When we travel, many of us hope to experience an exotic culture or visit a spectacular natural attraction. Often these are chosen based on recommendations from family and friends or may be long-awaited bucket list destinations. Little do many of us know, however, that the United Nations has already selected more than 1000 such sites, hundreds of which are in Asia. These World Heritage Sites are some of the most impressive destinations on Earth, and we’ll discuss some today that you may wish to consider adding to your next Asian adventure, on our second episode about UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Asia.
First, according to UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, World Heritage is the designation for places on Earth that are of outstanding universal value to humanity and as such, have been inscribed on the World Heritage List to be protected for future generations to appreciate and enjoy.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites are broken into various categories; Cultural, Natural, and Mixed. There are more than 1000 worldwide, including 278 in the Asia-Pacific region: 196 cultural, 70 natural, and 12 mixed cultural-natural that can be found in and across 36 nations, as 5 World Heritage Sites cross boundaries between nations.
On Part 1 of our UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Asia episode, Trevor covered:
- Cultural Landscape of Bali Province: the Subak System as a Manifestation of the Tri Hita Karana Philosophy
- Town of Luang Prabang
- Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long – Hanoi
- Bagan
and Scott described:
- Borobudur Temple Compounds
- Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome)
- Kathmandu Valley
- Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications
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Trevor: Temple Zone of Sambor Prei Kuk, Archaeological Site of Ancient Ishanapura
According to UNESCO, the archaeological site of Sambor Prei Kuk, “the temple in the richness of the forest” in the Khmer language, has been identified as Ishanapura, the capital of the Chenla Empire that flourished in the late 6th and early 7th centuries AD. There are more than one hundred temples scattered around a quiet, peaceful forest. Brick temples honoring various Hindu gods and godesses feature unique design and carving representing the pre-Angkorian Sambor Prei Kuk Style. The temples are less grandiose than those at Angkor, closer perhaps to Sukhothai, but in a different style. Octagonal towers with “flying palaces” of carved brick and sandstone, small Indian-esque busts where a bronze, caged bull, I believe, was discovered. Sambor Prei Kuk is to be appreciated in the details.
Absolutely worth a quick stop at the Kampong Thom museum because that’s a must-see if you’re traveling between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh by land. The temple complex is a bit of a detour. One hour return drive from Kampong Thom and an hour to walk around… it’s doable. But if you’re just passing through, the tiny museum has amazing artwork: the best examples of Sambor Prei Kuk art anywhere, I presume. You could walk around it in one minute, but each piece deserves a minute of its own, and that’s half an hour. Leave a small donation.
Scott – Malaysia: Kinabalu Park
I’ve been to Kota Kinabalu city but didn’t get into the countryside while there, which is a bit of a bummer. So close yet so far! Located in the State of Sabah, Malaysia, on the northern end of the island of Borneo, Kinabalu Park World Heritage property covers 75,370 ha. Dominated by Mount Kinabalu (4,095m), the highest mountain between the Himalayas and New Guinea, it holds a distinctive position for the biota of Southeast Asia. Geologically, Kinabalu Park is a granite intrusion formed 15 million years ago and thrust upward one million years ago by tectonic movements and shaped by forces that continue to define its landscape. Despite its geological youth it is exceptionally high in species with living relics of natural vegetation remaining, over 93% of the Park area.
The altitudinal range of the property, 152m – 4,095m, presents a wide array of habitats from rich tropical lowland and hill rainforest (35% of the park) to tropical montane forest (37%), and sub-alpine forest and scrub at the highest elevations. Ultramafic (serpentine) rocks cover about 16% of the park. It contains representatives from at least half of all Borneo’s plant species and is exceptionally rich in species with elements from the Himalayas, China, Australia, Malaysia, and pan tropical floras. With records of half of all Borneo’s birds, mammals and amphibian species and two-thirds of all Bornean reptiles the property is both species-rich and an important centre for endemism.
Trevor: The Kingdom of Sukhothai (1238-1360 C.E)
Thais began to emerge as a dominant force in the region in the13th century, gradually asserting independence from neighboring kingdoms. Founded in 1238, the Kingdom of Sukhothai was named “the dawn of happiness” by its rulers. The Sukhothai Period is considered a golden era of Thai history, an ideal state in a land of plenty governed by paternal and benevolent kings, the most famous of whom was King Ramkhamhaeng the Great (c.1279-98), who greatly expanded the Kingdom’s borders. In addition to developing some of the most beautiful Thai art, the Sukhothai Kingdom is credited with developing the modern Thai alphabet.
King Mengrai, founder of the Lan Na Kingdom centered at Chiang Mai was a powerful ally of both King Ramkhamhaeng of Sukhothai and King Ngam Muang of Phayao. Together these kingdoms were able to ward off the Mongol invaders who caused great upheaval in Asia during the 13th century, although a personal visit to Emperor Kublai Khan by King Ramkhamhaeng in 1282 arguably helped stave off invasion.
Following the death of King Ramkhamhaeng, the kingdom of Sukhothai rapidly declined and Lan Na expanded its influence over its neighboring kingdoms, many of which were former suzerains of Sukhothai.
Notable reasons to visit. ‘Sukhothai style’.” Art, ruins that we’re preserved rather than sacked. Now Quiet, green, peaceful, beautiful. Explore on bicycle. Quiet. Good noodles.
Scott: Singapore Botanic Gardens
Been here a couple of times and was surprised and interested to learn what qualifies it as a World Heritage site. The Singapore Botanic Gardens is situated at the heart of the city of Singapore and demonstrates the evolution of a British tropical colonial botanic garden from a ‘Pleasure Garden’ in the English Landscape Style, to a colonial Economic Garden with facilities for horticultural and botanical research, to a modern and world-class botanic garden, scientific institution and place of conservation, recreation and education. its establishment in 1859.
Through its well-preserved landscape design and continuity of purpose, the Singapore Botanic Gardens is an outstanding example of a British tropical botanic garden which has also played a key role in advances in scientific knowledge, particularly in the fields of tropical botany and horticulture, including the development of plantation rubber.
The Singapore Botanic Gardens has been a centre for plant research in Southeast Asia since the 19th century, contributing significantly to the expansion of plantation rubber in the 20th century, and continues to play a leading role in the exchange of ideas, knowledge and expertise in tropical botany and horticultural sciences. While the Kew Botanic Gardens (United Kingdom) provided the initial seedlings, the Singapore Botanic Gardens provided the conditions for their planting, development and distribution throughout much of Southeast Asia and elsewhere.
Trevor: The Great Wall – China
Ok, so I’ve been to a part of the great wall, and it was great. Amazing, really. But I had to do some research on the history. Looked up the word. History is of the wall around a city which, by extension, became portions and then the entirety of ‘The 10,000 mile wall”. It is the modern-day word for City in Chinese, as a matter of fact. I wont try to pronounce it, but the wall means “city” as having such a wall established what was behind it as a polity, it seems. Amongst various regional nicknames for the wall is “the Earth Dragon”.
According to Wikipedia, The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications that were built across northern borders of ancient Chinese states as protection against nomadic groups from the Eurasian Steppe. Summarizing now, from the 7th century BC, selective stretches were later joined by the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang (220–206 BC). Little of his wall remains, which sounds like an interesting story. Later on, many successive dynasties built and maintained multiple stretches of border walls. The best-known sections of the wall were built by the Ming dynasty (1368–1644).
When I went, we were given access to a remote stretch of the wall where we were able to walk all day without any others around. Mountainous terrain with remote towerposts. Sweating in the winter sun and crushing apples in the guard towers. Spectacular. And then we rappelled off a temple tower, got a campfire going and got smashed on whatever chinese hooch they were serving up.
Scott – Thailand – Historic City of Ayutthaya
Been many times and really love it here. While it’s not on the scale of Angkor or Bagan, it is well worth a visit if you’re in Bangkok, particularly as it’s only 90 north.
Founded in 1350, was the second capital of the Siamese Kingdom until 1767. It grew to be one of the world’s largest and most cosmopolitan urban areas and a center of global diplomacy and commerce. Ayutthaya was strategically located on an island surrounded by three rivers connecting the city to the sea. This site was chosen because it was located above the tidal bore of the Gulf of Siam as it existed at that time, thus preventing attack of the city by the sea-going warships of other nations. The location also helped to protect the city from seasonal flooding.
The city was attacked and razed by the Burmese army in 1767 who burned the city to the ground and forced the inhabitants to abandon the city. The city was never rebuilt in the same location and remains known today as an extensive archaeological site. During this period the first Europeans came to Thailand – Portuguese in 1511. The scheme took maximum advantage of the city’s position in the midst of three rivers and had a hydraulic system for water management which was technologically extremely advanced and unique in the world.
The city was ideally situated at the head of the Gulf of Siam, equidistant between India and China and well upstream to be protected from Arab and European powers who were expanding their influence in the region even as Ayutthaya was itself consolidating and extending its own power to fill the vacuum left by the fall of Angkor. As a result, Ayutthaya became a center of economics and trade at the regional and global levels, and an important connecting point between the East and the West.
Trevor: Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra– I’m gonna wing this. I’m not sure I’ve been to the particular areas mentioned on the UNESCO site, but I’ve been in the sumatra rainforest. One of those Tantalizing Travel Tales. Bukit Lawang, 1996. Started in the forest with the Orangutans. Spectacular. Then the German gal I was traveling with punctured her arm, the guy told me where to climb, etc. Spectacular. That was three decades ago, so I think I got a good feeling for the heritage. Otherwise, I can only imagine. There’s tigers out there! Under 1,000, it seems, but it’s nice there’s still enough forest for that many.
Scott – Malaysia: Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca
Picking this one as it was seized from the Thais by the Portuguese in 1508 who then came to Ayutthaya in 1511 as above. According to UNESCO, Melaka and George Town, Malaysia, are remarkable examples of historic colonial towns on the Straits of Malacca that demonstrate a succession of historical and cultural influences arising from their former function as trading ports linking East and West. These are the most complete surviving historic city centres on the Straits of Malacca with a multi-cultural living heritage originating from the trade routes from Great Britain and Europe through the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and the Malay Archipelago to China. Both towns bear testimony to a living multi-cultural heritage and tradition of Asia, where the many religions and cultures met and coexisted. They reflect the coming together of cultural elements from the Malay Archipelago, India and China with those of Europe, to create a unique architecture, culture and townscape.
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