See Bamiyan Valley, Afghanistan (UNESCO site)

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The Bamiyan Valley, located in Afghanistan, is one of the safer areas in a country that’s considered dangerous for Americans. It’s also one of the most historic places on earth. It’s home to where the largest Buddha statues in the world once stood. The two Buddhas were carved into limestone cliffs. The area was a thriving tourist attraction until March 2001 when the Taliban destroyed the famous rock carvings of these Buddha statues. However, they still couldn't destroy the beauty of the Bamiyan Valley. You can still find buildings of the Islamic period and remnants of how the Buddhist monks lived and their sanctuaries from the 1st through 13th centuries. Once in the Bamiyan Valley you’ll find that the locals are warm and kind. There isn’t a curfew at night so you can take a hike during sunset free from worry. If you have the chance to visit the Bamiyan Valley in the spring, you will see landscapes that are lush and green with a backdrop of where the largest Buddha statues once stood. This place is so beautiful that the last line of the obituary for noted National Geographic photographer and writer Thomas J. Abercrombie read, "Of all the places he had been, he loved Afghanistan best."

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