Aral

The Aral Sea, a man-made ecological disaster of the greatest kind, has shrunk substantially in size since 1960. Due to disastrous Soviet-era state planning, its waters were redirected to cotton fields in the desert, where they quickly evaporated or seeped underground.

The Aral Sea, formerly the world's fourth-largest body of fresh water, is now barely a fraction of its previous size, and a gradual recovery has only begun in recent years.

Aral is an interesting site to visit as a result of all of this. The old fishing port, known across the Soviet Union for its big catches, now sits adjacent to limitless desert, since the sea's waves have long since receded beyond the horizon.

For those interested in viewing what remains of the Aral Sea, the town of the same name serves as an excellent base from which to tour 'one of the planet's biggest environmental disasters' and learn about the successful government effort that is progressively raising its water levels year after year.

• Best time to visit: March-May, September-November
• Location: Central Asia