Travel through time: 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Asia

There are a staggering 179 UNESCO World Heritage sites peppered across Asia and the Pacific, with China topping the list for the most number of sites. Naturally, it’s near impossible to visit all UNESCO sites across Asia. So, we’ve whittled it down to 10 that you should definitely put on your travel bucket list.

Stunning UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Southeast Asia

1) Borobudur – Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Why it’s a Must-See: Built in the 8th and 9th century AD, Borobudur was a centre of Buddhist worship until it was abandoned sometime between the 10th and 15th centuries.

Made from two million block stones, this relic in Yogyakarta stands on a solid 118 metre x 118 metre base, with terraces leading to intricately carved gateways, stupas and shrines. Having been rediscovered in the 19th century, Borobudur now draws more tourists than pilgrims.

Borobudur was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1991.

 CC 2.0 / alex hanoko

2) Komodo National Park – East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Why It’s a Must-See: Gigantic monitor lizards two to three metres long inhabit Komodo National Park spread over three volcanic islands – Komodo, Rinca and Padar. There are close to 6000 Komodo Dragons residing in this nature reserve, as well as other indigenous fauna, including the endangered Timor Deer. Komodo dragons are the world’s largest living lizards, unique to the area and considered a species vulnerable to extinction.

Komodo National Park was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and biosphere reserve in 1991.

 CC 2.0 / Jon Chia

3) Angkor Wat – Siem Reap, Cambodia

Why It’s a Must-See: Angkor Wat is a massive ancient architecture. It is one of the last vestiges of the Khmer kingdom, who ruled a large swath of Indochina from the 7th to the 12th century. During its Golden Age, Angkor Wat reigned as the largest city in the world, with an estimated one million inhabitants.

  CC by 2.0 / Scott Oves

4) Vigan – Luzon, Philippines

Why It’s a Must-See: Founded in 1572, Vigan was once an epicentre of trade for Spanish colonialists. It is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a European trading post and its main highlight is its historical cobbled streets laid out in a chequerboard fashion.

Here, Hispanic influences are tempered by strong Chinese, Ilocano and Filipino architectural touches to create a truly unique living museum. Other prominent sights include the old Bantay Church and its bell tower and the Pagburnayan (stone jar-making factories).

 CC 2.0 / fitri agung

5) Halong Bay – Hanoi, Vietnam

Why It’s a Must-See: World Heritage site Halong Bay is peppered with majestic limestone pillars and tiny towering forest-tipped islets in the middle of the emerald-blue waters of the Gulf of Tonkin.  A vision of ethereal beauty shaped by the forces of nature over thousands of years, its caves, pillars and arches have been virtually untouched and most of its islands remain uninhabited. 

Stunning UNESCO World Heritage Sites in China

6) The Forbidden City (Imperial Palace) – Beijing, China

Why It’s a Must-See: The Forbidden City was the seat of imperial power in China for 500 years, spanning the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Enclosed by a 52-metre moat in the centre of Beijing, the Forbidden City houses China’s biggest and best-preserved collection of ancient buildings, and it is the largest palace complex in the world.

7) The Great Wall – Beijing, China

Why It’s a Must-See: China’s greatest engineering feat, The Great Wall, began in the 3rd century on the orders of the first emperor of China, Qin Shihuang, who wanted to erect a defensive wall to keep Mongolian barbarians out.

Subsequent generations added to the wall, and today it runs from Liaoning province to Xinjiang, covering over 20,000 kilometres. The most intact ramparts are perched on the surrounding hills of Beijing municipality within the Mutianyu segment.

 CC 2.0 / Max Talbot-Minkin

8) Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor – Xi-An, China

Why It’s a Must-See: Qin Shihuang’s famous terracotta warriors are the star attraction at his mausoleum. Built in the 3rd century, it contains nearly 200 pits, with thousands of warriors who were buried to accompany China’s first emperor into the afterlife. The tomb complex, which contains more than 600 exhibits, showcases terracotta horses as well as bronze chariots and weapons. 

UNESCO World Heritage Site in India

9) Taj Mahal – Agra, India

Why It’s a Must-See: Shah Jahan’s living testament to his beloved third wife, the Taj Mahal, is undoubtedly India’s most romantic emblem. Rudyard Kipling once described it as “the embodiment of all things pure”.

This perfectly symmetrical white marble cenotaph, with its four minarets flanking the courtyard and central dome, is set at one end of an ornamental garden, with the sky as its backdrop.

UNESCO World Heritage Site in Japan

10) Himeji Castle – Himeji, Japan

Why It’s a Must-See: Himeji-Jo, also known as White Heron Castle, is widely recognised as the prettiest castle in Japan. Having recently reopened after a five-year restoration hiatus, Himeji-Jo is an exquisite original example of early 17th-century Japanese feudal architecture. A polished white plaster exterior conceals its wooden frame and the fortification is encircled by moats and walls punctuated with openings for firing guns and shooting arrows.

CC 2.0 / Edward Dalmulder

With so many historical sites in Asia, experiencing UNESCO listed world heritage sites is only a short trip away. Visit Expedia.com.my to plan weekend getaways and travel through time.

How many UNESCO World Heritage sites have you been to?