Mongoliet

If Mongolia’s yin is its pristine countryside, then Ulaanbaatar (UB; Улаанбаатар) harmonises as its vibrant yang. It's a sprawling, industrialised city of pulsating commerce, wild traffic, sinful nightlife and bohemian counterculture. The contrasts within the city are intriguing: Armani-suited businessmen rub shoulders with mohawked punks and del-clad nomads fresh off the steppes; one minute you’re dodging the path of a Hummer H2 and the next you’re entranced by chanting Buddhist monks at Gandan Khiid. It's the coldest capital in the world, but come summer the city bursts into life after slumbering through a long winter.

Raw, rugged and remote, this region has for centuries been isolated – both geographically and culturally – from the Mongolian heartland. With its glacier-wrapped mountains, shimmering salt lakes and hardy culture of nomads, falconry and horsemanship, western Mongolia is a timeless slice of Central Asia.

The Gobi reveals itself in pockets of amazing scenery, bridged by vast stretches of desolation where smartphone signals die and silence saturates. It can be daunting to be this far out in such harsh conditions, but this is where desert foliage shimmers in greens and golds, and where Tibetan lamas etched ancient messages on red rock cliffs. You’ll watch horses romp and gazelles sprint, hear goats and sheep cry, and commiserate with camels huddling in fierce winds that gather and roll across the steppe. At night galaxies erupt on the domed sky.

Imagine a loose, spread-out grid of streets surrounded by green hills, with a wrestling stadium here, a large dusty park there, a couple of multi-storey hotels, a busy labyrinthine market, a few gers and a temple complex on the outskirts. That's Mörön (Мөрөн; pronounced mu-roon not 'moron'), a transport hub in northern Mongolia that's also the centre of touristic modernity in this part of the country (think internet, an actual tourist information office and a couple of half-decent restaurants). It comes alive in summer when tourists pass through on their way to Khövsgöl Nuur, and if you're exploring the area, you'll probably find yourself lingering here a day or two. This is a good spot to stock up on supplies, grab a hot shower, sit down on a functioning toilet and generally enjoy life's little luxuries.