Apamee (T)

Aspasia Luxembourg - 02-Jan-25

On the 1st of May 2024 Syria started issuing e-visas on condition the application went via a travel agency (otherwise the payment wouldn't go through) and this is how I spent my trip in the country a week later - with a guide/driver that would make sure we passed all the checkpoints. Right before we arrived to the village I saw many tanks in a shed (it was the first and only time in the trip). I wanted to take a photo, but the guide stopped me, telling me it was not safe. Other than this, I was told that right when the war started, many mosaics were taken indoors and locked (and the photo I am adding might not seem much, but this is the place where they are kept)

Vizcaya Bridge

3.50 Kyle Magnuson California - United States of America - 31-Dec-24

During our planned stay in Bilbao, the Gran Hotel Puente Colgante in Portugalete (adjacent to the bridge) was too appealing to ignore. With the Portugalete station nearby and the very useful Barik card (which also works for the Vizcaya Bridge), choosing Portugalete instead of central Bilbao turned out to be an excellent choice for us. 

We visited the platform just before sunset on our first day and the views were incredible. The vibrations you feel when the gondola is moving might startle some visitors

Historic Jeddah

2.50 CugelVance Germany - 28-Dec-24

Time of the visit: the 29th of nov. till the 2nd of dec.2024

Al-Balad,Jeddah's historic [...]

Mt. Elgon (T)

Jay T USA - 01-Jan-25

The Mount Elgon Transboundary Ecosystem in Uganda was brought forward to the Tentative World Heritage Site list in 2024. The region is part of the Eastern Afromontane biodiversity hotspot, which also includes existing World Heritage Sites such as Mount Kenya, Rwenzori Mountains National Park, and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Mount Elgon itself is an extinct volcano on the border of Uganda and Kenya. I visited the Mount Elgon region in the summer of 2014, traversing the eastern slopes around Suam, at the Kenya-Uganda border, on the first part of my trip, and the western slopes up to Kapchorwa later on the trip

Paysage culturel d'Azougui (T)

Els Slots The Netherlands - 03-Jan-25

Azougui is now a small village at the bottom of a valley just outside the city of Atar. Here lies a modest archaeological site dating back to the early Almohavids (11th century). It seems to be on the itinerary of every tour covering Mauritania, so we made a quick visit as well in the late afternoon. Those who later became known as the Almohavids chose a very fine setting, at the foot of the mountains. Their date palm groves still dominate the landscape.

The main site lies within a walled and gated compound, of which the key can be obtained in the white building [...]

Al-Ahsa Oasis

1.00 CugelVance Germany - 28-Dec-24

Time of the visit: the 4th of dec.2024

I stayed for three days in Riad in order to get to know SA's capital a bit, and to visit the Al-Ahsa Oasis and the Turaif-quarter (both unesco whs).

I had booked my ticket online for the train from Riad to Hofuf just a few days earlier to make sure that I got one as I had read that that train is often booked out. However,the train was quite empty. I took the one early in the morning.

After my arrival in Al-Ahsa I took an ueber taxi from the railway station first to the Jawatha mosque. As I had read that the mosque is tiny I told my driver to wait for me as I would be back within 5-10 min. I stormed out of the taxi and saw a man leaving the mosque and the door wasn't closed when I was already inside. I took some pics and went out where the aforementioned man looked at me quite puzzled. As I was in a hurry I didnt start a conversation.We headed then to the mountain Jabel Al-Quarah. On the way the taxi driver,a former saudi policeman,gave me all the important infos to know about Hofuf which I wanted to know.I stayed inside and outside the mountain Jabal Al-Quarah for almost 2 h

Tartus (T)

Aspasia Luxembourg - 02-Jan-25

I have visited The Cathedral of Our Lady of Tortosa (since 1956 The National Museum of Tartus) during my visited with a guide/driver in May 2024. The building is impressive both for what it is (a Romanesque/Gothic cathedral) as well as for the collection it holds (of which my favourites were the sarcophagi from 5-4 BC centuries). Unfortunately photos are not allowed inside (unless you manage to sneak a few if you're lucky so as to avoid the guard/ticket officer and cameras (?)

Mudejar Architecture of Aragon

3.00 Kyle Magnuson California - United States of America - 31-Dec-24

My interest in Al-Andalus and what came after was first perked with the novel 'The Lions of Al-Rassan' by Canadian author Guy Gavriel Kay. A major theme of the novel is the interplay between bigotry and tolerance. Zaragoza, a city under Muslim rule from the 8th century (around 718) to the 12th century (1118), is a city I longed to visit. However, it was not originally part of our itinerary for Barcelona and Bilbao, until I started researching trains. From Barcelona you can reach Zaragoza by high speed rail in 1 hour and 23 minutes. This inspired me to plan 1 night in Zaragoza and then continue on to Bilbao (slower train) the following day, happily my spouse agreed. 

Saloum Delta

3.50 Els Slots The Netherlands - 15-Jan-25

Like the Omo Valley, people visit the Saloum Delta mostly for A (birding) while it is inscribed for B (the tradition of shellfish gathering and the historical shell mounds). Fortunately, unlike Omo, Saloum is well-documented, with clear maps. The place to start your boat journey is the laidback town of Toubakouta, which lies conveniently close to the Gambian border if you have plans for an onward journey. The town can also be reached from Dakar or even Saint-Louis within a day.

My B&B offered a ‘menu’ of no less than 24 tours and other activities, but my eyes already stopped at #2: a late afternoon boat trip to L’île aux coquillages. So at 4

Coro and its Port

3.50 Alejandro Lau China - 30-Dec-24

(Visited 2024.10)

In these years Venezuela seems to be a bit "removed" from the plan of international tourists. After an overnight bus from Caracas we arrived at Coro in early morning. We had some empanadas as our breakfast near the terminal, which is fair and delicious.

After the breakfast we walk ~15 min to the WHS area

Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy

4.50 CugelVance Germany - 26-Dec-24

Time of the visit: Varallo the 22nd of nov.,Varese the 24th of nov.2024

Varallo

I stayed one night in Varallo and two in Varese so that I had plenty of time to discover both" little Jerusalems".

When I arrived in Varallo it was heavily snowing as it had been the entire night before. That's why the snow was almost a half meter deep. I had to buy rubber boots because my shoes were completely unsuitable for climbing up a snow-covered hill. The climb is fairly easy under normal circumstances, but strenuous with heavy snow. I walked up the footpath near the cable car station and after visiting the area I walked down the "Salita Pedonale" from the cable car station on the hill to the town of Varallo.

Ancient Tea Plantations of Pu'er

4.00 Alex Goh Malaysia - 29-Dec-24

From my base at Kunming, it’s a 1 hour flight to the south-west town of Lancang close to the Myanmar border to get to Jingmai Mountain for the Ancient Pu’er tea plantation. For some reasons, both my flights to and from Lancang were delayed 2-3 hours. This seems to be the routine occurrence as I was told by my Lancang driver that it was due to airline trying to sell some last minute tickets. The Lancang airport is small with only 2-3 flights a days. Upon arrival, it’s easy to make arrangements with the airport taxis for a 5-6 hrs drive/tour of world heritage Jingmai Mountain to marvel at the ancestors of Pu’er tea plantation

Genbaku Dome

2.50 Tony H. Finland - 13-Jan-25

I visited Genbaku Dome in November 2024. Despite the sunny and warm weather, my mind wasn't sunny. A heavy feeling will land on you when you approach the ruins of what used to be the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotional Hall. We all know how we got the point that it's in ruins now and watching these ruins made me full of heavy thoughts. But I have to admit that still even in ruins it's quite attractive building. Opposite the Genbaku Dome on the other side of the Ota river is the Peace Bell that anyone can go to play. The sound of the bell playing over the Genbaku Dome makes the scene even more haunting.

Duomo di Milano (T)

Andrew_Kerr UK - 13-Jan-25

There's an old adage that goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and for me Milan Cathedral has one of the most beautiful west fronts of any cathedral I've visited.How anyone can stand before Milan Cathedral and not be blown away by the sheer size and beauty of the building is beyond me. I'd say it's much more impressive than, for example, Westminster Abbey that looks like a Gothic tick box of building style.Milan Cathedral is different and it was different a long time ago, it bucked the trend, it dared to be different, it did what cathedrals are supposed to do, it wowed people, it made them feel that here, was a special place. A quick check on Wikipedia describes the building as groundbreaking and I totally agree

Wanuskewin (T)

GabLabCebu Philippines - 29-Dec-24

Wanuskewin is not the kind of place you simply stumble into; it's a site one would usually have to make quite a journey for. Most definitely, it once drew Native Americans in far greater numbers than it does today's tourists. However, I was lucky enough to visit Western Canada in July 2024 and figured it was the perfect time to make the journey all the way out here. A journey it was! Unless you live in or frequent Saskatchewan, it's a 6-hour drive from the big cities of Alberta over endless fields of grass, corn, and canola. At least Prince Albert National Park is just about a 2-hour drive away, to make the journey more worthwhile.

Place des Vosges de Paris (T)

Andrew_Kerr UK - 12-Jan-25

Stunning 17th century square in the Marais district of Paris. When it was completed in 1612 (as the Place Royale) it instantly became one of THE places to live in Paris if you were wealthy or nobility and that has never changed.
The "place" is actually a square surrounded by vaulted continuous buildings on all sides with a central garden and fountain.
I've visited a couple of times and it's always a pleasure to wander around the arcades.
Not sure why it was rejected from the Tentative list, it ticks all the boxes for a full listing.

Eltz Castle (T)

Andrew_Kerr UK - 12-Jan-25

Berg Eltz is a spectacular medieval castle overlooking the Moselle valley and midway between Koblenz and Trier.I visited the castle as a detour on a wine tour of the Moselle valley and only got to know about it thanks to a couple I met at dinner in my hotel who were most insistent that if I only visit one castle in the area, make sure it's this one.It was a worthwhile detour, the road up to the castle is full of switchbacks and fairly steep but the journey is rewarded with the sight of the castle perched high above the valley below.The inside was typical of most castles where there are still people living and I found it a bit boring to be honest but there's no question that the appeal of this castle is the setting and the impressive layout

Death Valley National Park (T)

Andrew_Kerr UK - 12-Jan-25

America has a wealth of diverse national parks that cover everything from forests, mountains, canyons, lakes, rivers and of course, deserts.In Death Valley they have the hottest desert in America, the lowest point below sea level and some truly incredible landscapes.I visited Death Valley in August 2018 en route from Nevada to California. I was on the road early that day and stopped a few miles short of Death Valley to chat to a group of bikers. When I told them where I was headed their advice was to "get out of there before 10:30 as the heat is unbearable by then"

El Escurial

4.00 Ana - 28-Dec-24

Arrived on a chilly December morning to visit the complex. The painted ceilings, walls, and tapestries inside really do make the palace, as the outside and parts of the inside are otherwise pretty plain. One thing I wanted to mention, since I saw conflicting information in other reviews, is that on my visit today photography was almost entirely allowed. The only room that disallowed photography was the Pantheon of the Kings - otherwise, I snapped away in full view of the staff (including in spaces like the library) without so much as a shake of the head. 

Palau de la Musica Catalana & Hospital de Sant Pau

4.50 Kyle Magnuson California - United States of America - 29-Dec-24

From the Sagrada Familia station its a pleasant walk to the Hospital de Sant Pau via the Av. de Gaudí. Self-guided tours within Sant Pau are now €17 and can be reserved online. We started just as the site opened and we pretty much had the complex to ourselves for the first 30-60 minutes. The ensemble of buildings are really impressive and access seems much improved compared to the past. In the morning light with a blue sky, each building, rooftop, mosaic and interior was highly picturesque

Ancient Thebes

5.00 Andrew_Kerr UK - 05-Jan-25

I'm no historian but history is one the things in life that interests me greatly and there are fewer places anywhere that can boast the riches of history that is available in modern day Luxor. There is just so much to see and do that I couldn't manage it all in a 2 week vacation and had to return the following year for another 2 weeks.At times you can feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of things to see.In the immediate vicinity you have the temples at Luxor and Karnak, with Karnak being particularly impressive due to the sheer scale of it. Across the Nile there is the Valley of the Kings and the Temple of Hatshepsut

Al Zubarah

0.50 CugelVance Germany - 26-Dec-24

Time of the visit: the 7th of dec.2024

In Doha I took the metro from the city centre to the station"national library". From there I took a pirate taxi for around 2€( would have had to wait 10 min for an ueber taxi) to the modern Al Gharafa bus station. I asked for the bus 100 . The indian employee at the info desk told me that it doesnt operate any more. I had already expected the news and bought a ticket for the bus to Al Ruwais which isnt that far from Al Zubarah and according to the internet taxis are available in Al Ruwais.

Megalithic Temples of Malta

3.00 2Flow2 United States - 24-Dec-24

Read others' reviews first for more in-depth content on individual sites.

There are six temples scattered across the island. Here are my and my wife's experience visiting them in December 2024 during Malta's "off season":

Ġgantija on the island of Gozo: Tied for the best of the Megalithic Temples, absolutely worth a visit. A great interior museum area giving you context for the temples, their history, their mystery, and what has been done recently since their re-discovery to preserve them

Shakespeare's Stratford (T)

Andrew_Kerr UK - 15-Dec-24

Stratford Upon Avon is just a stones throw from where I live and a town that I visit regularly. Like many tourist towns in the UK, Stratford's heyday is in the past but it remains a very pleasant town to visit with a lot of Shakespeare sites to see. As an aside, the town was recently voted the happiest place to live in the Midlands and it's easy to see why.

In terms of Shakespeare's sites, you can visit the house he was born in which also incorporates the Shakespeare museum, Anne Hathaway's birthplace (Shakespeare's wife to be) which is a beautiful thatched cottage on the outskirts of town (pictured) and Shakespeare's tomb in the Holy Trinity Church.

Budapest

4.00 Ilya Burlak USA - 03-Jan-25

Visited in November 2024, fifteen years-plus since the first visit.

I love how impressive examples of Art Nouveau and Art Deco are found on practically every block in Central Pest. Each one is different from others, creating a wide range between "unique" and "disjointed" depending on your particular perception of architecture. To my eyes, it is delightful to discover one after another. 

The problem, of course, is that most of those are in the buffer zone rather than the core zone of the WHS. Andrassy Avenue is a lovely boulevard, but somewhat more uniform, which for me equates to somewhat underwhelming

Lower German Limes

1.00 Digits Ireland - 23-Dec-24

We visited the Köln-Deutz component on a sunny hot September day in 2023 as the Praetorium was (and still is) closed for visitors. A 20 minute walk from Cologne Cathedral across the Hohenzollernbrucke to the eastern bank of the Rhine allows for excellent views of the modern-day cathedral but in Roman times would have had line of sight to the provincial governors palace at the Praetorium. You will have the (admittedly few) remains all to yourself as visitors instead throng the riverfront or city centre

Works of Antoni Gaudí

4.50 Kyle Magnuson California - United States of America - 28-Dec-24

Careful planning informed my visit to all the major Antoni Gaudí sites in and around Barcelona (including non-inscribed Gaudí buildings like Casa Figueres "Bellesguard"). All tickets were reserved well in advance. With gratitude, I am pleased to say all 7 components are open for visitors, no scaffolding or major ongoing renovations presently, and all can (and probably should be) reserved in advance. The order of components we visited was based on multiple considerations, sequential order, geographic location / public transit, and time of day. Previously referenced long lines seem to be largely relegated to the past at most sites, since tickets routinely sell out online

Prague

4.50 Jay T USA - 22-Dec-24

A lot has been written about Prague, and rightly so -- it is a world-class city, with a rich history and fascinating architecture on display. The Castle District has amazing views, particularly from the bell tower of St. Vitus Cathedral, and the libraries in the Strahov Monastery were spectacular. The Charles Bridge was just as I imagined it, after first seeing it featured in Mission: Impossible years ago. The Jewish Quarter of the Old Town was sobering in its reminders of early 20th-century history, while the trams, Museum of Communism, and Wenceslas Square all evoked the days of the Cold War. 

Blue and John Crow Mountains

3.50 Jacob Choi United States of America - 23-Dec-24

For a long time, there has been some discussion on how to visit the "Core Zone" of this site properly. The maps on the UNESCO website certainly don't help and many who go to Jamaica on holiday don't go hiking through the Blue Mountains. This made getting information on how to get into the core zone a bit more difficult than anticipated. Luckily for me, Els wrote a nice review below that did most of the grunt work. With that in mind, I was able to focus in on Moore Town. However, multiple tour operators were not able to provide tours to the falls. So, with a little more searching, I was able to find Alex Moore-Minott (+1 876 495 7370) through the Granny Nanny Cultural Center, who was eager to take me to the falls and teach me about the culture of the Jamaican Maroons

Banc d'Arguin

3.00 Els Slots The Netherlands - 31-Dec-24

Mauritania’s Banc d’Arguin NP is rarely visited and has only been reviewed once, about 18 years ago. However, this is the number one place for waterfowl and migratory waders among the several "bird WHS" along the West African Coast. It is “better” than Djoudj and the Saloum Delta, and only the 2025 nomination Bijagos Archipelago in Guinea-Bissau comes close but still has only 50% of its numbers. We spent a full day and a night in its core zone, stretching 170km along the Atlantic Coast.

Civil Rights Movement Sites (T)

Solivagant UK - 28-Aug-24

The announcement  that the Lincoln Memorial is to be added to the Civil Rights Movement T List entry has prompted me to post a review of my first visit to it EXACTLY 61 years ago on 28 Aug 1963 - the very day of the "March on Washington", the event which has led to the memorial's nomination! I was a 20-year-old UK undergraduate traveling and working in the US across his 3 month summer vacation. My diary observations, scribbled throughout the day, together with some additional research into both the March and the Memorial might be of interest.

Minaret of Jam

4.50 Wojciech Fedoruk Poland - 18-Sep-24

The Minaret of Jam is an almost legendary place. For at least 20 years, from 2001 to 2021 (though actually since the outbreak of the Afghan war in 1978), it was completely inaccessible to visitors. During the US intervention, the mountains around it were a Taliban hotbed and were not controlled by the Afghan government or US military. After the Taliban took power, it is open again, which I took advantage of by visiting this place in September 2024 with a group of seven like-minded travelers from Poland (including three women).

Sangha Trinational

4.00 Els Slots The Netherlands - 19-Jan-24

These natural clearings filled with wildlife from the Congo Basin are the holy grail among mammal watchers. For me, Dzanga Ndoki (the Central African Republic part of this transnational site) was to be a splurge visit in March 2020 – but it became my Covid travel disaster. After the park reopened, I still wanted to go but the prices rose beyond belief. Fortunately, I found a group tour operator wanting to do it for much less by entering overland from Cameroon.

This site also had been unreviewed so far on this website

Odzala-Kokoua

5.00 Randi Thomsen Norway - 30-Nov-24

We arrived the park after nightfall - it’s a 14 hour drive from Brazzaville.

Camp Impalanga, one of the few camps in Odzala, is a small facility run by African Parks, offering just four cabin/tents. There is no luxury here, but perfect for a couple of days in the Congolese jungle, and we believe it will be an unforgettable adventure. We are staying four nights and hoping to see our first gorillas.

Odzala is one of Africa’s largest national parks, established as early as 1935. Today, the National park is also managed by African Parks.

Yen Tu Complex (T)

Frederik Dawson Netherlands - 06-Oct-24

On my flight from Rach Gia back to Ho Chi Minh City after Oc Eo sightseeing with ICOMOS experts, I found an interesting inflight magazine article about Yen Tu. After landing, I discussed with our accompanied local guide and immediately decided to extend my Vietnam trip to cover Yen Tu. Instead of flying back from Danang via Bangkok, my guide contacted her company to change the ticket to Hanoi and arranged a special program for me to explore Yen Tu. Since this was an impromptu trip, I rarely had information on this holy land of Truc Lam Vietnamese Zen Buddhism. At first, I requested to visit Vinh Nghiem pagoda on my way to Yen Tu, as Els did, but the tour company advised me to go to Con Son-Kiep Bac which I OK after reconfirmed that the name appeared in the description in UNESCO website.

Palmyra

4.50 Triath - 06-Oct-24

Visited on a group tour to Syria in May 2023.Our Syrian guide was most nervous about visiting Palmyra, and he was very anxious to get us out of there while it was still light. ISIS has been pushed back to the mountainous regions of Syria, but it is precisely in this region that jihadists still make their forays from time to time, although tourism is slowly but reviving.Palmyra was once the largest trading center between Rome and Parthia, and this oasis literally bathed in money

Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin

1.50 Hubert Austria - 06-May-24

How to find among 758 sublocations those that are worth visiting? The problem is not only the large number, but also the fact that many sites are very difficult to access or are not accessible at all. And those that are accessible differ widely in the quantity and quality/visibility of the paintings. The information on the UNESCO website is not very helpful. Nevertheless, I was able to identify a few potentially worthwhile locations for my visit on Easter weekend 2024. And one of them, the Abrigo Grande de Minateda (not described in previous reviews), offered a guided tour that fitted into my itinerary.

Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers

4.00 Zoë Sheng Chinese-Canadian - 20-Sep-24

Nanda Devi is closed. For tourists and mountaineers. You COULD go to the northern area as a scientist but it requires permits you won't get, and as you thus avoid the dangers (that's why it was closed) you are better off not going. You can't even see the peak from the Valley area. The Valley of Flowers is open and a majestic hike. It comes close to the "5 day to visit" and it could be seen as a tour-only visit but there are ways around it and you don't need a tour guide. It's better though - and not even expensive. I think overall I spent less than 100 dollars on all this.

National History Park

4.50 Jacob Choi United States of America - 27-Dec-23

N.B. I typically don't do reviews, but after being nudged by others-and the fact that it has been over 10 years since the last review, I decided to give in and write something.

When I was a young child I would go on this website in its early days and look up the reviews of Solivagant. I read/re-read those reviews and my heart would swoon thinking that I too would want to go to those places when I am older... So, are the ruins and the citadel any different? Has the visiting experience changed 23 or 11 years later? At the time of my visit in early Dec 2023, the border between the DR and Haiti was closed due to a canal dispute. This made the option of heading there by bus not available at the time, meaning that I would have to fly into Cap-Haïtien from Fort Lauderdale and catch another flight to Santo Domingo (leaving from Fort Lauderdale)

Vat Phou

3.50 Timonator Germany - 03-Aug-24

One more review to give a post-Covid view on how things are working today.

The temple lies about 15 km down the road from small town Champasak. I stayed in Champasak after coming from Ayutthaya. I took the night train to Ubon Ratchathani (About 9 hours, slim but comfortable beds with privacy curtain, about 20 USD, arriving at 06:15 a.m.) and then the Bus from Ubon to Pakse at 09:30 a.m. from the bus terminal in Ubon. You have to cross the city to reach the bus terminal from train terminal e.g. by Grab, Tuk Tuk or taxi. The bus waits at the border to Laos keeping the big luaggage inside where I got my 60 day Visa for 40 USD (I was expecting to only get 30 days). The bus reached Pakse bus station at shortly after 12

Sighisoara

3.50 Andrew_Kerr UK - 28-Dec-24

Sighisoara is one of those medieval towns that has you head scratching about it's inclusion as a WHS where many more impressive medieval towns fail. I can think of many in France and Italy that are more impressive but fail to get a listing.
It's nice and it's worth the trip, especially if you are interested in the history of Vlad the Impaler, as he was born in a large yellow house (a restaurant when I visited in 2012) in the pretty main square.
There are lots of little cobbled alleyways and typical Saxon buildings but it is quite small compared to many other similar cities (Bruges or Riga for example).
Combine the visit with a few of the fortified churches, as I did, and it really is worth the journey.

Rietveld Schröderhuis

4.00 Tony H. Finland - 10-Dec-24

I was visiting Utrecht University back in 2010 and to get to the university from my accommodation I cycled past Rietveld Schröderhuis daily. Unfortunately I didn't have time to visit it back then and it always bothered me how near miss this site was for me. But luckily in April 2024 I had finally chance to visit the house properly. I had pre-booked the house tour online and I arrived 15 minutes before my time slot. While waiting for the tour to start I was guided to watch a film about the house and interview of Truus Schröder-Schräder where she described how the life was in the house. I found the film very interesting and good introduction before the actual tour.

Crespi d'Adda

3.50 Igloo Italy - 21-Dec-24

I visited Crespi D'Adda on the 20th of December this year. I had been thinking about this day trip for quite a while and, now that I have finished my exams, I took a day for myself to explore this little town just over an hour from where I live. I got off at the wrong bus stop and walked half an hour to reach it (a time it would have taken me even at the right stop). First advice: don't visit in December like I did because you're going to miss much of the experience! Most of insude spaces (like the hydroelectric central or the Crespi house) are closed from December to February and are only available through guided tours from March to November. Still, I had quite the good time

Curtea de Arges Churches (T)

Jan-Willem Netherlands - 20-Dec-24

I guess most WHS travellers take interest in knowing a bit about the history of the sites they visit, and you can’t visit Romania, without understanding a little bit about the former kingdoms / princedoms that make up what we now know as Romania, and the many occupations and changing borders of the regions. While Transylvania is probably the most well-known part of Romania, the southern part is Wallachia. Curtea de Argeș once was its capital, reaching its greatest importance in the 13- and 14-hundreds.

Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai

2.00 Els Slots The Netherlands - 18-Dec-24

My previous (and first) visit to Mumbai was in 2009, and I didn't see much of the city then because I was there for a work visit. This time I was staying in the area of ​​the old fort, within walking distance of the city's main attractions.

The street in front of the hotel has been dug up, and that applies to several parts of this area: a metro is being built. The more luxurious buildings, dating from the late 19th and early 20th century when Mumbai was flourishing, already can be found here. They belong to the university, banks or trading offices. The style with turrets and arches is known as Victorian Gothic.

Ancient Nara

4.50 Jgriffindor6 United States - 19-Dec-24

I visited this site for a half-day in the fall of 2023 from Kyoto. This visit was near the end of my trip to Japan, and both my friend and I were both feeling a little bit overwhelmed with the possibility of visiting another WHS composed of several locations. But after an invigorating visit to the Fushimi Inari shrine earlier that morning, during which I hiked to the top, we decided to go for it anyways since neither of us were too tired by that time. We got lunch at a local Nara-zushi restaurant, which was one of my culinary highlights of the trip because the sushi was so unique. The sushi was pressed into a block and wrapped up by some kind of leaf, and it was pretty sour (YUM!).

Dacian Fortresses

2.00 Jakob Frenzel Germany - 09-Dec-24

August 2024 - After spending the night in Hunedoara, we took smaller roads with the goal to visit the Fortress of Sarmizegetusa Regia. It was hot that day and the roads really bad. Thus we decided to stop at Costesti. On the map it looked like a small hike, but my family decided to stay at the parking lot.

Damn, the hike was more strenous than anticipated and hard on my lungs. I did not meet anybody on the hike, and I was expecting to meet bears. Eventually I arrived at the fortress and climbed around the stones for a bit. 
Very mystical place, especially when being alone.
During the descent I met the first visitors, who had the same idea.

Beijing Central Axis

4.00 Tony H. Finland - 10-Dec-24

Visited in June 2024 just before the site was added to the WH list. On this review I will focus on the parts of the axis that are not inscribed otherwise, so I'm skipping Temple of Heaven, Forbidden City and Wanning Bridge in this review.

After visiting Temple of Heaven I exited it through the western gate. From here starts Yongdingmen Park and I was surprised to see almost immediately a map of the Beijing Central Axis that showed the core zone and the buffer zone of the WH site! On the map Yongdingmen Park was marked as "Southern Section Road Archeological Sites". Walking bit further into the park there were other maps showing the exact spots of these archaeological sites

SS Great Britain (T)

Andrew_Kerr UK - 12-Dec-24

From 1845 to 1853, the SS Great Britain was the largest passenger ship in the world, it was designed by the extraordinary engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, it was the first ship to be made of iron and incorporate a screw propeller and lastly, she was the first iron ship to cross the Atlantic which she did in 14 days. In short, this ship revolutionized trans-Atlantic travel and would be deserving of a WHS Listing to commemorate this achievement.

Almost as remarkable as the ship itself is the story of how she was brought back from the Falkland Islands in 1970 having been scuttled in 1937 and abandoned for 33 years having served the intervening time there since 1884 as a warehouse.

Valletta

4.50 2Flow2 United States - 24-Dec-24

A beautiful city! My wife and I visited here in December 2024, so outside of "peak season" for Malta. (Which is during the Summer, for the beaches.)

The first activity my wife and I did was take a popular walking tour of Valletta. I'd recommend this as a fantastic way to introduce yourself to the city and its history, and to get yourself acquainted with what important sites exist within the city, how they are connected, and why they are important.

Other reviewers here have covered what great things there are to see

Cambridge Colleges and Backs (T)

Andrew_Kerr UK - 23-Dec-24

It sounds like a great idea, include the area where you can see the famous university buildings from a public place, except it's actually very limited in terms of what you do see.The only way to properly see the famous college backs is to pay for a punt, either as part of a group or, if you're feeling adventurous and don't mind the thought of falling in the River Cam, hire one to take out yourself.The problem with both these options is they are not free, they are worthwhile, I've done it twice but you really need a nice day and it's advised to arrive early during peak times and holidays.The best sight from the punt is The Bridge of Sighs and that is one of the sights you don't see from the footpath that follows the backs

Riga

5.00 Andrew_Kerr UK - 23-Dec-24

I visited Riga in December 2023. It was a magical place. When I was there it was snowing and an absolute joy to wander the narrow, cobbled streets of the old town popping in and out of the many atmospheric bars and cafes as a break from the cold, snowy weather.My wife and I both had the same thoughts about Riga, it reminded us of Bruges, minus the canals of course, maybe it was the volume of cosy bars, cobbled streets or the maze of interconnecting alleyways, I don't know, I just know it did.I'm not sure why everyone makes comparisons between the three Baltic capitals, they are all different and all have there own unique qualities, but of the three, Riga is my personal favourite

Bahla Fort

3.50 2Flow2 United States - 16-Dec-24

I visited this site in February 2023. I think I understand why others have rated this site as low as they have, but I personally would give this a bit higher rating.

My wife and I entered through the main enterance that is accessible from the parking lot. There is a person sitting at a booth that you can wave to and get your informational pamphlet from, and then you're off and free to explore the fort on your own. This site is not as good as Jabreen Castle (which others have mentioned in their reviews, and sadly is not a World Heritage Site) and the main reason for that is the lack of information that the site provides you. Everything that you will learn is from within the pamphlet they hand you at the beginning, but the site would be greatly improved if there were permanent standing signs or even an audio guide to help you along through the fort

Cathedral of Gurk (T)

Jan-Willem Netherlands - 16-Dec-24

We visited the Burg Hochosterwitz (also TWHS) and the Dom of Gurk by taking a little detour between Graz and the Hohe Tauern park. Gurk is a small town with a huge church that held the episcopal seat of Carinthia until the late 18th century. In the long list of all sorts of churches that are on the WHS list, this one might not blow away everybody at first sight, like some do. But it does have some nice historic features and art work. However, I doubt that this, combined with being the largest Romanesque building in Austria, is enough to become a WHS. It has been on the tentative list for 30 years now and I wouldn’t know what would have to change to get it listed.

Lower German Limes

1.50 Tony H. Finland - 09-Dec-24

I visited in April 2024 the DOMunder experience in Utrecht. Like previous reviewer has explained, you get to go under the Domplein square to explore with flashlights the ruins of the Dom Church's nave that was destroyed by a tornado(!) in 1647. However, besides the church ruins you can see also other ruins from different time periods, one of them being the Roman period. There is a very tiny part of the Roman wall on show as the Roman ruins are not the main focus of the DOMunder. 

The DOMunder tour started with a presentation in the basement of Utrecht Music School where the guide goes through also the Roman history of the Domplein

Western Ghats

3.00 Els Slots The Netherlands - 07-Dec-24

I had a painful ‘near miss’ of the Western Ghats WHS in 2011 when I visited Ooty, saw the Nilgiri Hills and crossed the Ghats by bus from East to West; but I did not enter the core zone anywhere. While preparing for my 2024 India trip, it didn’t fit in either. These 39 parks and reserves are all so isolated. But at the end of my journey, while on the bus from Bangalore to Mysore for almost 4 hours, I tried Googling again to find an accessible location. I 'discovered' Mandalpatti Viewpoint inside the Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary, reading stories about locals running ‘jeep safaris’ there (more offroading than safari). 

Villages with Fortified Churches

5.00 Andrew_Kerr UK - 12-Dec-24

Villages with Fortified Churches in Transylvania, to give it it's full title. And, to be specific we are talking about 7 villages that make up the UNESCO WHS listing. They are:

Biertan, Prejmer-Tartlau, Viscri, Dârjiu, Saschiz-Keisd, Câlnic and Valea Viilor.

Whilst on a mini road trip of central Romania a few years back, I was lucky enough to visit 3 of the above villages. Anyone planning on visiting them all should be aware, you need at least 3 days and a car with a Sat-Nav (although when I did it I used old school maps). Some of the villages are really tucked away and off the beaten track and although they may look easily accessible on a map, the roads are often narrow, sometimes not tarmacked and while, not mountainous, certainly hilly.

Dacian Limes

2.50 Jakob Frenzel Germany - 09-Dec-24

August 2024 - Another Limes WHS! Good that it got inscribed before our trip, so we knew what to look for. At the end, we ended up just activly visiting 2 components. Alba Iulia and Jidova.

Alba Iulia is amazing though. We spent two hours here, and admired the old roman remains. Jidova (picture) was rather a spontaneous stop. The remains there are also by far more interesting than all these Limes components in Germany.

I am curious how many more WHS will evolve from the Roman Empire era.

Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple

3.50 Els Slots The Netherlands - 06-Dec-24

The Ramappa Temple didn’t show up wrongly in the recent Most Remote Cultural WHS inventory. Over 4.5 hours were needed by car from my hotel in Hyderabad. Staying northeast of the city center may shave off half an hour, but will leave you far from the airport for onward connections. 

The drive is not only long, it’s boring as well and the road is only a good 4-lane highway for about half of the 260km distance. Only in the last hour, there are a few roadside ‘attractions’: the large boulders of the Deccan Plateau, some churches (both Catholic and Baptist groups have been successful in converting the local tribal population), cotton and tobacco farms, and finally a forest reserve.

The old villages of Hollókõ and Rimetea (T)

Jakob Frenzel Germany - 09-Dec-24

August 2024 - on our detour to Rosia Montana, we made another smaller detour to Rimetea. It is actually an Hungarian village. The inhabitants speak hungarian. And already in the morning there were tour busses visiting from Hungary.

As we did not plan to visit Hollökö, which we did due to changes in the itinerary, Rimetea was supposed to be an alternative. Landscape wise it is more spectacular, but Höllökö has wooden houses, this one typical Hungarian Stone houses, as you also find them in north Slovakia.

Summer Palace

4.00 Tony H. Finland - 08-Dec-24

I visited the Summer Palace in June 2024. The palace is located at the outskirts of Beijing so going there by public transport takes some time. I took the subway to Beigongmen station that makes you to access the palace grounds from the north entrance. This entrance was quite peaceful as bus tour groups seem to enter from the east entrance. I bought the ticket that allows access to all the different sites in the palace grounds but you can also opt for cheaper ticket that allows you to stroll just the gardens, which are still a lot to see.

The Qutb Shahi Monuments of Hyderabad (T)

Els Slots The Netherlands - 04-Dec-24

The TWHS Monuments and Forts of the Deccan Sultanate (2014) and The Qutb Shahi Monuments of Hyderabad (2010) both include the Qutb Shahi Tombs in Hyderabad. They have already been on the verge of nomination: examination by ICOMOS of the dossier was postponed in 2014 when India nominated 2 sites that year (they preferred pursuing Rani-ki Vav). 

I did a quick afternoon visit to Golconda Fort and the Tombs while staying in Hyderabad the night before going to the Ramappa Temple WHS

Sangha Trinational

5.00 Randi Thomsen Norway - 04-Dec-24

After a long day on the Sangha River from Oesso, we arrived at Dzanga-Sangha National Park we arrived at eight o’clock, the last leg in darkness. The speedboat journey through untouched nature, passing isolated villages and local fishermen, was serene and surreal - we encountered only one motorized boat the entire day.

Our stay was at Doli Lodge, managed by WWF and beautifully situated on the Sangha River. The lodge exceeded expectations and offered more comfort than its counterpart in Odzala-Congo. Though the original plan was for four nights, it was shortened to three due to the temporary suspension of gorilla trekking. The unfortunate loss of the last silverback means the groups need time to stabilize. However, the park has much more to offer.

Nalanda

3.00 Els Slots The Netherlands - 03-Dec-24

I enjoyed Nalanda, probably because my expectations were low. We arrived just after 9 a.m. from Patna (2h by car on a good road, once you’ve managed your way out of the congested city center). I would suggest arriving this early as the site attracts larger numbers of daily visitors than you can imagine for an archaeological site in rural Bihar. It seems to be included in many of the group tours of the pilgrims visiting the Mahabodhi Temple, so there will be plenty of Asian groups around. Also, it’s a nicely landscaped park that attracts the locals from the nearby large city of Bihar Sharif. 

The historic urban site of Počitelj (T)

Andrew_Kerr UK - 02-Dec-24

After visiting Mostar on my way back to Croatia I stopped to see Počitelj. I enjoyed the site but following Mostar it was a bit like having a digestive biscuit after a slice of chocolate cake.
It's quite small but enjoyable nonetheless, it's not a site I would head to if I wasn't already in the vicinity though, there's just not enough to make that worthwhile.
There's just a couple of shops catering for the tourist trade and you can wander around the narrow cobbled streets and take in the Turkish style architecture.
Just based on the site's size alone, I would be surprised if it made it to the full WHS list.

Manas Wildlife Sanctuary

3.00 Els Slots The Netherlands - 30-Nov-24

Manas is a fine excuse to make the detour to northwestern Assam. According to these stats, only a couple of hundred foreign tourists make it to the park in a good year. I went there by car+driver from Kaziranga (6.5 hours) and stayed for 2 nights in a homestay amidst the tea fields close to the Bansbari park entrance. All was calm, friendly and very low-key. It reminded me of rural Thailand, the area where I stayed to visit Huai Kha Khaeng. 

The scenery is dominated by the massive “wall” of the Himalayas which lie north of the flat lands of Manas. Another characteristic is the presence of a lot of dense forest

Gulf of California

4.50 Kyle Magnuson California - United States of America - 04-Dec-24

On my 3rd road trip to Sonora, Mexico from Los Angeles I decided to reserve a boat tour to Isla San Jorge, part of the 'Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California' world heritage site. During previous visits I had primarily focused on El Pinacate and Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve. Typically each trip was 4 days and we always entered and departed Mexico from the Lukeville Port of Entry in Arizona. On the way to the border, you will drive through Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, the location being quiet far from population centers, you can expect a relatively quick border crossing. November through March are all excellent times to visit, I would avoid the Summer.

Aggtelek and Slovak Karst

3.50 Jakob Frenzel Germany - 26-Nov-24

August 2024 - After visiting family near Cracow, we drove through Slovakia next day without omitting Kezmarok, Levoca, Spissky Hrad and Slovensky Raj. 
We arrived at the campground at Baradla in the evening and had a clear sky to see probably all stars of the northern hemisphere. 
Next morning, my birthday, we signed up for a tour to Baradla Cave. Really fascinting stalagnites and a nice 1,5h tour which our kids enjoyed as well. It is probably one of the easy accessable, yet fulfilling experiences. 
From there we continued to Tokay.

Moidams

2.00 Els Slots The Netherlands - 25-Nov-24

The Moidams in Chairadeo, in the way they are presented at the moment, are a meagre testimony to the culture of Assam’s Ahom Dynasty. These rulers, originally coming from what is now Yunnan in China, left this region with monumental brick buildings of which many still stand. But “we” got a series of unexcavated tumuli that wouldn’t be out of place in Korea or Bahrain. Most of them are fairly small. On-site information is almost nonexistent: maybe 4 information panels with about 2 sentences written on each, and the tumuli are signposted as Maidam 32, Maidam 33, etc only. According to the AB evaluation, there should be elements of ancestor worship, sacred use of the surrounding landscape and small shrines on the top of the mounds

Auschwitz Birkenau

Andrew_Kerr UK - 24-Nov-24

When I went to Krakow for the first time I deliberately chose not to go to Auschwitz, I know what happened there and it's truly horrific, I didn't feel that I needed to witness the place where those horrific events took place at first hand. That was 12 years ago and I returned to Krakow in 2024 with my wife who was keen to visit and pay her respects, so this time I went.

If I had to sum up my experience in one word I found the site to be depressing

Santiniketan

1.50 Els Slots The Netherlands - 23-Nov-24

Just a short update on Santiniketan from me, as the previous two reviewers already have covered it well. The site fails so many of the WHS Commandments at the moment that a visit is a poor investment of time and money. On paper, I can see there is “something” worth acknowledging but in reality, I don’t know what message they are trying to convey to the world. Or whether they care about outside visitors at all. The place is run by a kind of ‘Education Trust’, which already worried ICOMOS, as it plays by its own rules. 

Trogir

4.50 Elis Wales - 24-Nov-24

After spending most of the day exploring Split and Šibenik, I ended my coastal day trip in Trogir, and I'm so glad I did. While the other sites were impressive, Trogir turned out to be the highlight of my day. A couple of hours is really all you need here to soak in the atmosphere and explore the compact historic centre.

Like many coastal towns I visited in this region of Croatia, Trogir feels distinctly Italian in character, which isn't surprising given the Venetian influence

Wooden Churches of Maramures

4.00 Jakob Frenzel Germany - 28-Nov-24

August 2024 - after spending the night on a wonderful campground in Săcălășeni (Camping Noroc), which also has a nice wooden church, we drove to Sudesti and Plopis next morning. It is very convenient to visit as these two churches are close together and represent two different religions. The first is greek catholic the second is romanian orthodox, thus the paintings and interior is also varying quiet a bit. In both churches a lady with Keys had to arrive prior to our visit. She asked for a small tip and explained a bit about the architecture and history. As it was our first romanian WHS, we were very enthusiatic about the visit and scrutinized every detail of the interior and exterior. The unique thing about these churches are the high wooden bell towers

Mahabodhi Temple Complex

3.00 Els Slots The Netherlands - 03-Dec-24

The Mahabodhi Temple Complex in Bodh Gaya is easily reached nowadays in about 2 hours from Patna via a 4-lane highway that bypasses the city of Gaya. The town of Bodh Gaya is essentially a slum, with desperately poor living conditions and full of people whose main goal in life is to get the most out of the Buddhist pilgrims. India shows itself here at its worst: noisy rickshaws, begging children, severely deformed people hoping for compassion, con artists of all kinds, and dirty children made to perform circus acts by their mothers. They all ply the main street leading up to the temple.

Studenica Monastery

3.50 Andrew_Kerr UK - 17-Nov-24

Studenica Monastery is one of the WHS that means much more to the people of the nation where it resides than it does to outsiders. I went there with my Serbian friends while staying with them and it's a bit of trek to get to being somewhat buried in the Dinaric Alps.The reason that the Serbian people revere this monastery is because it was founded by Stefan Nemanja, the founder of the medieval Serbian nation. It's an important site for Serbian people and that is very apparent when you're there.The actual monastery comprises of the original Byzantine church and it's later extension plus some monastic buildings

Ekamra Kshetra (T)

Els Slots The Netherlands - 21-Nov-24

Ekamra Kshetra is easily overlooked because of its name which doesn’t give a clue to outsiders about what it represents. Translated from the Sanskrit it means “place with mango trees” and it comprises the temple city quarter of Bhubaneswar. The site has numerous temples and ponds, all part of a geomantic Hindu city plan which is shaped like a mandala. The well-written Tentative Site description lists being "a complete Hindu city" and "a living site" as its Unique Selling Points. It compares itself to Varanasi, which is unique in its own right of course, but the people from Bhubaneswar say Ekamra Kshetra is much better managed.

Aranjuez

2.50 Alikander99 Spain - 26-Nov-24

Well, after a decade or so I've finally gone back to Aranjuez! here are my thoughts.

First off I think it's interesting noting that aranjuez was proposed fairly late among the Spanish sites and as a cultural landscape.

As many people have pointed out the actual highlight of the site are the gardens.

The palace is indeed kinda ghastly. The rooms were renovated in the 19th century when Spain, and particularly the crown, were in full crisis. The result is some interior design I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. You can actually skip it tbh. 

Seowon, Neo-Confucian Academies

3.00 Nan Germany - 13-Nov-24

If you play Civilization VI, you know what a Seowon is: the Korean variant of the blue Campus District. A Seowon generates a lot of science, is cheap to build, and can give Korea a head-start in the science race.

In the real world, Seowons were Neo-Confucian academies established during the Joseon period. They served two central purposes: as shrines for ancestor worship and as academies for young nobles preparing for the civil servant examination.

The nine Seowons that form the WHS are scattered across Korea. We visited two: Oksan (part of the Yangdong Folk Village WHS) and Pilam. Of the two, Pilam was the better site. It's larger and better preserved

Vjetrenica Cave

2.00 Zach USA - 23-Nov-24

As with many World Heritage Sites, I think the reasons for its selection and justification of its Outstanding Universal Value aren't readily apparent when visiting. The cave itself isn't that impressive compared to others I've visited (Phong Nha in Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam immediately comes to mind as more impressive), but I'm sure the biodiversity and history justify its status on the WHS list.

Reaching the cave hasn't changed since the previous reviews. You need a car to get there, it's 10 euros to take a guided tour (only way to go inside the cave), and winter hours are from 10-2

Budapest

3.00 Elis Wales - 23-Nov-24

Left me with mixed feelings. At the time of visiting, Prague was the only other big central European city I had been to, and since I enjoyed it so much I couldn't help but compare. A lot of people seemed to tell me to go to Budapest when I told them how much I liked Prague. But Budapest has much more of a disjointed aesthetic and is architecturally very different, even on the less disjointed Buda side with its Castle Quarter.

That said, it has its moments. The Széchenyi Baths (old TWHS) was genuinely a really enjoyable experience despite the crowds and not an insignificant amount of people seeming to dislike them

Roșia Montană

1.50 Jakob Frenzel Germany - 29-Nov-24

August 2024 - we made a bit of a detour to see this rather unspectular WHS, at least we combined it with TWHS Rimetea. The road from Turda to Hunedoara (Eisenmarkt) goes through wonderful landscape along the Aries river which is worth to change the itinerary for. For Goldbach you have to take a worse road. We parked our camper in the town center and were welcomed by some straying but friendly dogs. The town is in a catastrophic shape with crumbling facades but has typical Habsburg-flair just like banska stiavnica in Slovakia. We made another stop at the Roman mine, where we visited the outdoor exhibition only. We missed to hike along the pit. As the kids were too tired. 
Make sure to visit the Corvin Castle in Hunedoara, which might be on your way. It is quite sth.

Mount Hamiguitan (Extension) - Pujada Bay (T)

Boj Egypt - 21-Nov-24

The Pujada Bay Protected Area consists of a mangrove park (Guang-guang), a peninsula shaped like a "Sleeping Dinosaur," a few islands and dive sites - all within the jurisdiction of Mati City, the capital of Davao Oriental province.  Overlooking the bay is the mighty Mt. Hamiguitan (see attached photo).

In 2020, it was declared one of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World (MBBW); and what's more impressive is that this alluring landscape/seascape is located within an urbanized area, not in the usual isolated regions away from the towns and cities.

'Uruq Bani Ma'arid

4.50 Randi Thomsen Norway - 22-Nov-24

This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that I was very excited to visit, located at the edge of the legendary “Empty Quarter.” Desert landscapes have always fascinated me. However, obtaining information in advance about how best to visit the national park proved challenging. I came across a forum thread online that mentioned a permit was required beforehand.

I reached out to NCW, explaining our wish to visit and the date we had planned for the trip. The following day, I received a polite response asking me to send copies of the passports for all visitors. A day later, I received an email confirming our request for permission has been approved, and informing that they had arranged a guided tour for us! 

San Antonio Missions

2.00 Jgriffindor6 United States - 22-Nov-24

I visited this WHS on 4th of July weekend 2023 and it was an interesting time to say the least. I have been to Texas several times before as I have a friend that goes to school out there (which came very much in handy for the solar eclipse that happened earlier this year!!), but I never made it to San Antonio until last year. Everyone that I know that lives in Texas RAVES about San Antonio so I had my expectations up. Nicely restored Spanish Colonial missions are almost a dime a dozen back in California so I really had to do some convincing to get my family to go see the other missions besides the Alamo.

Trakai Historical National Park (T)

Andrew_Kerr UK - 16-Nov-24

In October 2024 I was lucky that my planned balloon flight over Vilnius was changed at the last minute for a flight over Lake Trakai and the castle. I say lucky because you can get pretty good views over Vilnius from the many hills that surround it and being a bit further up wouldn't have made a huge difference.
The flight over Lake Trakai though, was spectacular, a truly memorable experience and the opportunity to see this region from the air.
The star of the flight was Trakai Castle and thanks to the skill of our Aeronaut we flew directly overhead for an amazing perspective.
It's a shame that the park won't make the full UNESCO list because it's absolutely stunning.

Baekje Historic Areas

2.50 Nan Germany - 13-Nov-24

Being only able to visit one cluster of sites, we focused on Iksan and Wanggung-ri, following Philipp's recommendation. Both mark the final bout of the Baekje Kingdom around 600-700 CE, before it was swallowed up by the neighboring Silla Kingdom. Baekje had been on a downward spiral for a while. Their last semi-great, i.e., ambitiuous, king, Mu, tried to revitalize the kingdom by planning a new capital around Mireuksa and strengthening the state. However, he ultimately failed, and his successor was the last king of an independent Baekje.

Kaziranga National Park

4.00 Els Slots The Netherlands - 27-Nov-24

Kaziranga is the site I looked forward to the most on this India trip, and it certainly did not disappoint. I splurged on staying for 2 nights in the upmarket Diphlu River Lodge (335 EUR p/n all-in). They offer safari packages similar to the lodges in African national parks, including all meals and activities. Its location turned out to be a bit noisy (it lies close to the main road Jorhat-Guwahati) and the somewhat stiffish service didn’t quite reach the African Safari Lodge level, where understated elegance and convivial atmosphere often appear effortless. On the plus side: I had my private car and guide who took me on generously long (4-5 hour) game drives and steered away from the crowds. The food and the room were excellent as well.

Sun Temple, Konarak

4.00 Els Slots The Netherlands - 19-Nov-24

The road from Bhubaneshwar, the capital of Odisha, to Konark takes you through a pleasant scenery of palm trees, rice fields and small villages with colourful temples. India’s infrastructure improvements haven’t reached this part of the country yet – that’s why it takes 1.5 hours to cover the 67km by car. I had opted for an “Uber Intercity” today, a scheduled ride to and from the Temple with an hour’s waiting time. 

As I had seen Modhera’s Sun Temple two days before, I was expecting something similar. But this one is much more grand

Hortobágy

3.00 Jakob Frenzel Germany - 26-Nov-24

August 2024 - On my Birthday we started with a tour in Baradla Cave, drove to Tokay and finalkoordinaten reached Hortobagy on late evening. Although most of the WHS is just Puszta, Hortobagy offers a few extras.
 Just Next to the Nine Hole Bridge there is a wonderful restaurant (Hortobágyi Csárda) with local traditional meat dishes. It was a perfect spot to quit the day. For the Sunset its best to walk the bikepath south of the Nine hole bridge. 
in Hortobagy we could stay overnight with our Camper even with free WLAN.

North Sinai archaeological Sites Zone (T)

Boj Egypt - 21-Nov-24

This tentative property's selling point is still unclear and will not likely be pursued as an active nomination in the coming years.

However, I wanted to share this travel log to preserve fragments of memory during our weeklong mission between El-Arish and Rafah, at the border between Sinai, Egypt and the Gaza Strip, in November 2023. The photo shows El-Arish Castle ruins, in a condition that would later still be improved. 

In the six years I lived in Egypt, I never imagined I would be able to visit any one of the North Sinai archaeological sites. The whole North Sinai Governorate is labeled a "no-go zone" due to security concerns. But strange circumstances last year allowed me and my team to be given special permit to stay in El-Arish City. 

Tokaji Wine Region

2.00 Jakob Frenzel Germany - 26-Nov-24

August 2024 - another wine-themed cultural landscape. I haven‘t had Tokay wine before coming here. Unfortunately we had not informed ourselves what to experience, so drove by the most interesting vinyards. In Tokay itself there is not much to see, but of course we tried some Furmint and Muscat at a local cellar (Benko) before continuing to Puszta.

Ombilin Coal Mining Heritage of Sawahlunto

3.50 Frederik Dawson Netherlands - 18-Nov-24

From the vibrant city of Padang, it was a half day drive tour on one of the most dangerous roads in Indonesia to the town of Sawahlunto. Along the way, I saw old colonial cement plants, sampled many fusions of Indonesian and Dutch dishes in a local restaurant which is opened for almost a century, drank tea from a former Dutch tea plantation. Dutch industrial heritages on exploiting natural resources from Sumatra are everywhere. When I reached Sawahlunto, area of Ombilin Company Town to be precise, it was already dark, so I directly went to stay and sleep at the heritage Ombilin Hotel, the only hotel during colonial for government officers and important company guests.

Ahmadabad

1.50 Els Slots The Netherlands - 16-Nov-24

I feel the need to push the opinion about this WHS back to “dirty, dusty and dilapidated”. Oh, and noisy too! Except for a variety of religious buildings (which were included to show the city’s multiculturality on a neighbourhood level, not because they are that scenic or significant otherwise), the OUV is all about the residential quarters (pole) and the domestic wooden architecture within these. 

Once you have left the hustle and bustle near Bhadra Fort and the Darwhaza Gate behind, the street scenery does indeed start to change from tacky shops and frantic horning rickshaws into normal living communities

Gochang, Hwasun, and Ganghwa Dolmen

2.50 Nan Germany - 13-Nov-24

A decade ago, on my last day in Seoul before flying home, I ventured to Ganghwa to tick the Dolmens. I waited near a metro station in Seoul, trying to find the correct bus in heavy traffic. I think I missed one but eventually got on the right bus. The ride was long, and being offline, I missed my stop. Several Koreans on the bus gestured for me to get off, and I managed to exit one station late, so I only had to walk a little.

The bus ride was the most memorable part of the visit. There was one iconic dolmen, but for those who have seen Carnac, it was underwhelming. The newly built museum was also closed, likely because it was a Monday. After two loops around the grounds, I waited for my bus back to Seoul.

Historical-town planning ensemble of Ston (T)

Andrew_Kerr UK - 12-Nov-24

I came across Ston by accident really. I was holidaying in the area and searched the WHS list and tentative list for any interesting sites nearby and so I "discovered" Ston. What is remarkable is that I have reached retirement age and never heard of the place before I did that search, I say remarkable, because the walls that surround Ston for 7 kms, are the second longest fortified walls in the world, after the Great Wall of China. The Croatians need to have a quiet word with their tourism marketing people.The town itself is quite small but has some nice streets, a castle and an interesting church but the draw is definitely those 7 kms of walls that surround the town and were built to protect it's major asset, salt

Baalbek

4.00 Triath - 08-Nov-24

Visited in May 2023.

The WHO is located in the territory controlled by Hezbollah, so you need to be careful when planning your trip, there may be bombings in the surrounding area.I got here by bus from Beirut, not without adventures, I had to pay extra and change to another bus, but you can do without a taxi.Mysterious in its monumentality, the temple complex was built on the easternmost edge of the Roman Empire. A grandiose sacred complex was built here in the first century AD, which is considered to be one of the largest in the ancient world. The temple-sanctuary of Jupiter on a massive stylobate, the temple of Bacchus, the temple of Venus, there was also a temple of Mercury on the neighboring hill, but it did not survive

Drottningholm

3.50 Lauren Gurnee United States - 14-Nov-24

Drottningholm Palace is an accessible UNESCO site to visit, about an hour by public transport. If you make your way out, I would spend a good half day exploring the palace and grounds as they are quite extensive. When I visited in July of 2024, I booked a tour of the interior of the palace. Having explored many castles in London and Scotland, it wasn't the most impressive interior to a royal building that I've seen, but the history of Sweden is rich, and you get to experience that through the architecture, art, and stories that you hear. My one complaint was that the site to book tours on is difficult to navigate and did cause us some issues. However, we had a lovely tour guide who made the experience quite enjoyable. 

Rachid Karami International Fair-Tripoli

3.50 Triath - 08-Nov-24

Visited in May 2023.In this case, I was lucky, because the architectural project of Oskar Niemeyer received the status of world heritage in January 2023, at an extraordinary session, in a number of objects under threat, together with Odessa. The 1950s were a time of rapid development of Lebanon, which gained independence during WWII. One of the symbols of the country's economic success was planned to be a permanent International Fair Center in Tripoli, then a confident northern competitor of Beirut. The Brazilian Oscar Niemeyer, who was at the peak of fame after the creation of the new capital of his homeland, was invited for the design

Stone Buddhas and Pagodas at Hwasun Unjusa Temple (T)

Nan Germany - 01-Nov-24

Every once in a while, a little-known, off-the-beaten-path site manages to outshine the already inscribed sites of a country. It's rare; most of the newly inscribed sites are below average (Els had a blog post on this). But Unjusa is just that: a hidden gem.

We arrived from Gwangju and spent two hours exploring Unjusa. The site consists of a temple complex, pagodas lined against the valley and along the hillsides, tombstones of deceased monks, and several rock-hewn Buddhas. It also features a representation of the Big Dipper, supposedly one of the earliest. An explanation given by wikipedia for all the stone masonry is that this was a school of ... stone masons. 

Beemster Polder

2.00 Tony H. Finland - 11-Nov-24

I visited the Beemster polder in April 2024 and April might be the best month to do it as you get to see the stereotypical tulip fields in full bloom and I was also lucky with sunny and warm weather. I think the polder has bit too negative reviews here! Yes, it looks just like anywhere else in the Netherlands but at least I enjoy that landscape. Also, for me the farm houses in the polder looked older than usually so it did have a bit more historical feel to it (or I just imagined it so that the polder would feel more special).