Desert & arid landscapes, around the world.
Towns that learned to do more with less water.
Orce
A compact Andalusian village of whitewashed houses crowned by a medieval castle tower and a substantial church, set against an arid, eroded badlands landscap…
San Luis Río Colorado
This border city in Mexico's Sonoran Desert, San Luis Río Colorado sits at the northwestern corner of Sonora where it meets both Baja California and the Unit…
Yuxarı Əylis
This compact village set in a bare mountain valley in Azerbaijan's Naxchivan region, where flat-roofed earthen buildings cluster around a conical-roofed ston…
Clyde
This low-rise Otago town spread across a wide river valley, with arid ranges rising behind, a handful of cafés punching above its size, and the Clutha River…
Matalascañas
A coastal resort village on Spain's longest beach, Matalascañas sits at the edge of Doñana National Park in Huelva province, with fine golden sand, mobile du…
Oranjestad
Aruba's colorful capital spreads across low, arid terrain toward a volcanic peak on the horizon, its walkable waterfront centre packed with vividly painted D…
Ahmedpur East
Sadiq Garh Palace, a century-old residence of the Nawabs of Bahawalpur, stands in this Punjab city near the Cholistan Desert and once hosted guests ranging f…
Tabernas
Tabernas sits on the edge of the only desert in continental Europe, a sun-scorched landscape that served as the backdrop for dozens of spaghetti westerns and…
Shibam
Shibam's skyline of mudbrick high-rises — some reaching sixteen stories — rising from Yemen's Wadi Hadhramaut has earned this modest walled town the nickname…
Qir Moav
Jordanian hilltop town dominated by a vast crusader-era stone fortress whose walls stretch across an arid ridge, with the surrounding valleys and proximity t…
Yeruham
Compact desert town in Israel's Negev, Yeruham sits amid vast arid highlands with a reservoir at its edge and serves as a practical base for exploring the su…
Real de Catorce
Once a booming silver-mining settlement high in the Sierra de Catorce of northern San Luis Potosí, Real de Catorce has reinvented itself as a destination aft…
Hellevoetsluis
A waterfront town in South Holland, Hellevoetsluis sits on the Haringvliet with sea, beach, and dunes close by, and a walkable centre with cafés and restaura…
Tres Arroyos Partido
This Buenos Aires province partido with roughly 100 km of Atlantic Ocean beach frontage, taking in the coastal resorts of Claromecó, Reta, and Orense along t…
Aqaba
Jordan's only coastal city sits on the Red Sea at the country's southern tip, known for diving along its Red Sea reefs and a walkable centre with a dense caf…
Needles
This modest Mojave Desert city on the western bank of the Colorado River, Needles sits at the California border with Arizona and Nevada, with mountain views…
Iruya
Founded in 1753 high on the eastern slopes of the Sierra de Santa Victoria in Salta Province, Iruya is a little Argentine town surrounded on two sides by the…
Koksijde
A Belgian North Sea coast town where rolling sand dunes meet a dense grid of red-tile houses, offering a walkable food scene, direct beach access, and easy r…
Arica
Chile's northernmost city sits on the Pacific coast where two Atacama Desert valleys meet, earning its reputation as the "city of the eternal spring" through…
Navojoa
Mid-size Mexican city in Sonora's Mayo River Valley, Navojoa centers on a broad plaza anchored by a white colonial-style clock tower building, palm trees, an…
Hofuf
This substantial Arabian city set within a vast oasis, where a large mud-brick fortress with rounded towers rises at a busy intersection, surrounded by date-…
Lakeview
Billing itself as the "Tallest Town in Oregon," Lakeview sits high in the Warner Mountains at the edge of the state's high desert country, with Goose Lake cl…
Rafsanjan
Mid-sized city in Iran's Kerman province, Rafsanjan draws visitors with its striking traditional brick architecture — as seen in this colonnaded courtyard bu…
Orosei
This small Sardinian town on the Gulf of Orosei, with beaches including Cala Ginepro, Cala Liberotto, and the Bidderosa Oasis stretching along a long coastline.
Jamay
This lakeside town in eastern Jalisco, Jamay sits on the shore of Lake Chapala with mountains in the surrounding terrain.
Rustaq
Ringed by dozens of traditional falaj water channels — ancient underground irrigation systems that surface as tiny rivers and streams threading through palm…
Bakanas
A pocket-sized town on the Ili River in Kazakhstan's Almaty region, Bakanas draws fishermen, hunters, and archaeologists to the ancient settlements of the Il…
Goulmima
This agricultural oasis town in Morocco's Drâa-Tafilalet region, Goulmima sits along the Wadi Gheris river fed by the central High Atlas mountains, with a ca…
Fillmore
Fillmore, a compact city in Utah's Millard County, served as the capital of the Utah Territory from 1851 to 1856, and the original Territorial Statehouse fro…
Dhale
Small Yemeni highland town where a tall stone minaret and domed mosque rise before densely stacked stone buildings, with a hilltop fortress commanding the ar…
Kasba Tadla
A Moroccan town on the Oum Er-Rbia river where ochre-walled kasbah fortifications rise dramatically above low street-level buildings, with upland country nea…
Shluhot
This compact religious kibbutz set among broad agricultural fields in the Beit She'an Valley, with rows of date palms and orchards spreading across the valle…
Tomarza
A small Anatolian town spread across vast golden farmland southeast of a snow-capped volcanic peak, Tomarza is a working agricultural district known for its…
Santa Ana
This small Sonoran Desert town on Mexico's northern highway corridor, with a striking pale-stone cathedral featuring rose windows and a golden dome rising ab…
Petorca
A low-rise Chilean valley town spread between dry Andean hillsides, with terraced cultivation visible on the slopes above and a river corridor of green threa…
Trujillo
Chan Chan, the largest adobe city in the ancient world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986, sits within the metropolitan area of this large coastal c…
Natal
Founded on Christmas Day in 1599 on the banks of the Potengi River, Natal is the coastal capital of Rio Grande do Norte in northeastern Brazil, with Atlantic…
Iquique
A port city on Chile's northern Pacific coast, Iquique is one of only two free ports in the country, home to the ZOFRI duty-free zone — one of the largest fr…
Rosh Pinah
A compact desert mining town set dramatically against bare, rugged mountain ranges, with low-rise streets giving way almost immediately to vast arid plains s…
Ludington
A little Lake Michigan city at the mouth of the Pere Marquette River, Ludington is the home port of the SS Badger, a vehicle and passenger ferry that crosses…
Dammaj
A modest Yemeni valley town where mud-brick buildings and irrigated green fields line a dry riverbed, set against arid upland terrain, with a historically si…
Boulaouane
This large red-earth kasbah with crenellated walls crowns a dry hillside above the Oum Er-Rbia River, making this small Moroccan town a rewarding stop for an…
Susanville
Susanville, the county seat of Lassen County in northeastern California, sits along the Susan River at high elevation in the Sierra Nevada foothills, with mo…
Khor'fakkan
A coastal town on the Gulf of Oman belonging to the emirate of Sharjah, Khor'fakkan sits where mountains curve around the shoreline to form a natural harbour.
Jocotan
This little town in Guatemala's Chiquimula department, close to the Honduran border and near mountains, Jocotán is home to Radio Chortis, a Roman Catholic ra…
Alamosa
This small Colorado city on the Rio Grande, Alamosa serves as the commercial hub of the San Luis Valley and the seat of Alamosa County.
Kurtalan
A compact town in southeastern Türkiye's Siirt province, Kurtalan sits amid sweeping golden upland plains with distant mountain ridges visible on the horizon…
New Cairo
Founded in 2000 to ease the pressure on Greater Cairo, New Cairo is a planned satellite city on the eastern arc of the capital, built around gated communitie…
Ta'if
A high-altitude city in western Saudi Arabia, Ta'if sits in the mountains east of Mecca — historically a summer retreat for residents of the Hijaz region tha…
Tupiza
This walkable town in Bolivia's Potosí Department, Tupiza sits among dramatic red escarpments rising from arid terrain, with the Tupiza River running nearby…
Salinas
Ecuador's most prominent beach resort sits at the westernmost tip of the South American mainland, on the Santa Elena Peninsula.
Tinghir
A Moroccan oasis town in the Drâa-Tafilalet region, Tinghir sits along the Wadi Todgha where a dense palm grove stretches for miles through a corridor betwee…
Llanwrtyd Wells
Claiming the title of Britain's smallest town — a distinction it contests with Fordwich in Kent — Llanwrtyd Wells sits on the Afon Irfon in Powys, Wales, clo…
Piura
Founded by Francisco Pizarro in 1532 as the first Spanish city established in South America, Piura is a large commercial city in northwestern Peru's Piura Ri…
Foum Zguid
A lively compact town in southeastern Morocco's arid uplands, where rose-pink buildings line a wide dusty main street backed by dramatic bare mountains, and…
Chebika
Elevated ruins of a crumbled mud-brick settlement overlook a desert oasis village in Tunisia's southwest, where date palms break the vast flat expanse stretc…
Domburg
One of the oldest coastal resort towns in the Netherlands, Domburg sits on the North Sea coast of Walcheren in the province of Zeeland, with beaches, dunes,…
Beni Mellal
A city at the foot of the western Middle Atlas mountains in north-central Morocco, Beni Mellal has a walkable centre with a dense café and restaurant scene.
Dhaid
This Sharjah emirate town built around a historic oasis, Dhaid rewards visitors with fertile farmland, a striking mud-brick fort under restoration, and a coo…
Cloudcroft
This compact village in New Mexico's Lincoln National Forest, Cloudcroft sits at high elevation in forested mountains, offering mild summers as a contrast to…
Ait Benhaddou
A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, Aït Benhaddou is a fortified earthen-clay village on the historic caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakesh, an…
Najran
Najran, a large city in southwestern Saudi Arabia, is home to Al-Ukhdood — an archaeological site mentioned in the Quran's Surah Al-Buruj — alongside one of…
Ephrata
Tiny Washington state county seat anchored by a handsome neoclassical brick courthouse, with a modest dining scene, several historic churches, and surroundin…
Ouarzazat
Morocco's film-production capital, Ouarzazate sits in south-central Morocco where the Draa Valley meets the desert, hosting the country's largest studios and…
Rahat
Founded in 1972 and declared a city in 1994, Rahat is the largest Arab city in Israel and, by its own account, the only Bedouin city in the world — a distinc…
Espargos
Compact town of colourful low-rise buildings spread across the arid, flat interior of Sal island, with the Atlantic visible on the horizon and a walkable cen…
Marfa
This modest high-desert city in far west Texas that has become a major center for minimalist art, with the Chinati Foundation and Building 98 among its main…
Palpa
A little Peruvian desert town in the Ica region, Palpa draws visitors with its twin-domed stone church rising against bare mountain ridges, a compact dining…
Kiryat Gat
This modern Israeli town in the southern coastal plain, with red-tile residential neighborhoods spreading across flat terrain, serving as a regional hub with…
Aranos
A compact tiny town set dramatically in vast red-sand scrubland, Aranos offers travellers a raw taste of southern African desert country, with low-rise stree…
Bikaner
Founded in 1488 by the Rajput chief Rao Bika of the Rathore dynasty, Bikaner is a large city in the Thar Desert of western Rajasthan, formerly the capital of…
Humahuaca
Humahuaca sits in the Quebrada de Humahuaca, a UNESCO World Heritage valley of dramatically coloured mountains in the high Andes of Jujuy province, Argentina.
Surman
This coastal city on the Mediterranean shore of northwestern Libya, Surman sits between the Nafusa Mountains to the south and the sea, giving it a position t…
Ras Gharib
A grid-planned Egyptian Red Sea town spread across bare desert terrain beside the Gulf of Suez, where the industrial scale of petroleum infrastructure shapes…
Mitzpe Ramon
Sitting on the northern rim of Makhtesh Ramon — a vast erosion crater in the central Negev — this small Israeli town offers some of the most dramatic desert…
Nazca
The Nazca Lines — vast geometric figures and giant drawings etched into the desert sand, now a UNESCO World Heritage site — make this town on Peru's southern…
Boumalne Dades
This pocket-sized Moroccan town at the mouth of the upper Dadès Valley, Boumalne Dades sits where the river meets the edge of a desert plateau, with mountain…
Hasbaya
Hasbaya, in the mountains of Lebanon's Nabatieh governorate, is the historic capital of the Wadi al-Taym region, where it served as the seat of the Shihab dy…
Kingman
Kingman, Arizona's Mohave County seat, pairs a neoclassical courthouse and heritage-dense downtown streets with easy access to the rugged upland country that…
Kerman
This large city in southeastern Iran with a walkable centre full of cafés and restaurants, Kerman sits at high elevation, giving it cooler summers than most…
Alcamo
Heritage-dense town at the foot of Monte Bonifato in western Sicily, Alcamo has a compact centre thick with historic churches, cafés, and listed buildings, w…
Sefrou
Sefrou, a city at the foothills of the Middle Atlas in central Morocco, is known for its annual cherry festival — said to be the oldest festival in Morocco —…
Ramat Magshimim
This little religious cooperative village on the southern Golan Heights, close to the Syrian border, with an ancient archaeological ruin on its doorstep and…
Dibba Al-Fujairah
This coastal town on the UAE's eastern shore where arid rocky hills meet a calm turquoise bay, with a coastal road tracing the waterfront and the Hajar Mount…
Semnan
Semnan, the provincial capital of Iran's Semnan province, sits between the Alborz mountain range to the north and the Kavir desert to the south, on the histo…
Arad
Sitting on the border of the Negev and Judaean deserts with the Dead Sea a short drive to the east, Arad is a planned Israeli town founded in 1962 — the firs…
Freirina
Compact Atacama valley town where a white-steepled colonial church and palm-lined plaza stand against dry hillsides, offering a glimpse into one of Chile's o…
Dahra
This Senegalese town in the northwest where sandy-stone mosque minarets rise above low earthen walls and arid hillsides, offering a glimpse into the Sahel's…
Berck
This seaside resort town on the Opal Coast in northern France's Pas-de-Calais, Berck sits behind a broad sandy beach stretching several kilometres along the…
Alnif
Pocket-sized town in southeastern Morocco's Drâa-Tafilalet region, Alnif is known for significant paleontological discoveries and sits on the N12 highway con…
Tarhuna
This working Libyan port town viewed across a wide blue bay, with low-rise buildings spreading along the waterfront and arid upland terrain rising behind, of…
Urzhar
A low-rise Central Asian town spread across a green river valley in eastern Kazakhstan, with broad arid plains and a dramatic mountain range rising sharply o…
Kenitra
Port city on the Sebou River in northwestern Morocco, Kenitra has a walkable centre with a dense café and restaurant scene shaped partly by French colonial-e…
Yulin
Large city in northern Shaanxi where the Maowusu Desert meets the Loess Plateau, Yulin sits along several tributaries of the Yellow River and served as one o…
San Miguel de Velasco
Part of the Jesuit Missions of the Chiquitos — declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990 — San Miguel de Velasco is a tiny town in Bolivia's Santa Cruz D…
Skoura
A palm oasis southeast of Ouarzazate, Skoura pairs a modern town centre — with cafés and restaurants — with a historic palmeraie of traditional rammed-earth…
Sakakah
Mid-sized Saudi city in the Al-Jawf region, visible from above as a grid of streets spread across vast orange desert terrain dotted with circular irrigation…
Rehoboth
This low-rise town spread across red-sand semi-arid plains, with distant mountain ranges on the horizon and easy access to surrounding upland country that dr…
Mount Abu
Rajasthan's only hill station, Mount Abu rises above the surrounding desert on a rocky plateau in the Sirohi district of western India, offering mountain ter…
Az Zubayr
This flat desert city just south of Basra, Az Zubayr features an ancient decorated brick minaret tower alongside a tiled-dome mosque, palm-lined squares, and…
Jansenville
One of the world's major mohair-producing regions, Jansenville is a little town in the Eastern Cape's Karoo, sitting on the Sundays River south of Graaff-Rei…
Fam El Hisn
A compact desert-edge town in Morocco's Souss-Massa region, its flat-roofed earthen buildings spread across arid terrain with a mosque minaret rising above a…
Damietta
Damietta is an Egyptian port city on the Nile Delta's eastern branch, close to where the river meets the Mediterranean near Ras al-Bar.
Altai
This high-altitude town in Mongolia's Gobi-Altai province sits well above the surrounding steppe, with mountains visible from its compact centre, where cafés…
Imintanout
A hilltop viewpoint above Imintanout reveals a spread of terracotta-toned buildings filling a dry valley, backed by open semi-arid plains and distant ridgeli…
Kashan
One of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Kashan sits at the edge of Iran's central deserts in Isfahan province, where a 7,000-year-old z…
Makadi Bay
Red Sea resort town south of Hurghada, Makadi Bay sits directly on the water with sand beaches and the clear waters of the bay as its main draw.
Petrolina
Petrolina, on the north bank of the São Francisco River in southern Pernambuco, has grown since the 1980s into a significant wine-producing area, with irriga…
Gobabis
A grid-planned town spread across red Kalahari scrubland, Gobabis serves as a practical base for exploring the surrounding semi-arid upland country, with a s…
Chinguetti
Founded in 1262, Chinguetti is a historic town in Mauritania's Adrar region that served for centuries as a major departure point for pilgrimage caravans head…
Talghar
A leafy Central Asian town spread across a broad valley floor, with arid mountain slopes rising sharply to one side and the wider Almaty region's UNESCO-list…
Rich
A town on the Oued Ziz river in Morocco's Drâa-Tafilalet region, Er-Rich grew from an ancient ksar on the riverbank and once served as a significant fortress.
Baia Farta
A pocket-sized sandy cove backed by dramatically folded golden rock cliffs draws swimmers and campers to this Atlantic-coast Angolan town, where arid hills r…
Piranshahr
A flat-roofed Iranian Kurdish town spread across an arid valley in West Azerbaijan, viewed from a hillside, with a broad mountain range rising beyond the low…
Itapipoca
A coastal city in Ceará, Brazil, Itapipoca spans three distinct landscapes within its territory — beaches on the coast, mountain ranges inland, and the dry s…
Tarija
Founded in 1574 in a valley of the eastern Andes, Tarija is a southern Bolivian city with a notably dense café and restaurant scene and a historic centre hol…
Madinaty
A vast planned city rising from Egypt's desert plateau east of Cairo, Madinaty presents a striking aerial contrast of curved green golf courses and low-rise…
Brak
This low-rise Libyan desert town of warm ochre and terracotta buildings, Brak sits in the Saharan south roughly midway between Tripoli and Sabha, with palm-l…
Atocha
A compact high-altitude Bolivian town in the Potosí department, spread across an arid Andean valley floor and backed by bare rocky mountains, with bus connec…
Beaufort West
The largest town in South Africa's arid Great Karoo region, Beaufort West sits alongside Karoo National Park and serves as a major stop on the N1 national ro…
Taourirt
This transport hub in northeastern Morocco's Oriental region, Taourirt is a city known for its ancient Kasbah and its standing as one of Morocco's leading ol…
Baidoa
Sprawling low-rise city in Somalia's Bay region, its busy open-air market and colorful pastel buildings spread across flat semi-arid terrain, serving as the…
Rabba
Once one of the great cities of ancient Moab — known then as Rabbah of Moab — this compact Jordanian town in the Karak Governorate sits along the historic Ki…
Laayoune
Laayoune (also written El Aaiún, meaning "The Springs" in Arabic) is the largest city in Western Sahara, founded by a Spanish captain in 1938 and later the a…
Nurota
A low-rise Central Asian town spread across flat, arid terrain, anchored by a striking domed Islamic complex with turquoise tilework that draws large crowds…
Loiyangalani
A remote compact town on the eastern shore of a vast lake in northern Kenya, where dozens of traditional domed reed dwellings spread across arid flats backed…
El Qoseir
Red Sea town with around 5,000 years of continuous settlement, El Qoseir was known in ancient Egypt as Tjau and in the Ptolemaic era as Myos Hormos, serving…
Tagounite
A rural commune in Morocco's Zagora Province, Tagounite sits along the Draa River and is known for its abandoned kasbahs and the meteorites found in the surr…
Asaita
This flat-roofed town of earth-toned buildings spread along a wide river in Ethiopia's arid lowlands, with distant mountains on the horizon and a main road c…
Betanzos
Small Bolivian highland town in Potosí Department, where a red-stone colonial church fronts a plaza that clearly draws large, lively crowds against a backdro…
Amerzgane
This modest Moroccan town in the arid hills outside Ouarzazate, where terracotta-toned buildings line a quiet main road and roadside café-restaurants offer a…
María Elena
Pocket-sized Atacama Desert town in northern Chile, where a whitewashed colonial-style church with a domed bell tower anchors a broad open plaza against an a…
Bol
A flat, sandy town on the shores of Lake Chad, where low-rise buildings spread across a tree-dotted peninsula between open water and arid scrubland, offering…
Mossamedes
Founded in 1840 by the Portuguese colonial administration, Mossamedes is a coastal city in southwestern Angola and the capital of Namibe Province, set where…
Paiguano
A tiny agricultural town in Chile's Elqui Valley wine country, Paiguano centers on a shaded plaza with iron lamp posts, a stone fountain, and low adobe-style…
Midreshet Ben-Gurion
This small community village on the Negev Highlands near Kibbutz Sde Boker, Midreshet Ben-Gurion sits alongside the Ben-Gurion Grave National Park and is hom…
Otjimbingwe
This modest desert town where a whitewashed colonial-era watchtower rises from sandy ground amid green trees, offering a rare glimpse of historic frontier ar…
Iskushuban
A little Somali town on the Horn of Africa, Iskushuban shows its age in sun-baked mud-brick walls and a crenellated fort rising above arid, rocky terrain, wi…
Umoja
This tiny Samburu village in Kenya's arid north where women in vivid layered beadwork keep a living cultural tradition, set against dry-thorn enclosures and…
Nouakchott
Nouakchott, the capital and largest city of Mauritania, sits on the Atlantic coast and has a walkable centre with a range of cafés and restaurants.
Ben Guerir
A mid-sized city in central Morocco's plains, north of Marrakech, Ben Guerir is emerging as an educational hub with a modern green-city development project s…
Qus
This Nile-side city in Egypt's Qena Governorate, Qus holds the ancient Al-Omari Mosque, built in the style of Cairo's Al-Azhar, alongside scattered pharaonic…
Sanga
A small Malian town in the Bandiagara region where tightly clustered mud-brick compounds with thatched conical granaries spread across a rocky, semi-arid pla…
Settat
Settat is a Moroccan city on the plateau midway between Casablanca and Marrakesh, known informally as the capital of the Chaouia region, with a walkable cent…
Keetmanshoop
This southern Namibian town where a striking colonial-era stone church anchors the dusty main area, offering travellers a base for exploring the surrounding…
Fada
A remote Chadian town in upland desert country, Fada is a gateway to dramatic sandstone canyon landscapes where vast camel herds gather at still desert pools…
Hillah
The nearest city to the ruins of ancient Babylon, Hillah sits on the Euphrates River in central Iraq, a short drive south of Baghdad.
Parque del Plata
Wide, pale-sand beach stretches along Uruguay's Costa de Oro at this small coastal city, where low dunes backed by pine trees give way to a quiet central cor…
Coronel Felipe Varela Department
Broad valley of green vineyards and irrigated farmland spreads across this arid La Rioja department, with the Andes foothills rising on the horizon and the t…
Ouirgane
A Berber village in Morocco's Atlas foothills, Ouirgane sits beside a broad reservoir curving between arid mountain ridges, with scattered terracotta buildin…
Muthallath al Azraq
A desert oasis in eastern Jordan historically rich in fresh and mineral water, Muthallath al Azraq is home to the Azraq Wetland Reserve, a significant rest s…
La Tirana
Every July, La Tirana — a pocket-sized oasis village in Chile's Pampa del Tamarugal, inland from Iquique — becomes the principal destination for religious pi…
Qaisumah
This flat, sun-baked town in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, where a bold geometric welcome monument marks the entry to a modest desert settlement served by…
Erigavo
This low-rise Somali town spread across arid flatlands, its grid of walled compounds and blue-roofed buildings shaded by scattered trees, serving as the main…
Vallenar
Founded in 1789 by Ambrose O'Higgins and named after his birthplace in County Sligo, Ireland, Vallenar is a town in Chile's Atacama Region set in the valley…
Santa Elena
Santa Elena sits at the western tip of Ecuador's continental coast — a point the city calls "Capital of the Sea and the Land" — where an arid, warm climate a…
Ksar el-Kebir
This Moroccan city in Larache Province whose name translates as "the big castle," Ksar el-Kebir sits beside the Loukous River and has a walkable centre with…
Darnah
This Mediterranean coastal city in northeastern Libya where the Green Mountains meet the sea, Darnah is divided by the Wadi Darnah river and fed by two fresh…
Usakos
A pocket-sized desert town spread across dry scrubland, with low-rise houses on wide dusty streets, sitting close to upland country and offering a raw, unhur…
Falaj al Mu`alla
A waterside area within the emirate of Umm al-Quwain, Falaj al Mu'alla sits in sight of mountains and within reach of UNESCO World Heritage sites in the wide…
Naghlu
This large concrete gravity dam spans a dramatic rocky gorge in Afghanistan's arid upland country east of Kabul, holding back a broad blue reservoir — a stri…
Neom
A vast, ambitious planned city taking shape along Saudi Arabia's northwestern Red Sea coast, Neom is a large-scale development project designed to blend futu…
Wadi Halfa
Wadi Halfa is Sudan's northernmost gateway town, sitting on the shore of Lake Nubia — the Sudanese portion of the reservoir created by Egypt's Aswan High Dam…
Ighrem n'Ougdal
A large adobe and stone structure with corner towers rises from a rocky hillside in Morocco's Ouarzazate Province, offering a raw glimpse into traditional so…
Ma'an
This busy Jordanian town in the country's arid south, Ma'an sits along historic trade routes near the Nabataean heartland, with a mosque minaret rising above…
Argaman
A little agricultural settlement in the arid Jordan Valley, set against bare rocky hills with date palms and irrigated green fields visible in the surroundin…
Sijilmasa
Sijilmasa was one of the most important medieval trade centres in the Maghreb, serving as the northern terminus of the western trans-Saharan caravan route un…
El Salvador
This high-altitude mining town in Chile's Atacama Desert sits deep in the Andes foothills, with a tiny central core of cafés and restaurants serving a commun…
Kafr Qara
This hillside Arab town in Israel's Haifa district, where a gold-domed mosque with a tall minaret rises above olive-tree-covered slopes and colourful low-ris…
Timbuktu
Timbuktu itself is a UNESCO World Heritage Site — listed since 1988, and known for centuries as "the city of 333 saints" — sitting on the southern edge of th…
Bhakkar
A Punjab city on the left bank of the Indus River, Bhakkar offers visitors a striking tree-lined irrigation canal, flat open surroundings at the edge of the…
Yuma
Certified by Guinness World Records as the sunniest city on Earth, Yuma sits in Arizona's southwestern corner where the Gila River meets the Colorado, near t…
Badrah
A modest eastern Iraqi border town where dense date-palm groves rise sharply from arid, stony flatlands, offering a glimpse into the agricultural life and mi…
Ataq
Flat-lying desert town of low sand-coloured concrete buildings at high elevation, Ataq serves as the administrative capital of Yemen's Shabwah Governorate an…
Oddur
This flat, arid small town in Somalia's Bakool region, visible here as a spread of low buildings with blue metal roofs along a wide unpaved main street, with…
Derbendixan
A town in Iraqi Kurdistan's Sulaymaniyah region, Darbandikhan sits beside a broad reservoir backed by dramatic arid gorges, offering lakeside access and rugg…
Sierra Gorda
A compact desert village in Chile's Atacama region, Sierra Gorda sits amid vast arid plains backed by bare mountain ridges, with colorful low-rise houses and…
Badhan
A low-rise town of flat-roofed, blue-trimmed buildings spread across an arid landscape in Somalia's Sanaag region, sitting close to both upland country and t…
Solitaire
This tiny desert outpost in Namibia's arid interior, where a rust-eaten truck half-buried in red sand sets the tone for a raw, sun-scorched stopover surround…
Ar Rass
A city in Saudi Arabia's Qassim region, Ar Rass draws visitors with its ancient mud-brick architecture — including striking tapered towers visible at dusk —…
Chanaral
A pocket-sized coastal city in Chile's Atacama Region, Chañaral sits directly on the Pacific and serves as the gateway to Pan de Azúcar National Park just to…
Dikhil
Gateway town in Djibouti's arid interior, Dikhil sits amid stark volcanic hills and serves as the regional hub for exploring nearby upland terrain and a palm…
Palanga
Lithuania's busiest summer resort sits on the Baltic Sea coast, backed by sand dunes and fronted by a wide sandy beach stretching for many kilometres.
Ruwais
A Gulf-coast industrial town in Abu Dhabi emirate, Ruwais features wide landscaped boulevards lined with date palms and shade trees, distinctive blue water t…
Germa
Germa is an abandoned ancient Libyan city in the Sahara, where sprawling mud-brick ruins and scattered palm trees evoke the lost world of the Garamantian civ…
Tan-Tan
Desert city in southwestern Morocco's Guelmim-Oued Noun region, Tan-Tan sits on the banks of the Oued Ben Khelil, a wadi that feeds into the Draa — Morocco's…
Cabo Polonio
Cabo Polonio is a modest off-grid beach village on Uruguay's eastern Atlantic coast, reachable only by walking through sand dunes or by 4×4 from the main hig…
Atar
Mauritanian desert town and regional capital set atop the Adrar plateau, where a sand-coloured public building with Islamic arched facades opens onto a busy…
Ampanihy
Remote town in Madagascar's arid far south, where rust-red scrubland meets a dramatic coastline of white sand, deep bays, and small offshore islands visible…
Hafar Al-Batin
Sprawling city in Saudi Arabia's northeastern Eastern Province, Hafar Al-Batin sits amid wide open semi-arid plains where sparse scrubland meets broad green…
Korti
Korti, a town in Sudan's Northern State within Merowi province, carries a layered military history: it was the site of the Battle of Korti between Ismail ibn…
Marsabit
Surrounded on nearly all sides by Marsabit National Park and Reserve, this Kenyan town in the country's north sits within a forested highland zone of volcani…
Stampriet
A small Namibian village set in flat, arid country where rows of low vines and tall fan palms stretch under wide open skies, offering a glimpse of rural agri…
Holhol
This compact Djiboutian town set in stark red-earth desert terrain, where a steel railway viaduct spans a rocky gorge and distant volcanic hills frame the sp…
Lakhsas
Small Moroccan town in the argan-oil country of Guelmim-Oued Noun, where low terracotta-toned buildings spread across a flat plain backed by rounded hills, s…
Ati
Dramatic bare granite inselbergs rise sharply from the dry Sahel plain surrounding this Chadian town, offering a striking desert-landscape backdrop for trave…
Copiapó
Copiapó, in northern Chile's Atacama Desert, holds a pair of South American firsts: the Copiapó-Caldera railway, inaugurated in 1850, was the continent's fir…
Taoudenni
Taoudenni, a small town in northern Mali, lends its name to the Taoudenni Basin, a significant West African geological formation stretching from Mauritania i…
Zinjibar
A coastal port town in south-central Yemen, Zinjibar sits beside the Wadi Bana in the Abyan Delta, with mountains visible from the town and the sea within wa…
Larabanga
Larabanga's whitewashed adobe mosque, said to date from 1421 and reputed to be Ghana's oldest, draws visitors to this tiny town in the Savannah Region.
Sabha
This sprawling desert city in Libya's Fezzan region — the largest urban centre in the country's south — with wide sun-baked boulevards, palm-lined streets, a…
Noordoewer
This little desert village set against dramatic layered escarpments on the edge of the Orange River, serving as a road-trip stop where arid canyon scenery an…
Torkham
This busy Afghanistan-Pakistan border crossing set in arid, rocky upland terrain, where a stone bridge, active vehicle traffic, and rugged mountain slopes co…
Moroto
A compact East African town spread across semi-arid savanna at the foot of a prominent highland, Moroto offers sweeping aerial views from the surrounding hil…
Turmi
A modest village in Ethiopia's arid south where an open-air market draws traditionally dressed local peoples to a sandy gathering ground shaded by acacia tre…
Andkhoy
This town in northwestern Afghanistan on the southern edge of the Karakum Desert, beside the Andkhoy River and within sight of the surrounding terrain.
Arandis
This little desert town set beside a vast open-pit mine, its stark terraced walls and arid surrounding landscape offering an industrial-scale spectacle unlik…
Mejillones
A modest port town on the Mejillones Peninsula in northern Chile, flanked by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Atacama Desert to the east, marking the co…
Ndioum
A riverside town in northern Senegal's Saint-Louis region, where traditional thatched-roof compounds of sun-baked earth cluster across flat, arid Sahel terra…
Outapi
A tiny Namibian town in the flat, arid north, Outapi serves as a regional hub with a modest commercial strip and easy access to nearby water, making it a pra…
Ruwaished
A remote small town in Jordan's far eastern desert, Ruwaished sits near the Iraqi border crossing, offering travellers a stark, open-country stopover point d…
Bobonong
This semi-arid Botswana town where open-air cooking over wood fires and strips of drying meat signal a living local food culture, set within reach of upland…
Al Dabbah
A modest Sudanese Nile-side town in the Northern State, where sun-baked mud-brick structures rise from open desert sands, offering a raw and remote glimpse i…
Grünau
This remote desert village in arid southern Namibia, Grünau offers a stark railway-stop atmosphere — a colonial-era station building, vast open scrubland, an…
Mao
Remote Saharan town in Chad's Kanem region, where sand-floored streets, mud-brick buildings with decorative arched facades, and traditionally dressed locals…
Mechili
Mechili is a pocket-sized village in eastern Libya, known from historical records as a settlement of some age — the 9th-century Arab geographer al-Ya'qubi de…
Karasburg
A compact southern Namibian town with a wide main street, low-rise commercial buildings, and arid upland surrounds, serving as a practical stop for traveller…
Taleh
Taleh, in Somalia's Sool region, draws historically curious visitors to its arid highland setting, where dry-stone ruins and painted political murals speak t…
Kotido
Remote administrative city in Uganda's arid northeast, where vast red-earth plains dotted with acacia trees stretch to the horizon and traditional pastoral l…
Semera
Fast-growing regional capital of Ethiopia's Afar lowlands, where flat arid terrain, sparse modern buildings, and camel herders moving through open dusty grou…
Balkanabat
Balkanabat, the regional capital of Turkmenistan's Balkan province, sits at the foot of the Uly Balkan mountains and a short drive from the Caspian Sea coast.
Qardho
This little arid-country town in Somalia's Puntland region, where low whitewashed stone buildings line dusty roads under wide open skies, with upland terrain…
Geneina
This dusty Sudanese border city in the far west of the country, set on elevated semi-arid plains near Chad, where traditional white-robed locals and low-rise…
Punitaqui
A compact Chilean town in the arid Limarí Province, Punitaqui sits amid copper- and gold-bearing upland country, with a low-rise civic centre and a local tra…
Sesfontein
A remote desert village where mud-brick buildings with crenellated towers stand among date palms and sparse greenery, offering a rare glimpse of traditional…
En Nahud
Mid-sized Sudanese city in the semi-arid heart of Kordofan, En Nahud serves as a regional hub with civic architecture and a surrounding landscape shaped by n…
Tifariti
This remote compact town in Western Sahara's desert interior, where flat sandy ground, low whitewashed buildings, and Sahrawi flags signal a frontier atmosph…
Ghanzi
This dusty Kalahari crossroads town in western Botswana, Ghanzi serves as a practical base for exploring San Bushman culture and the surrounding semi-arid sc…
Khorixas
A small, sun-baked town in arid scrubland, with low brick buildings under corrugated-iron roofs and sparse acacia trees, serving as a practical base for trav…
Mahbes
This remote hamlet in Western Sahara's UN-monitored buffer zone near the Algerian border, set amid vast, flat desert terrain under hazy skies, offering a sta…
Boujdour
Town on Morocco's disputed Western Sahara coast, Boujdour greets visitors through a striking road gateway flanked by ornamental towers and life-size ostrich…
Beitbridge
Beitbridge is a busy Zimbabwean border town on the edge of arid southern lowveld, where a major road crossing, dry scrubland, and proximity to the Limpopo Ri…
Lüderitz
A remote Atlantic-coast town with a striking colonial-era streetscape, desert surroundings, and direct access to the water, Lüderitz rewards travellers drawn…
Bir Anzarane
This pocket-sized village in Western Sahara set near water and upland terrain, offering a glimpse into the sparse, open landscapes of one of the world's most…
Toconao
This tiny Chilean village on the water's edge, Toconao offers a compact café and dining scene, vineyard surroundings, and easy access to the UNESCO World Her…
Afif
Mid-sized Saudi town set near upland terrain, Afif offers a glimpse into everyday life in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula, with open desert landscapes and…
Ounianga Kébir
A small Chadian town set among hills near a UNESCO-listed lake system, where freshwater oases in the Sahara create a striking contrast with the surrounding d…
Hobyo
A compact Somali coastal town where the Indian Ocean meets arid upland terrain, Hobyo offers a raw, end-of-the-road atmosphere for travelers drawn to remote…
Panjgur
A modest Pakistani town set among surrounding hills with water nearby, offering a glimpse into the arid landscapes and everyday life of Balochistan's remote…
Kyzyltepa
A tiny Uzbek town within reach of the region's celebrated Silk Road heritage sites, offering a low-key base for exploring the ancient monuments and arid land…
El Agheila
Tiny Libyan coastal settlement where the desert meets the Mediterranean shoreline, offering raw, open landscapes and easy access to both waterfront and nearb…
Hammaguir
A remote Algerian outpost on the edge of upland desert country, Hammaguir offers a raw, open landscape and a sense of vast solitude that draws travelers seek…
Margham
This tiny UAE village set among low hills near water, with a UNESCO World Heritage site in the wider region making it a worthwhile stop for travelers explori…
Aozou
A remote Chadian village set near upland terrain and water, Aozou offers a raw, end-of-the-road desert experience for travelers drawn to the Sahara's stark n…
Shoshong
Compact Botswana town set near upland country and within easy reach of water, Shoshong offers a quiet base for exploring the surrounding semi-arid landscape…
Netivot
Southern Israeli town with a Wikivoyage presence, Netivot draws visitors with its proximity to water, upland landscapes, and several UNESCO World Heritage si…
Halaç
This small Turkmenistan town set in the country's arid interior, Halaç sits within easy reach of water and offers a glimpse into everyday Central Asian life…
As Sulayyil
A town in southern Saudi Arabia set near upland country and within easy reach of water, offering a quiet desert-edge atmosphere for travellers curious about…
Gurlan
A modest Uzbek town in the arid heartland, Gurlan sits a short drive from water and offers a glimpse into everyday Central Asian life away from the major tou…
Qasr Qarun
A remote desert site in Egypt's Fayoum region, Qasr Qarun sits beside an ancient lake and offers visitors a well-preserved Ptolemaic temple rising from stark…
Kébémer
Mid-sized Senegalese town in the semi-arid Sahel interior, Kébémer offers a glimpse into everyday West African market life amid flat, open savanna landscape…
Kegeyli Shahar
Pocket-sized Uzbek town in the arid heartland, set a short drive from water, offering a glimpse into everyday Central Asian life away from the country's more…
Socaire
Tiny Atacama village sitting at the edge of high-altitude wetlands, with upland desert country all around and several UNESCO World Heritage sites within reac…
Araouane
This remote small town deep in Mali's Sahara, Araouane sits near water in an otherwise vast desert landscape, offering a rare glimpse into ancient trans-Saha…