My 12 Most Wanted UNESCO World Heritage Sites

One of my favorite things to do while traveling is to visit and photograph UNESCO World Heritage Sites. I usually plan my trips around visiting these cultural and natural attractions, often times going out of my way to add more to the list of the sites I’ve visited.

In the spirit of the inaugural class of the first 12 World Heritage Sites listed in 1978, I’ve compiled a list of my own dozen UNESCO World Heritage Sites that I would most like to visit. The majority of the sites on this “most wanted” list will remain in place until visited, but as I travel more and discover new sites through research and word of mouth, some substitutions may occur. The following World Heritage Sites are listed in no particular order.

Table of Contents

Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha

State Party: 🇳🇵 Nepal

Date of Inscription: 1997

Criteria: Cultural

Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Nepal, inscribed under cultural criteria in 1997. There is conflicting information as to when exactly the Lord Buddha was born, but most agree that it was between the 6th and 7th centuries BC. The spot of the birth is marked by the sandstone Pillar of Ashoka. The site also includes several temples of varying age and importance.

I don’t consider myself to be a religious person. I do, however, have an affinity for visiting religious sites (especially if it’s a World Heritage Site.) I’ve been to Bethlehem to see the Church of the Nativity, where Jesus Christ was born. I’ve also visited the various religious and historical sites in the Old City of Jerusalem. To see the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama (more famously known as the Buddha), I think, would be a truly unique experience.

Tiwanaku: Spiritual and Political Centre of the Tiwanaku Culture

State Party: 🇧🇴 Bolivia

Date of Inscription: 2000

Criteria: Cultural

Located in western Bolivia, Tiwanaku is one of the largest archaeological sites in all of South America. Current evidence shows that the site was probably founded during the second century AD, although this estimation has changed several times over the years. Designated a cultural UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000, the site of Tiwanaku contains a series of stone monuments and various other architectural structures.

I am deeply interested in history, so visiting archaeological sites always seems to work its way into my travel itineraries. Some of the monuments found at Tiwanaku bear resemblance to the moai I saw on Easter Island, so throw in the former capital of a pre-Hispanic empire and I believe I could easily spend multiple days exploring this mysterious place.

Ilulissat Icefjord

State Party: 🇬🇱 Greenland (🇩🇰 Denmark)

Date of Inscription: 2004

Criteria: Natural

The first UNESCO World Heritage Site on this list to be inscribed under natural criteria is the Ilulissat Icefjord. Although technically located in western Greenland (250 km north of the Arctic Circle), it was inscribed in 2004 as one of the World Heritage Sites of Denmark, due to Greenland being part of the Kingdom of Denmark. The Ilulissat Icefjord is home to the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier, which calves more ice than any other glacier that isn’t located in Antarctica. This number is somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 billion tonnes of ice every year.

Of the World Heritage Sites on this list, Ilulissat Icefjord is one of the more difficult ones to get to. Flights to Greenland currently only operate out of Iceland and Denmark, and are expensive at that. Several cruise ships make their way through the Ilulissat Icefjord, with this option being even more expensive. The Sermeq Kujalleq glacier, which creates the icebergs, is also shrinking at an alarming rate due to global warming. If I intend to check this World Heritage Site off my list, I should probably do it sooner than later.

Tikal National Park

State Party: 🇬🇹 Guatemala

Date of Inscription: 1979

Criteria: Mixed

Deep in the heart of the Guatemalan rainforest lays Tikal National Park, one of the largest and most important of the ancient Mayan cities. Placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979, Tikal is one of the first three sites to be inscribed under mixed criteria, portraying both outstanding cultural and natural value.

Tikal National Park houses some of the most impressive ancient temples and ruins in not only the Americas, but in the world. To top it all off, the jungles surrounding this remote site are teeming with wildlife. Although rare, jaguars are known to prowl these jungles and have been spotted by tourists.

Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes

State Party: 🇰🇷 South Korea

Date of Inscription: 2007

Criteria: Natural

Sitting 130 km to the south off the coast of the Korean Peninsula is the volcanic island of Jeju. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007 under natural criteria, Jeju Island is home to the tallest mountain in South Korea — which is also a dormant volcano. Even more impressive is the system of lava tubes that are spread throughout (and underneath) the island. These empty caves were created centuries ago by flowing magma and are considered to be the finest in the world.

I’ve always been drawn to unique and mysterious islands. They are probably my favorite geographical feature on Earth. My first solo-trip I ever took was to Easter Island (another UNESCO World Heritage Site). The people of South Korea seem to have an amazing society, but I’ve heard that Jeju Island is drastically different from the mainland. The mixture of culture and rare geological features found on Jeju would make for an absolutely fascinating trip.

Lake Baikal

State Party: 🇷🇺 Russia

Date of Inscription: 1996

Criteria: Natural

Located in southeastern Siberia near the border with Mongolia, is Lake Baikal, the oldest, largest, and deepest freshwater lake in the world. Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1996, Lake Baikal contains over 20% of the world’s fresh surface water. The lake is home to more than 2,500 different species of animals, more than 80% of which are found nowhere else on Earth.

For a country as geographically massive as Russia, and with so much human and cultural history, it may come as a surprise to some that this is the one place in Russia I would most like to visit. However, I find the biological uniqueness and the immensity of Lake Baikal to be very intriguing (and also a little intimidating). I have also always had a deep fascination with Siberia. It would probably take weeks, if not months, to properly explore the lake and the surrounding region.

Nahanni National Park Reserve

State Party: 🇨🇦 Canada

Date of Inscription: 1978

Criteria: Natural

Part of the inaugural class of 1978, Nahanni National Park Reserve in Canada’s Northwest Territory was one of the first 12 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. I have also read from multiple sources that Nahanni was the first site to be voted on in 1978, which would make it the very first UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nahanni National Park Reserve, named after the South Nahanni River, is home to a series of deep canyons and enormous waterfalls, the most famous of which is Virginia Falls. At 295 feet high, Virginia Falls is twice the height of Niagara Falls in Ontario, and is the centerpiece of this magnificent national park.

I love hiking in the wilderness, and Nahanni National Park certainly seems to fit the bill. This World Heritage Site is extremely remote and will be one of the harder sites on this list to visit. There are no roads leading to the park, and save for hiking into the park from dozens of miles away, the only way in is by an expensive float plane. Nahanni National Park receives less than 1,000 visitors per year, which helps to preserve its pristine landscape. The lack of both tourists and public knowledge about the park make it even more appealing.

Yakushima

State Party: 🇯🇵 Japan

Date of Inscription: 1993

Criteria: Natural

Located in the southern portion of the archipelago that forms the nation of Japan, is the island of Yakushima. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, Yakushima was home to a temperate ancient forest. Today, the island contains dozens of endemic species of flowers and trees, as well as significant deer and monkey populations.

Few foreign tourists visit Yakushima, due to its remoteness and rugged landscape. Hiking in solitude amongst the ancient cedar trees would be a truly refreshing and enlightening experience. The island of Yakushima was the also the inspiration for Hayao Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke, whose work I happen to be a huge fan of.

Namib Sand Sea

State Party: 🇳🇦 Namibia

Date of Inscription: 2013

Criteria: Natural

The Namib Sand Sea, a massive coastal fog desert, is located in southern Africa and is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Namibia. The Namib Desert is home to thousands of enormous sand dunes, which are the largest in the world. These dune fields are the only ones of their kind which are influenced by fog. In addition to claiming the largest sand dunes, the Namib Desert is thought to be the oldest desert on Earth.

If you’ve seen photos of the Namib Desert, you know how impressive and expansive it is. The giant sand dunes, some hundreds of feet tall, go on for miles, terminating abruptly at the Atlantic Ocean. Dozens upon dozens of shipwrecks line the coast, many of which have been pulled far onto shore by the sand. I’ve yet to see or hear about any place quite like the Namib Sand Sea.

Göbekli Tepe

State Party: 🇹🇷 Turkey

Date of Inscription: 2018

Criteria: Cultural

What is thought to be the oldest temple or sanctuary ever constructed by humans, Göbekli Tepe (Turkish for “Potbelly Hill”) is the most recent addition on this list, gaining UNESCO World Heritage status in 2018. Göbekli Tepe is believed to have been built by hunter-gatherers some 11,500 years ago in the desert of what is today southeastern Turkey. The site is a series of circular enclosures, built in layers, containing massive T-shaped monoliths with depictions of dozens of animals, many of which are not even native to the region. The majority of this World Heritage Site is still buried under thousands of years worth of rock and dirt, with excavations still continuing. As with many ancient sites around the world, Göbekli Tepe’s true purpose is still a huge mystery.

In my opinion, this is the archeological site. However, amongst the Giza Pyramids, Tikals and Machu Picchus of the world, Göbekli Tepe is still relatively unknown. I hope it stays this way, as over-tourism has negatively impacted similar sights. The lack of concrete knowledge as to why Göbekli Tepe was built and what it was used for are what intrigue me the most.

Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park

State Party: 🇦🇺 Australia

Date of Inscription: 1987

Criteria: Mixed

Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park is located in the Northern Territory of Australia. The park includes both the monolith Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (the Olgas), which are giant domed rock formations. The geological features of this park form the natural portion of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. The cultural portion comes from the Anangu Aboriginal people, who own the land and believe Uluru and Kata Tjuta to be sacred. The Anangu and their ancestors form one of the oldest human societies in the world.

This World Heritage Site may be my most wanted of all. Uluru is one of those special places that I have dreamed of visiting since I was a little kid — before I even knew what traveling really was. That massive red rock planted in the middle of nowhere in the desolate Australian Outback has burned an image into my mind’s eye like no other destination. Whenever I hear one of my favorite songs, “Down Under”, this is the place I immediately think of. Sharing my name with Ayers Rock certainly helps as well.

Socotra Archipelago

State Party: 🇾🇪 Yemen

Date of Inscription: 2008

Criteria: Natural

Often referred to as “the most alien-looking place on Earth”, Socotra truly is otherworldly. Set in the middle of the Arabian Sea, Socotra (which is also the name of the largest of the four islands) is extremely isolated, which has helped to create its long list of endemic species. Designated as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Yemen, a third of Socotra’s plant life is found nowhere else in the world. The most famous of which is the rare, umbrella-shaped dragon’s blood tree. This tree, which almost looks as if it was grown upside down, earned its name from the red sap it houses.

Socotra will most likely be the most difficult UNESCO World Heritage Site on this list to visit. Aside from being the most remote place on this list, Yemen is in the midst of a civil war and one of the worst humanitarian crises people in the Western world have probably never heard of. However, Socotra Island has remained relatively untouched by the conflict up until this point. Very few people have the opportunity to visit this extremely unique island, and I hope to add my name to that list.