailed down to armor and facial hair. The army remained hidden for over 2,000
years, sealed in vaults under compacted earth. It remains one of the most
astonishing archaeological finds on the planet and only
a fraction has been excavated. But beyond these legions, Asia rises into a web of faiths that spans mountains,
deserts, and seas. [Music] Temples, mosques, monasteries, and
shrines mark its horizons. Each a distinct voice in a shared spiritual chorus. [Music] Faizal mosque sits at the
foot of Islamabad’s Margala hills shaped like a bedin tent re-imagined
in white marble and sharp lines. [Music] Commissioned in the 1970s, it remains
one of the largest mosques in the world. [Music] Its four towering minoretses pierce
the sky without traditional domes, drawing on modern and Islamic design elements. faith also spreads at high altitudes
above the Alaknandanda River in India. Dari Dei Mandere according to
locals should never be moved. When it briefly was, a major flood followed. Its platform rises high above the river now with a railing that looks too new
for the stone it surrounds. It’s a stunning Hindu site
that’s not known by many. By the way, have you clicked that free Travedia
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directly and begin your journey for free. North of it all, the Passu cones
slice into the sky. Jagged, almost symmetrical peaks
in Pakistan’s Hanza Valley. These are the upper tips of the cathedral
ridge formed by uplift in the Carakaram range. [Music] Below the Hanza River flows beside
glacial marines and suspended bridges, threading life through barren slopes. Avalanches and landslides reshape the landscape
regularly. Yet the cones remain fixed. The scale of everything here
is beyond comprehension. [Music] As the carakorum gives way to the greater
Himalayas, the land grows colder, higher, and more remote until even
color and sound seemed to fade. Here in India’s speedy valley, isolation
takes on a different form. Bordered by the Himalayas and Tibet, it’s a high altitude desert where rivers
have imprinted moonscapes into the rock. Whitewashed villages hug the cliffs
and monasteries crown ridges with prayer flags fluttering in freezing wind. At Key Monastery, monks live and train in
silence broken only by drums and horns. The valley is snowbound much of the year
with oxygen thin and roads treacherous. Asia’s highest bridge, the
Chichum Bridge, connects nearby This is brilliant emptiness. The trail now descends through desert and heat
toward the scorched heart of the Middle East. Arch rock in Alula, Saudi Arabia, curves
above the desert like a petrified wave formed by windb blown sand that imprinted
through sandstone over millions of years. The arch is part of a surreal landscape
dotted with rock towers and burial chambers, remnants of the Nabotian civilization. Nearby, ancient inscriptions
at Hegra mark the stone, recording forgotten rituals beneath
a sky that has barely changed. Once a thriving Nabatian city, it had over 100 monumental tombs
carved directly into rosecoled cliffs. The facades bear Greek, Roman,
and Egyptian influences, a testament to the region’s role as a
crossroads of ancient trade. [Music] Scattered across this desert are
rare pockets of green date palms and cultivated fields emerging from narrow oases. [Music] Their symmetry and survival in this land
shows another feat of human engineering. Water is drawn through underground
aqueducts as it has been for centuries. East of Alula, the earth opens more violently. In Turk Menistan’s Caracum desert, the Derwise
gas crater called the door to hell has burned continuously since 1971 when a drilling mishap
released methane from a collapsed cavern. Engineers set it a light, expecting it to burn
out in weeks. But decades later, it still glows. In Pakistan’s Scardu Valley, fortresses
rise where water meets stone. Scardu Fort perched above the meeting
point of the Indus and Chigar rivers has guarded this Himalayan corridor for centuries. Originally built by Tibetan rulers, its
watchtowers and walls remain intact, though weathered by snow and time. The valley below is green in
summer, but snowbound in winter. Crossing the border into Iran, the desert softens. At the foot of the mountains lies Shazde Garden, an oasis of geometry and
water near the city of Mahan. [Music] Its tiered fountains and symmetrical
plantings reflect Persian ideals of paradise. Order amid chaos.
Life coaxed from arid land. Spring-fed channels run through walled
terraces lined with cyprress and fruit trees. The land rises again, this
time into Afghanistan’s heart, where blue lakes and broken stone
form nature’s quiet monuments. Bandandy Amamir National Park lies in
the Bameyan Province where six deep blue lakes rest between limestone cliffs,
each held back by natural travatine dams. The water is rich in minerals and
glows turquoise under the highland sun. [Music] Bandi Hibat is the largest, but each lake tells
its own story in shifting light and silence. [Music] In the surrounding mountains, an
unseen predator moves in silence. [Music] The Eurasian lynx
stalks through alpine scrub, leaving only paw prints on frost dusted
stones before vanishing into shadow. [Music] With tufted ears and powerful legs, it can
leap several meters in a single bound. [Music] This solitary cat pres on hairs,
foxes, and even young ibecks, maintaining balance in highland ecosystems. Rarely seen by humans, its survival
in Afghanistan’s rugged landscapes depends on vast, undisturbed ranges. [Music] South of the lakes, Chahel Burge or
40 towers rises in ruins on a hill. The name refers not to exact count but to the
scale of its defensive architecture. Once part of an extensive network guarding
trade routes from Persia to India. Only fragments remain. crumbled watchtowers, broken walls, and sunbaked brick
scattered across dry hills. It’s barren, quiet, and filled with the echoes
of caravans that once passed here. [Music] The Buddha of Bameyan once
stood carved into a cliffside, gazing out over Afghanistan’s high valleys. It’s an emblem of Buddhist
reach and artistry at its peak. Though destroyed in 2001, the niches remain
vast and hollow, echoing with what was lost. Towering at 115 and 174 ft, the statues
were among the tallest standing Buddhas in the world, dating back to the sixth century. The surrounding caves are remnants of a
time when this remote corridor linked India, Persia, and China through a
shared spiritual language. Centuries later and oceans away,
that same spirit drifts across the Indian Ocean where cliffs meet water and
temples still watch the edge of the world. [Music] Uluatu Temple grips Bali’s southern
cliffs at 230 ft above the sea. It’s one of the island’s oldest sea temples, dedicated to the forces that
protect against evil from the ocean. [Music] The scent of incense drifts through coastal winds,
mixing with salt spray as monkeys dart nearby. The temple’s inner sanctum is set high on a
limestone outcrop, accessible only to priests. [Music] At sunset, the horizon burns
orange as waves crash far below, while the nearby Kekak dance tells
ancient epics beneath a darkening sky. Northwest of Bali, spirituality
shifts again. This time into a surreal form in Thailand’s
northern highlands. [Music] What ranc or the white temple looks
like something conjured from myth? Blindingly white and covered in
mirrored glass mosaics. It was designed by Thai artist Chalerachai Kosit
Pipat as a living evolving work of art. Cross a bridge over outstretched hands
symbolizing desire into a hall filled with Buddhist imagery, modern
icons, and golden murals. [Music] [Music] Just a short distance away, Watrongway 10 known as
the blue temple stands in deep contrast. [Music] Its electric blue facade is adorned with gold trim and sweeping naga serpents that seem
to move with the building’s curves. The temple continues northern Thailand’s
tradition of elaborate Buddhist art, but through a vivid modern lens. [Music] Farther south in Bangkok, the
spiritual gives way to royal spectacle. The Grand Palace has its golden rooftops and
spires dominating the skyline since 1782. [Music] Within its walls lie courtyards, throne halls,
and the sacred temple of the Emerald Buddha. Every surface seems gilded, tiled,
or inlaid with colored glass, reflecting the intensity of Thailand’s
craftsmanship and belief in divine kingship. [Music] Enjoying this documentary? Do us a big favor and
hit the like button. Also, be sure to subscribe and tap the bell icon so you don’t miss out
on the next one. You will not want to miss it. Eastward now to a peninsula shaped by
traders, dynasties, and colonial ambition. Macau’s peninsula is a cultural mirror.
Portuguese cathedrals beside towist temples, neon casinos beside centuries old alleyways. It was a quiet fishing village, but
became a global port under Portuguese rule, leaving a hybrid legacy of
language, food, and architecture. The Macau Tower dominated its skyline. [Music] It’s a place where east and west
aren’t juxtaposed, but fused, layered, and constantly evolving
beneath the subtropical haze. Into China’s interior we go, where mist rolls through stone pillars and
entire mountains appear suspended midair. Jangjajier is a vertical world of
sandstone columns and hanging forests. [Music] These stunning erosion formations inspired the
floating Hallelujah Mountains in the movie Avatar. Over 3,000 narrow spires rise from the forest floor. Some towering over 600 ft
cloaked in vegetation and cloud. [Music] The region’s oldest paths still twist
through bamboo groves and hidden shrines. Ribbons mark pathways for best wishes. Temples sit hidden in shrub and cliff. [Music] Cable cars glide throughout. [Music] It’s one of my favorite places in
this documentary and rightfully so. In the shadowed undergrowth lives the
elusive Tibetan macac. [Music] It’s one of China’s largest primates. thick furred,
sharpeyed, and highly social. [Music] The striking red face is
more vivid in dominant males, flush with blood as a signal of maturity,
status, and readiness to breed. [Music] They line the pathways here, often seen with
their young or lounging for a quick meal. [Music] [Music] Eastwood, imagination takes a different form,
though in steel, neon, and impossible scale. [Music] Shanghai is not just a city.
It’s a skyline in motion. [Music] Once a fishing town at the mouth of the Yangze, it has become one of the world’s
fastest evolving urban centers. The Bund faces a century of European architecture, while across the river, Lujazui’s
towers rise like glass monoliths. Beneath it all, the city breathes
in layers. Ching dynasty alleys, art deco corridors, and future-facing
infrastructure stacked within blocks. The Pearl Tower marks the city
as an icon recognized by many. But west of Shanghai, the landscape
returns to silence and scale. Chinghai province stretches across
the northeastern edge of the Tibetan plateau. A place of salt lakes, wind-shaped rock
formations, and skies so wide they distort scale. The salt lakes have shallow waters that become
mirrors reflecting clouds and mountains. They often become filled and
turn into eerie green pools. The region is less a destination, more
a reminder of how Earth once looked. [Music] But even isolation could not keep some
places from the imprint of empire. [Music] The Great Wall of China winds for
over 13,000 m stitched across deserts, mountains, and coastlines. [Music] It was built over centuries from tamped
earth to stone battlements intended not just as defense but as a projection
of power and permanence. [Music] In some places the wall follows ridge lines. So steep it seems to disappear
into the clouds. [Music] Watchtowers still mark the horizon. [Music] Southwest of the wall, stone rises
again, but this time in forest. [Music] The stone forest of Shilin in China’s
Yunan province is a labyrinth of towering limestone spires stretching across
nearly 150 square miles. [Music] [Music] These formations were once
seafloor, now lifted and sculpted by erosion into blades, arches,
and petrified waves. [Music] Some pillars reach over 100 ft, clustered
so tightly that sound travels in echoes. [Music] From China’s limestone forests and ancient walls, the journey turns south into a land
layered with language, faith, and memory. [Music] India unfolds as the birthplace of religion and is a central figure in the
entire history of Asia. [Music] This land is older than time itself. [Music] Vanasi sits along the Ganges like an eternal stage where fire, ash
and water blur into ritual. It is among the oldest continuously
inhabited cities on Earth. Its steps worn smooth by centuries of
prayer and farewell. [Music] Cremation Ps burn a manicarnica gut while children
play in the same river believed to cleanse sin at dawn. Chants from the Ganga arty rise
in waves as the sun cuts gold across the water, touching everything, life,
death, and whatever lies between. [Music] Not far west, we arrive at the greatest
symbol of love to have ever been created. [Music] The Taj Mahal was built by Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumaz. Its white dome
now synonymous with love and loss. Every detail, floral inlay,
calligraphy, minouetses, follows strict geometry rooted in paradise
design. [Music] The monument changes color with the sky from soft pink at
sunrise to silver under moonlight. Inside the tombs lie below ground,
untouched by the grandeur above. [Music] Westward, stone deepens even more in meaning. [Music] At Allora, 34 caves stretch across basalt cliffs, chiseled by hand between
the 6th and 10th centuries. Hindu, Buddhist and Jane temples share space
in silence cut from a single rock face. The construction is impossible. Just take a look here at the Kasa temple
carved top down. Yes, top down. It’s as impossible as the Great
Pyramids, but in its own right. This is the largest monolithic
structure on Earth. A mountain turned inside out into pillars,
chambers, and celestial halls. Far to the south, the rhythm
changes completely though. Kerala’s backwaters form a labyrinth of canals,
rivers, and lagoons stretching over 900 m. Houseboats glide through palmline channels
where villages float between water and land. Life unfolds at water level.
Fishermen casting nets. Churches on stilts. Children
waving from green banks. The air is thick with bird song
and the scent of spice. [Music] This is India unhurried. [Music] High above all this in India’s Ladak, Nubra Valley lies between folded
mountains and shifting sands. [Music] Reached by crossing the treacherous Kardungla
Pass, one of the world’s highest moable roads, the valley opens into an unlikely
mix of desert and glacia. [Music] Bactrean camels roam dunes near Biscuit Monastery. Snowcap mountains guard the Shio River. Turto village sits at the base of
these giants, green in summer. [Music] Yaks graze nearby. At night, stars flood the sky with a clarity only
these extreme altitudes can provide. [Music] Lake Bal holds 1 of the world’s unfrozen fresh
water, stretching over 395 mi through Siberia. [Music] At its deepest point, it
plunges more than a mile. And in winter, its surface freezes into thick transparent
sheets that fracture in jagged blue lines. [Music] Beneath the glassy surface,
movement stirs. [Music] The bal seal, the only freshwater seal on Earth, surfaces through ice cracks. Its dark eyes
scanning a world unchanged for millennia. [Music] Perfectly adapted to the lakes’s frigid
depths, it can dive for more than an hour, navigating under ice with remarkable precision. [Music] The frozen winters offer a retreat for
them as they lay and bask in the sun. [Music] [Music] From these cold depths, the landscape
shifts toward dry heat and resilient growth. In the deserts of China’s northwest, the populous Euphratica forest
spreads in golden waves each autumn. These hardy trees can survive in brackish
shifting soils where few others can grow. [Music] Wind carves the sand into ridges
between the groves. And in rare rains, the low ground floods, turning the
trees into mirrored silhouettes. The golden canopy gives way to a harsher horizon. The Gobi Desert stretches across
Mongolia and northern China. A vast mosaic of gravel plains,
dunes, and rocky outcrops. Here, temperatures swing from blistering heat to subzero
cold, and winds can strip paint from steel. Rolling dunes give way to
sudden pockets of grassland fed by underground springs in some parts. Here, wild horses and other grazers
move between sand and pasture, holding a fragile line of balance
between these orange and green worlds. Wild Bactrian camels roam in small
herds, crossing from grass to sand. Their humps store the reserves
needed for weeks without water. This critically endangered species endures extremes from scorching summer
heat to -40° Fahrenheit winters. Unlike their domestic relatives, they
can drink brackish or salty water, surviving in areas uninhabitable to most mammals. Skaza Canyon in Kyrgyzstan carves through
mountains in ribbons of red, yellow, and orange. Wind and water have molded the
soft rock into towers, ridges, and strange silhouettes that
shift with the angle of the sun. Trails weave between narrow walls. [Music] [Music] The canyon feels hidden, yet its
pallet can be seen from far off. [Music] The journey climbs into air
thin enough to slow every step. [Music] [Music] The Pameir and Wakan corridors stretch
between Afghanistan and Tajikiststan where mountains press so close the
sky feels like a strip between peaks. The Pang River threads through deep
gorges, its glacial blue visible for miles. Lakes shimmer high above, fed by snow
melt and isolated by sheer ridges. This is a crossroads of ancient
trade and modern isolation. The highlands grow sharper and ice
begins to dominate in Pakistan. [Music] Kakorum National Park holds some of the
tallest peaks on Earth, including K2. Glacias carve valleys thousands of feet deep. [Music] Avalanches rumble in the distance and rivers of melt water cut through morraes
before freezing again at night. This is a landscape still in motion. Following the ice, the path narrows
into a white labyrinth. [Music] Hoper glaciers flow from the
peaks of the Heisbar Mustar in northern Pakistan. [Music] These frozen
rivers advance slowly but relentlessly. [Music] creasses split the surface into jagged patterns and debris from rockfalls
lies buried within the ice. [Music] Surrounding slopes are
dotted with summer pastures, but in winter, snow seals the valley entirely. [Music] From pure ice, the land turns green again,
though still held high in the mountains. [Music] Hunza Valley lies along the Carakoram Highway, surrounded by snow peaks and
steeped in centuries of history. [Music] Terrace fields rise from the river banks, growing apricots, wheat, and
potatoes in the short summers. [Music] Stone forts stand on ridges, remnants of times when the valley was a vital trade
link to China and Central Asia. [Music] On the cliffs above, silhouettes
move against the sky. Himalayan ibecks pick their
way along narrow ledges. Males grow massive spiraling horns used in
dominance battles during rutting season. [Music] Snowcocks with their gray plumage and sharp alarm
calls watch over valleys from rocky perches. [Music] Both species endure fierce winters,
digging through snow to find sparse forage perfectly evolved for survival
in the caracorum’s thin icy atmosphere. [Music] But at these heights, oddly
enough, not everything is frozen. [Music] Katpana desert near Scardu is one of
the highest cold deserts in the world. [Music] Sand dunes roll across a plateau
over 7,000 ft above sea level, flanked by snowcovered peaks. [Music] In summer, the sand warms under a clear sky.
But in winter, snow drapes the dunes in white, a sight found in few other places on
Earth. [Music] The contrast of ice and desert creates a silence so complete
it feels unbroken for centuries. [Music] The wind leaves Kapana’s snow-covered
dunes and drops into valleys lined with orchards. Home to Manali,
gateway to India’s high passes. [Music] Once a trade link on
the ancient route to Ladak, it sits at 6,700 ft where the
Bees River begins its descent. [Music] Manali also marks the start of the Rotang Pass, a
route that remains snowbound for most of the year. [Music] Downstream the river quickens toward Rishiesh
where the Ganges emerges from the Himalayas known as the yoga capital of
the world. It became globally famous after the Beatles studied here in 1968. Two suspension bridges, Ramjula and Laximanjula, connect opposite banks, replacing older
rope crossings tied to local legends. [Music] The hills fade into pale marble
at Ranakpur Giant Temple, a 15th century masterpiece of giant architecture. Covering 48,000 square ft, it
contains 29 halls and 80 domes supported by 1,444 intricately
carved pillars. No two identical. Construction took over 50 years.
Funded by a wealthy Jane merchant. The temple is oriented to receive
maximum natural light year round. Granite boulders fill the horizon
at Hampy, capital of the Vijjanagara Empire in the 14th to 16th centuries and
once one of the world’s largest cities. Its bizarre streets stretched for miles,
trading in diamonds, horses, and spices. The Virupaka Temple has been
active for over 1,300 years. Many structures were destroyed in 1565 after
the empire fell to a coalition of sultenates. [Music] Between carved pillars,
flashes of iridescent blue appear. [Music] Peacocks stride over fallen stone as if
to mirror the grandeur of the temples themselves. India’s national bird, the male’s
dramatic train is used to attract females during courtship. Each feather
tipped with an iridescent eye. [Music] In Hampy, they weave through temple courtyards
and rocky outcrops, feeding on seeds, insects, and small reptiles. [Music]
Revered in Indian culture, they symbolize beauty, pride,
and immortality. [Music] The land climbs toward the
amphitheater of Anaperna, one of the most dangerous mountains to climb with
a summit fatality rate historically exceeding 30%. [Music] The massive contains one of
the world’s deepest gorgees, the Cari Gandaki, which slices
between Anaperna and Daigiri. Its slopes are home to the world’s
largest roodendron forests, blooming vivid red in spring. [Music] Despite its beauty, Anaperna remains
less visited than Everest due to its remote approaches and unpredictable weather. [Music] Along these high trails, shaggy
silhouettes move in slow procession. Himalayan yaks carry supplies
between settlements. Their thick coats and shore footing evolved
for life above the treeine. [Music] Domesticated yaks provide milk, meat, and
wool, sustaining remote Himalayan communities. [Music] Wild yaks, much larger and rarer,
roam the highest plateaus in small herds. [Music] Their lungs and hearts are
adapted for low oxygen environments, making them perfectly suited to thin mountain air. [Music] In the Anaperna region, they are as vital to
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completely free and you will not want to miss it. [Music] And just like that, beyond the ridges, a single behemoth rises higher than
all others. Mount Everest. [Music] [Music] At 29,032 ft, it grows about 4
millimeters each year due to tectonic uplift. Its death zone above 26,000 ft has air so thin that human life can’t be
sustained for long. [Music] The first confirmed summit was in 1953
by Tenzing Nor and Edmund Hillary. [Music] Everest’s glacias feed major rivers
including the Ganges, Brahaputra and Yangze. [Music] Descending from the cold, the air
thickens with incense at Patan Durbar, one of three royal squares in Nepal’s
Kathmandu Valley, UNESCO World Heritage site. Its Mala era palaces date back to the
14th century and the Krishna Mandia Temple is carved entirely from
stone. a rarity in the region. Tushahiti, a 17th century sunken bathing tank
built for King Sidi Naring Mala has stone walls carved with 52 Hindu and Buddhist
deities surrounding a central spout. [Music] Asia’s warmth spills across tropical coasts
where monsoon rains feed jungles and coral reefs. Heat shapes biodiversity,
agriculture, and daily life. The horizon dissolves into
turquoise at the Maldes, a nation of 26 atoles and over 1,000
islands. [Music] It’s the lowest lying country on Earth with an average
elevation of just 4 ft above sea level. Its coral reefs are home to
over 2,000 species of fish, including the world’s largest
population of reef manta rays. This is one of the most beautiful
island destinations in the world. But that same warmth also turns
to mineral sting at the Dead Sea, Earth’s lowest exposed point
at 1,410 ft below sea level. Its salinity is over nine
times higher than the ocean, preventing most life but
allowing effortless flotation. Though hostile, the landscapes
are simply mesmerizing. Ancient Egyptians used its
minerals for mummification. Beyond the nearby cliffs, spirals
of bazalt form Rojam al-Hiri, a megalithic structure in the Golan
Heights dating to the early Bronze Age. [Music] It consists of five concentric stone rings
totaling 40,000 tons of rock. [Music] Some archaeologists believe it was
an astronomical calendar aligned to solstesses, while others suggest a burial complex. Marble courtyards spread wide
at the Great Mosque of Mecca, the world’s largest mosque, capable of holding
over 2 million worshippers during Hajj. At its center, the Kba, believed by Muslims
to have been built by Abraham and Ishmael, draws pilgrims in continuous
tawath or circumambulation. The mosque has undergone numerous expansions
since the 7th century, now covering over 88 acres. The scale grows even larger in the Middle East. Steel and glass rise from the
desert horizon into Burj Khalifa, the tallest building on Earth at 2,717 ft. Completed in 2010, it houses residences, offices,
and the world’s highest observation deck. Its design draws from the
Himinocalis desert flower and the tower can be seen from
over 60 mi away on a clear day. [Music] Just beyond the city’s skyline, 150 million flowers bloom in intricate
patterns at Dubai Miracle Garden. [Music] Opened in 2013, it’s the world’s largest
natural flower garden, covering 72,000 m. [Music] Displays include floral sculptures of
aircraft, castles, and even life-sized houses, all replanted seasonally
to adapt to the desert climate. [Music] The coastline shift from engineered spectacle
to temple silhouettes at W Aun in Bangkok known as the Temple of Dawn. Its
269 ft prang is decorated with Chinese porcelain fragments. [Music] Originally built in the 17th century, it became the royal
temple of King Taxin [Music] and remains one of Thailand’s most photographed
landmarks at sunrise and sunset. [Music] further inland, limestone rises in a
natural arch at Kaoalu in southern Thailand. This 250 foot high cast formation
was shaped by millions of years of erosion, creating a tunnel that opens to
sweeping views of forests and rice fields. [Music] It’s a pilgrimage spot for both
hikers and local villagers. [Music] Water crashes in Twin
Cascades at Bandok Waterfall, straddling the Vietnam China border. [Music] At 984 ft wide, it’s Asia’s
largest transnational waterfall. The Kissan River feeds the falls which
flow most powerfully in the rainy season. [Music] And the limestone backdrop
adds to its layered terrace beauty. [Music] From rushing water to still limestone bays,
Harlong Bay in northern Vietnam holds over 1,600 limestone islands and eyelets, many
topped with jungle and riddled with caves. [Music] The cast landscape was shaped over
500 million years by tectonic shifts, sea level changes, and monsoon erosion. Some islands conceal hidden lakes and grotto
large enough to hold thousands of people. [Music] Fishing villages float between the towers, their homes morowed together in sheltered
coes where life moves entirely with the tides. The land climbs sharply toward Fancipan,
the roof of Indochina at 10,000 ft. [Music] Located in Vietnam’s Huang
Leansson mountain range, it’s reached by a record-breaking 20minute
cable car that ascends nearly 10,000 ft. At its summit stands a stunning 70
ft bronze Buddha statue. [Music] The peak is surrounded by temples and
panoramic mountain views to ache for [Music] across the water in Taiwan. Yelu Gayo
Park stretches a mile into the sea. Its sandstone was shaped by
waves eroding mushroomlike forms. [Music] The most famous is the Queen’s
Head, a 4,000-year-old formation projected to collapse within decades due
to natural weathering and tourism impact. Soul’s skyline is dominated by Lot World Tower,
South Korea’s tallest building over 1,800 ft. Completed in 2016, it contains the world’s highest
glass bottom observation deck and a luxury hotel. Its design draws from traditional
Korean ceramics and calligraphy brushes, combining modern engineering
with cultural symbolism. Not too far away on Jedju Island,
Syongan Ilchulbong is a volcanic tough cone formed 5,000 years
ago by a hydroagmatic eruption. Its crater is nearly 2,000 ft across and
600 ft high, covered in lush grass. [Music] It looks almost like a pot sculpted
by someone’s hands. [Music] [Music] The location is a popular sunrise viewpoint
as its name means sunrise peak. [Music] Welcome to the Shinkansen. We speed ahead
next to Japan’s Shinkansen or bullet train, which connects cities at
speeds up to 200 mph. [Music] Since launching in 1964, it has
carried over 10 billion passengers without a single fatal accident
due to derailment or collision. Its punctuality is legendary with average
delays measured in seconds per year. [Music] This is a marvel of
classic engineering which is still regarded highly across the world today. On a clear day nearby, Mount Fuji
rises over 12,000 ft above Honshu, Japan’s tallest peak and a
sacred site for centuries. Its nearly symmetrical cone is the product
of three volcanic eruptions. the last in 1707. [Music] It’s climbed by over 300,000 people
annually during the short summer climbing season. The mountain is a gargantuan sight
to behold from town nearby. [Music] Snow melt from Fuji’s slopes feeds
rivers that travel hundreds of miles, crossing into China’s Sichuan province, where
a giant stone figure watches over the water. [Music] The Lean Giant Buddha carved directly
into a cliff face in the 8th century stands 233 ft tall and remains the
largest stone Buddha in the world. Built to calm dangerous river currents,
it faces the confluence of three rivers. Remarkably, the statue contains a hidden drainage
system carved into its head, arms, and back to reduce erosion. engineering that has helped
it survive over 1,200 years of wind and rain. Beyond the rivers, the land opens
into Beijing’s imperial heart. The Forbidden City, built between 1406 and 1420, was home to 24 Ming andQing emperors and
is the largest palace complex on Earth, covering 178 acres with over 980 surviving buildings. Its
layout follows strict fenue principles, aligning halls and courtyards
along a central axis. Once off limits to the public for 5 centuries, it now houses the palace museum and
over 1.8 million artifacts. [Music] As the architecture fades into open desert, cliffs in southern Iran reveal tombs
cut high into their rock faces. [Music] Nakshi Rostam, dating back nearly 2,000 years, holds the crucififor tombs of four
Amenid kings, including Darius the Great. Below them, Cisanian rock reliefs
depict victories over Roman emperors, preserving political propaganda in stone. The site was likely sacred even earlier,
possibly linked to Elamite worship, making it a layered record of Persian history. [Music] Just a short distance away, the remains of
an ancient empire stretch across a plane. [Music] Pepilolis was the ceremonial
capital of the Akeminid Empire. Its grand staircases, 72
columns of the Apadana Hall, and reliefs of tribute bearing delegations
reflect the empire’s scale and diversity. Alexander the Great burned it in 330 BCE.
Yet much of its intricate stonework remains. [Music] Crossing from the deserts of Persia
to the river plains of Myanmar, hundreds of spires pierce
the horizon at Bean. [Music] Between the 9th and 13th centuries,
over 10,000 temples, pagodas, and monasteries were built here, with more
than 2,200 still standing today. [Music] Earthquakes have damaged the
site, but restoration continues. And hot air balloons now rise
over the planes at sunrise. [Music] High above the pagodas, a great horn
bill glides between forest patches. With a wingspan over 5 feet and a
distinctive cask at top its beak, this bird is a powerful flyer able to travel
great distances in search of fruing trees. [Music] Females carefully carve out
tree trunks for nesting. Hornbills play a crucial role in forest
regeneration, dispersing seeds across wide areas. In Myanmar’s lowland forests, they remain
a symbol of vitality and endurance. [Music] Further east in Cambodia, the moat of Ankor Watt
reflects the world’s largest religious monument. Built in the early 12th century,
the temple complex covers 402 acres and symbolizes Mount Meu, the
center of the Hindu universe. [Music] Its bay reliefs stretching for half a mile depict
epic scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabarata. [Music] Originally Hindu, it gradually
transformed into a Buddhist site and its central towers remain a
national symbol of Cambodia. [Music] Across the seas in Java, Indonesia, a volcanic
plane holds the world’s largest Buddhist temple, Borabudor. [Music] It’s a mandala
in stone with nine stacked platforms topped by a central dome surrounded
by 72 perforated stupers. [Music] each containing a Buddha statue. [Music] The walls are lined with over 2,600 relief panels,
many illustrating the path to enlightenment. [Music] [Music] [Music] Not far away, slender spires rise. is at Prammanan
Temple, Indonesia’s largest Hindu complex. It’s dedicated to the Trimmorti, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva with the central
Shiva temple soaring 154 ft. [Music] Its bass reliefs narrate the
Ramayana and performances of the epic are still staged here under the open sky. [Music] [Music] southward in East Java. Nileled canopies arch
over the path through the Jawatan tree forest. The tamarind trees here are hundreds of years old, draped in ferns and moss, their twisting
branches forming a natural cathedral. [Music] This forest was once part
of a Dutch colonial teak plantation, but has since become a protected green
space, home to dozens of bird species. [Music] [Music] Nearby, water plunges 390
ft over cliffs at Tak Sebu, known as a thousand waterfalls
for its semic-ircular cascade, fed by the Glitic River
and runoff from Mount Samu. Indonesia’s highest volcano. Its flow varies
dramatically between dry and wet seasons. It’s a tranquil site that represents
Indonesia’s nonvolcanic bliss in so many ways. [Music] And on that note, the ground
smolders at Egun Volcano, home to the world’s largest, highly acidic crater
lake, glowing turquoise from dissolved minerals. At night, electric blue flames
appear as sulfuric gases ignite. A phenomenon unique to this wonder alone. Miners still carry baskets of
solid sulfur from the crater. often making multiple trips
a day up its steep paths. [Music] Dawnlight washes over the
otherworldly landscape of Mount Bromo, an active volcano within the
Tangga Calera. [Music] Surrounded by a sea of volcanic sand, it’s
considered sacred by the Tangares people who each year climb its slopes
to throw offerings into the crater. Despite frequent eruptions, the
community continues this tradition, maintaining a connection between
their lives and the mountains rhythms. Among the rice terraces and temples
of Bali lies Ubud and Monkey Forest, a cultural and ecological preserve
home to over 1,200 long-tailed macaks. [Music] The forest contains three sacred
temples dating back to the 14th century and its dense canopy shelters rare plant species. [Music] Ubud itself is Bali’s cultural
heart known for its art markets, traditional dance and wellness retreats. [Music] Far to the east, Raja Aat in West Papua is one
of the most biodiverse marine regions on Earth with over 1,500 fish species
and 600 coral species. The islands are fringed by
limestone cliffs and hidden lagoons. A bucket list site to feast your eyes on. Its reefs host abundant life and creatures. [Music] Its reefs host abundant life and creatures. The pygmy seahorse, no
larger than a grain of rice, blends perfectly with its host gorggonian coral, making it nearly invisible to
predators and divers alike. Its camouflage is so precise that
individuals mimic the exact shape, texture, and color of the coral’s polyp. [Music] An evolutionary adaptation for survival
in these vibrant but predator-rich reefs. [Music] Manta rays glide through Raja amput channels
with wingspans reaching up to 23 ft [Music] feeding on clouds of plankton in
the nutrientrich currents. [Music] These gentle giants return to the
same cleaning stations year after year where smaller fish remove parasites from
their skin. A ritual as old as the reefs themselves and vital to their health [Music] [Music] in the Philippines. The
landscape shifts into perfect symmetry at the chocolate hills of Bahal.
[Music] Over 1,200 of these limestone mounds turn brown in the dry season,
resembling rows of chocolates. [Music] Geologists believe they formed from uplifted
coral deposits eroded over millennia. [Music] Folklore attributes them to the
tears of a heartbroken giant cementing their place in local legend. [Music] [Music] enjoyed this documentary? Be sure to
subscribe and click this thumbnail on your screen to watch the next one that YouTube
thinks you’ll absolutely love. See you soon. [Music]
Explore the untamed beauty of Asia, where volcanoes blaze, deserts breathe, and kingdoms lie forgotten.
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UNREAL ASIA explores Earth’s most extreme continent — from fiery volcanoes and vast deserts to jungles and forgotten kingdoms. Discover the untamed power of nature, ancient civilizations buried in time, and landscapes that defy belief. This cinematic travel documentary reveals Asia’s hidden wonders, rare wildlife, and breathtaking contrasts across its mountains, rivers, and deserts. Experience a journey through extreme environments, timeless cultures, and the most mysterious places on Earth.
#travpedia #UNREALASIA #asiadocumentary #naturalwonders #cinematictravel #documentary #traveldocumentary
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Travpedia is a 4K travel documentary channel exploring the most unreal places and natural wonders of the world. From stunning landscapes to rare natural beauty, each episode reveals breathtaking corners of Planet Earth that makes this such an unreal planet. With cinematic storytelling and immersive visuals, we showcase beautiful places often overlooked.
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7 Comments
amazed
You managed to turn a simple destination into a living legend. The mix of stunning visuals and mysterious storytelling gave me chills in the best way possible. I’m honestly still processing everything I just watched.
What was your favorite part about this Asia documentary? Was it the extreme landscapes, or the ancient cultures?
😮😮😮
Extremely Beautiful🌹. Whole Asia in one Video.
Snow floof kitty🥰
I didn't know Berlin is in Asia 😂