Visiting the World’s Most Valuable Places: UNESCO World Heritage Sites

March 24, 2022November 29, 2020 by joelbaldwin

Lascaux, France UNESCO World Heritage Site, Photo by Tripscholars

Your Guide to Visiting the

World's Most Valuable Places:

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Lascaux UNESCO World Heritage Site, France Photo by Tripscholars

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Many people are familiar with UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The official World Heritage List was established in the 1970s by UNESCO, as a way of highlighting and protecting the world’s most important and valuable places. Many of the world’s most famous landmarks, like the Pyramids at Giza, Machu Picchu, Mt Everest, and the Eiffel Tower are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. But what exactly makes a World Heritage Site? Why are they important? What’s the best way to prepare for visiting a Site? And how can it change your life?

What is a World Heritage Site?

Put simply, a World Heritage Site is somewhere that’s considered to have Outstanding Universal Value for humanity by the United Nations Education Science and Culture Organisation (UNESCO). Although the definition of Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) is intentionally a little vague, there’s a list of 10 criteria which sites are judged against. These criteria include “human creative genius”, “traditional human settlement”, or “exceptional natural beauty”.

World Heritage Sites can be cultural or natural (or both!), and they can cover either a single location or a collection of locations. Some sites have separate locations in multiple countries, and a couple of sites are even in multiple continents! As of late 2020, there’s 1,121 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and each year another 20-30 sites are added.

How do I learn more about individual World Heritage Sites?

As so many World Heritage Sites are famous and well known, there’s a lot of excellent resources available for learning more about them. Some of the highlights include the following:

1. The Official UNESCO Website

The official website of the World Heritage Committee is a great starting point to learn about World Heritage Sites. Their World Heritage List page has many handy links, including to World Heritage Sites in each country, a map view showing the location of each site, newly added sites, and sites listed as In Danger.

Each individual World Heritage Site has its own separate page, with multilingual information about the site. There’s a brief overview of the site itself; while further down the page you’ll find additional information about the site, its Integrity (e.g. how intact the site is), its authenticity (how much the site has been affected by restoration and modification), along with protection and management requirements.

There’s also some photos, any World Heritage-relevant news about the site, and some links to further reading. Each site page also has links to official maps of the site, outlining exactly what is and isn’t included within the boundary, plus any official UNESCO documentation relating to the site.

2. WorldHeritageSite.org

WorldHeritageSite.org is the internet’s largest community of World Heritage Site enthusiasts— yes, such a thing does exist! Established in 1997 by an intrepid Dutch traveller named Els Slots, WorldHeritageSite has over 1,500 members who between them have visited 1,098 of the 1,121 World Heritage Sites. The site has full information for every World Heritage Site, along with “Tentative” World Heritage Sites (which are sites that might get added to the list in future), but the real power of the site is its community.

Members are encouraged to write reviews of their experience when visiting World Heritage Sites, and the result is an incredibly rich collection of insider tips and useful knowledge. This can be contextual background information that isn’t readily apparent from UNESCO’s official documents, general travel tips, hyper-specific detail about the best parking locations, or interesting aspects of the site to look out for.

There’s also a large and active discussion forum where members share their experiences and plans for visiting sites, along with discussing UNESCO’s activities.

3. A Site's Official Website

As commonly-visited locations, many World Heritage Sites maintain their own official websites with useful information. Official sites are usually the best place to find up-to-date information, particularly practical information about access points, opening times, ticket prices, unexpected closures, and the like. The official site will often also have quite a well-researched deep dive into the history of a particular location, and what makes it so important, in a way that UNESCO’s blurb doesn’t quite capture.

It’s important to note, however, that official sites can vary enormously! Some World Heritage sites have fantastic websites, while others have no official online presence at all. It’s highly variable, and often comes down to how much budget (and web savvy) the site’s owners have.

4. World Heritage Journey

World Heritage Journey is a project by a pair of Australian travel bloggers, as they attempt to visit and document all 1,121 World Heritage Sites. Currently standing at 505 sites, World Heritage Journey has posted a short documentary video (usually around 4-6 minutes) on YouTube about each site they’ve visited. So far they’ve visited most of the sites in Western Europe; about half the sites in China, India, the United States, and Australia; most sites in South-East Asia, Korea, and Japan; and a scattering of sites in Africa and elsewhere.

Although reading text and seeing photos is great, watching information-focused videos gives you an excellent idea of what visiting a particular site is like, and you can really see the important aspects for yourself.

Why visit UNESCO Sites?

Since I started on the World Heritage Journey in early 2017, I’ve learned more than I could ever imagine. Growing up in Australia, your education is often very Australian- and Euro-centric, so learning about the rich history and culture of other countries and ethnic groups has been fantastic. One big strength of the World Heritage List is that sites are nominated by national governments: it’s what the locals see as important to their own heritage.

I’ve learned about things I never imagined: Chinese dynasties, pre-Columbian North Americans, the ingenuity of early industrialists, the precariousness of the natural environment, the interconnectedness of everything on a grand scale. It’s also helped me understand the world’s religions: Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and many others. It’s been a fascinating learning curve, and I’m excited for it to continue.

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This guest post was contributed by Joel Baldwin of World Heritage Journey

We love to learn from our guest writers and appreciate their expertise! Visit his website by clicking on his image or name below.

joelbaldwin

I’m Joel, a digital nomad and native of Sydney, Australia. In 2016 I quit the corporate life and began travelling the world, with a specific focus on visiting UNESCO World Heritage Sites. As of late 2020, I’ve visited 505 of the 1121 sites! I produce a short documentary about each site, which you can see at www.youtube.com/WorldHeritageJourney. I’m also a freelance writer and video producer. My passions are history, travel, football (soccer), craft beer, and my miniature dachshund, Schnitzel.

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Preparing for a Trip To China

March 24, 2022November 29, 2020 by joelbaldwin

Preparing for Your Trip To China

China is one of the world’s most fascinating countries. As the world’s third-largest and most populous country, China has risen from near poverty in the 1950s to become a genuine global superpower. Featuring several thousand years of history, a rich cultural heritage, and jaw-dropping natural wonders, China is one of the world’s most rewarding and exciting places to visit. But how to make sense of it all? Where do you even start with such a massive and imposing place. Read on, for the best resources to explore when preparing a trip to China.

Follow the Story of China

Recorded Chinese history dates back over 4,000 years, and has a dizzying array of dynasties, kingdoms, periods, invasions, counter-invasions, and much more. In this six-part documentary series produced by PBS, historian Michael Wood travels across China to trace its dramatic rises and falls – from the 4,000 year old Shang Dynasty, right through to the Communist revolution and modern economic boom. Beautifully filmed and edited, The Story of China is a fantastic overview to help learn your Qins, Qings, and Mings! Consider making a history timeline to deeply understand the rich history of China.

Delve into the past with the China History Podcast

For those who prefer listening to watching, Laszlo Montgomery’s The China History Podcast has been running since 2010, and has clocked up over 250 episodes! Each episode focuses on a different aspect of China’s long history, and features anything from the history of a particular city, to profiling a prominent Chinese figure. One highly recommended series is episodes 14 through 42, which profiles each ruling dynasty, their accomplishments, and their impact on Chinese history. Each episode runs for about 25 minutes, so it’s great bite-sized content to consume at your leisure.

See China's World Heritage Sites with World Heritage Journey

With its long history and impressive culture, it’s hardly surprising that China has the equal-highest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites (55, equal with Italy). Along with famous monuments such as the Great Wall, Forbidden City, and Terracotta Warriors, China’s World Heritage Sites include many lesser known places, too. There’s everything from prehistoric burial caves, to sacred mountains, hidden temples, and even migratory bird sanctuaries! In this YouTube series, a pair of Australian travel bloggers attempt to visit all 55 Chinese sites, and produce a short video about each one. Get tips and ideas about visiting UNESCO sites in this article.

Watch China's most famous story: Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Romance of the Three Kingdoms is China’s most beloved story. An historical novel written in the 14th century, Romance tells the story of the Three Kingdoms period, roughly 184 – 280 AD, as various warlords fought for control of the collapsing Han Dynasty. With its potent mixture of history, legend, and myth (similar to Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey in Western culture), Romance follows memorable characters like the tyrannical Dong Zhuo, duplicitous Cao Cao, charismatic Yuan Shao, and inspiring Liu Bei. If you’d prefer to read the story, the Moss Roberts translation is highly recommended.

Enjoy China's most beloved tale: Journey to the West - Legends of the Monkey King

Journey to the West is another of the greatest Chinese novels. It dates from the 16th century, and follows the travels of Xuanzang, a Buddhist monk who travels through central Asia and India in search of sacred Buddhist texts. Well known in the West as Monkey (and other adaptations like The Legend of Monkey), Journey to the West – Legends of the Monkey King is equal parts funny, moving, inspiring, and dramatic. A classic of Chinese animation, this joint Chinese-Canadian animated production is a great way of introducing kids to Chinese culture. For more ideas about including kids and teens in travel planning and research, check out our article, Joyful and Educational Trip Planning for Families.

Read about the clash of cultures in Mao's Last Dancer

One of the most important narratives of the past 30 years has been the clash of cultures between China and the West. Understanding the clash is key to preparing for a trip to China, and reading Mao’s Last Dancer by Li Cunxin gives a fascinating perspective. Mao’s Last Dancer is a 2003 memoir written by Li Cunxin, a talented ballet dancer from an impoverished Chinese village. Allowed to study in the United States, Li struggles to reconcile his propaganda-heavy education with the reality around him. It’s a fascinating insight into the varying mindsets of different cultures, and ultimately an uplifting and inspiring story.

Experience one of the world's great cuisines

One of the best experiences when visiting any country is of course – the food! Naturally, China is no different, and as such a huge and ethnically diverse country, there’s a colossal amount of variety available. Look beyond Panda Express, and discover the delights of regional Chinese cuisine. Down south in the warmer climates, you’ll find Cantonese style cooking with dim sum, dumplings, and more. Sichuan province is famous for hotpot, and fiery dishes laden with chilli and mouth-numbing peppercorns. The long coasts of Fujian and Shandong provinces have fish-heavy diets, while up north in Beijing you’ll find classic roast duck, jiaozi dumplings, and various noodle dishes. Do some research to learn about the different regional cuisines offered at your local restaurants. Or consider taking an online Chinese cooking class.

Try your hand at the ancient Chinese art of calligraphy

Calligraphy, or the art of drawing characters, is an instantly-recognisable facet of Chinese culture. It requires great skill, poise, delicacy, and attention to detail, and it’s little wonder that practising calligraphy is a classic Chinese pastime. Obtaining your own Chinese calligraphy set and learning to draw some simple characters can be a great way of engaging with one of the world’s oldest written scripts. Try this affordable calligraphy set and follow along with instructional videos on YouTube.

Learn some Chinese

Mandarin Chinese is the world’s most widely-spoken language, with over a billion native speakers. With unfamiliar characters and delicate pronunciation, Chinese can be a difficult language to learn. Although most tourist sites in Beijing and Shanghai have signs in both Chinese and English, learning a few key phrases is a great way to prepare for visiting China, and will absolutely endear you to the locals. Basic phrases like “hello” (ni hao) and “thank you” (xie-xie) are a great start, along with counting to ten. Although guidebooks will teach phrases like “where is the toilet”, it’s often unhelpful as the answer will be in Chinese! One suggestion is to learn phrases where you don’t need to understand a response, like: “the food was delicious” or “it is very beautiful”. For learning some Chinese, read our article on language learning for travel.

Plan your Trip to China

Overall, China is an enormous blend of people, languages and cultures, blessed with a spectacular natural environment and several thousand years of history. If you’re planning to visit China, a little background knowledge of the land and its people will go a long way to enriching your visit. Happy travels!

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This guest post was contributed by Joel Baldwin of World Heritage Journey

We love to learn from our guest writers and appreciate their expertise! Vitis Joel’s website by clicking on his name or miage below.

joelbaldwin

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The 10 Top Picks to Craft Your Perfect Pakistan Tour

April 8, 2022November 29, 2020 by samanthashea

Pakistan tour Lassi Stand in Lahore, Pakistan

10 Top Picks to Craft Your Perfect Pakistan Tour

Lassi Stand in Lahore, Pakistan Photo by Samantha Shea

Though the country might be touted as a difficult place to explore as a foreigner, with enough preparation and some prior travel experience, virtually anyone can enjoy Pakistan. Which, trust me– will not be hard to do! In this article I’ll show you how to craft the perfect Pakistan tour on your own. You’ll discover the ten best resources to prepare for your trip to Pakistan.

I remember when I first learned that travel to Pakistan was possible. My boyfriend and I had recently returned home from India, and we happened upon a documentary detailing Pakistan’s famous mountains. I was in awe. It was truly like no other place I’d ever seen.

After a bit of googling, I soon came across numerous videos, blogs, and forums that proved that while numbers were still low, many travelers were in fact heading to Pakistan.

Considering we were both already into offbeat travel, Pakistan sounded like the perfect addition to a trip we were planning for the following year. In the months that followed, I spent hours upon hours researching, reading, watching, and planning for our Pakistani backpacking adventure.

The 10 top resources to help you create your perfect Pakistan tour

The four months (thus far) that I’ve spent in Pakistan have given me the greatest adventures of my life. This frequently ignored nation has delicious food, epic historical sites, some of the most incredible views I could ever hope to see, and most notably, a welcoming citizenry that was more hospitable than any other group of people I’ve come across.

Nevertheless, it’s certainly not a country that I recommend showing up to completely unprepared. The seemingly endless amount of content I consumed prior to arriving not only psyched me up for the trip, but also gave me background knowledge about everything from religious norms to must-visit places to holidays I shouldn’t miss. The pre-trip research I did on travel in Pakistan helped me get as local an experience as possible, which is something I strive for whilst backpacking.

So without further ado, here are all the resources I used to plan my trip to Pakistan, with each one making a notably positive impact on my travels!

1. Backpacking Pakistan Facebook Group

This Backpacking Pakistan Facebook group was absolutely essential in planning my trip. As there isn’t much general information about traveling Pakistan on the internet, this group was quite a godsend! While the group is private, anyone can join. There are now over 5,000 members and it serves as a perfect place where past, present, and future Pakistan travelers can share tips, information, and of course, ask questions.

I asked tons of questions in the months preceding my trip and while traveling. Recommendations from fellow travelers led me to numerous stand-out guesthouses and to places like Upper Chitral, a beautiful and remote region of the country that I would never have known about otherwise. The group is also great for finding other travelers to go TO Pakistan with or to meet up with while you’re there.

A great benefit of Facebook groups is that posts are in real time. While the majority of Pakistan is open for foreigners to travel in, there are certain areas (such as most of Balochistan and the former FATA region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) that are off-limits. I was able to keep up on recent updates, and members of the group steered me in the right direction about areas where I could and could not travel.

2. Central Asia and the Old Silk Road

The Caravanistan website is famous in the travel community for the copious amount of information they have on traveling through Central Asia and the Old Silk Road. They also have a section on Pakistan, which provided me with great facts and tips when I was applying for my visa.

At the time, Pakistan had recently started an online visa portal. Caravanistan’s Pakistan forum had consistent updates on this new system, as well as recent reports of visa experiences at various embassies. Caravanistan also has updates on border crossings, including reports from obscure borders such as the Pakistan-Afghanistan Torkham Border.

3. Local Pakistani Restaurant

I highly recommend visiting your local Pakistani restaurant or food store prior to your trip. Pakistani hospitality is not limited to the inside of the country. I’ve met so many nice Pakistani ex-pats at various restaurants that I’ve visited around my hometown.

Visiting a restaurant allowed me to try the food before arriving (it’s delicious and distinct from Indian cuisine), as well as get to talk to and receive advice from someone about their home. As I am also learning Urdu (Pakistan’s national language) this was also a great place to brush up on my language skills!

4. Urdu Daily News

While I found the BBC Urdu Daily News particularly interesting for learning Urdu, it’s also useful for keeping up on current events in Pakistan. I’ve found out about new places or communities to visit through the daily broadcast (also available on YouTube BBCUrdu), and have become more aware of what’s happening on the ground.

Though BBC tends to be the least biased as far as Pakistani news goes, Dawn.com is a local English newspaper that I also read periodically. Of course, the fact that it’s in English makes it accessible to travelers as well.

5. Lonely Planet Thorn Tree Forum

The Lonely Planet Thorn Tree Forum might be the best travel resource on the internet, especially for offbeat places like Pakistan. While it has unfortunately been archived (so no new questions can be asked), there’s a wealth of information on travel in Pakistan.

It is easy to get lost on this forum, but a quick search through it will undoubtedly teach you about new places (especially treks) that you may never have heard of.

6. Urdu Seekhiye Podcast

The Urdu Seekhiye Podcast is the best out there for learning Urdu. While English is incredibly widely spoken in Pakistan, connecting with people in their mother tongue not only leads to deeper relationships but can also allow you to communicate with more people. While a high percentage of Pakistanis do speak English, many do not, especially in more rural areas.

This podcast is hosted by Shireen, and is very well done. I highly recommend it to any Pakistan travelers, as it’s free and covers useful language basics and cultural essentials.

7. Online Urdu Language Course

While every resource I’ve used has been helpful, none has made such a difference in my life as Naveed. He’s a professional Urdu teacher with decades of experience. I discovered him through the Backpacking Pakistan Facebook group that I mentioned above. He’s a skilled teacher, and in only 21 hours of lessons (thus far) I’ve gone from knowing virtually no Urdu to now being able to have some conversations and understanding tons of grammar!

Naveed’s teaching methods are second to none, and he’s friendly and encouraging. I highly, HIGHLY encourage anyone who is serious about travel to Pakistan to learn some Urdu, and Naveed is the best way to do so. While podcasts and free YouTube resources are great supplements, nothing compares to face-to-face (virtual) instruction with someone who actually lives in Pakistan.

8. See You in Pakistan Facebook Group

While Backpacking Pakistan is mostly foreigners, the See You in Pakistan Facebook group is primarily Pakistanis who love to travel. The group is a great place to find travel inspiration. I’ve already added multiple places to my bucket list directly from this group, including Mastij Lake and Kooh Lake, both of which are in Swat Valley. It’s a great place to get inspired by travel photography from Pakistan’s most epic places.

See You in Pakistan is also a great way to connect with locals and is especially helpful if you want to find people to travel with to places that are more difficult to access, like Hingol National Park.

9. Migrationology- Lahore Food Tour

This Migrationology-Lahore Food Tour Youtube channel is one of the most popular as far as food vlogging goes, and it certainly helped me have some great foodie experiences while I was in the city of Lahore. While I certainly encourage wandering around and trying whatever food you find, I personally didn’t want to miss any hidden gems in a city as big as Lahore. This video is a must-watch to get a sense for what awaits in this incredible locale.

10. Pakistan Traveller by Tim Blight

Despite all the useful online resources, it’s helpful to have something on hand in times of no internet. The Pakistan Traveler guidebook is one of a kind, and it’s recently updated. It led me to new historical places that I had never heard of and is chock-full of useful information that can only be gathered through years of exploration, as the author has done!

Plan your personal Pakistan tour

I hope you end up finding these resources as useful as I did as you plan your trip to Pakistan. The country has absolutely stolen my heart and I am currently planning a return trip back! Don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any questions, I’d be happy to help. Email: [email protected]

This guest post was contributed by Samantha Shea of Intentional Detours

We love to learn from our guest writers and appreciate their expertise! Visit her website by clicking on the image or name below.

samanthashea

Hippo lover, Asia addict, budget backpacker, and off-beat travel enthusiast- Samantha enjoys traveling to and writing about places that other tourists don’t. Originally from Connecticut in the US, she spent 5 years living in Miami, and now considers the world her place of residence. Samantha is the face behind Intentional Detours Travel Blog, which focuses on her backpacking adventures in South Asia. You can also find her on Instagram and Twitter.

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The Curious Traveler’s 5 Step Guide to More Meaningful Trips

Your Guide to Visiting the

World's Most Valuable Places:

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

What is a World Heritage Site?

How do I learn more about individual World Heritage Sites?

1. The Official UNESCO Website

2. WorldHeritageSite.org

3. A Site's Official Website

4. World Heritage Journey

Why visit UNESCO Sites?

Let's Connect

DO YOU WISH YOU COULD TRAVEL MORE?

This guest post was contributed by Joel Baldwin of World Heritage Journey

joelbaldwin

Like it? Pin it for later!

Share this post

Preparing for Your Trip To China

Follow the Story of China

Delve into the past with the China History Podcast

See China's World Heritage Sites with World Heritage Journey

Watch China's most famous story: Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Enjoy China's most beloved tale: Journey to the West - Legends of the Monkey King

Read about the clash of cultures in Mao's Last Dancer

Experience one of the world's great cuisines

Try your hand at the ancient Chinese art of calligraphy

Learn some Chinese

Plan your Trip to China

DO YOU WISH YOU COULD TRAVEL MORE?

This guest post was contributed by Joel Baldwin of World Heritage Journey

joelbaldwin

Let's Connect

Like it? Pin it for later!

Share this post

10 Top Picks to Craft Your Perfect Pakistan Tour

The 10 top resources to help you create your perfect Pakistan tour

1. Backpacking Pakistan Facebook Group

2. Central Asia and the Old Silk Road

3. Local Pakistani Restaurant

4. Urdu Daily News

5. Lonely Planet Thorn Tree Forum

6. Urdu Seekhiye Podcast

7. Online Urdu Language Course

8. See You in Pakistan Facebook Group

9. Migrationology- Lahore Food Tour

10. Pakistan Traveller by Tim Blight

Plan your personal Pakistan tour

This guest post was contributed by Samantha Shea of Intentional Detours

samanthashea

DO YOU WISH YOU COULD TRAVEL MORE?

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