Ulan Bator is the capital and largest city in Mongolia. The architecture here is lackluster, thanks to the Soviet Era, but Ulan Bator is not short on interesting cultural sites and museums to visit and learn from. The National History Museum, the Zanabazar Fine Arts Museum, and the Borg Khan Palace Museum are all highly recommended, as well day trips to the Terelj National Park, the Manzushir Monastery ruins, and a giant statue of Genghis Khan, pictured above. If you time it right, you can visit during Naadam, the largest and most famous festival in Mongolia. During Naadam, the three traditional Mongolian sports of wrestling, horse racing and archery take center stage in a series of competitions that celebrate this part of the nation’s heritage.