5 other UNESCO sites other than Singapore Botanic Gardens

Last Updated on 2016-05-19 , 1:52 pm

Not too long ago, the news have announced that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have officially declared the Singapore Botanic Gardens as a World Heritage Site, and is currently Singapore’s very first World Heritage sites. Yet, the Singapore Botanic Gardens is not the only World Heritage Site. Today, we will look at 5 other World Heritage Sites declared by the UNESCO in the Southeast area region.

1) Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra
Located in Sumatra, Indonesia and consisting of three separate rainforests combine into one, the Gunung Leuser National Park, Kerinci Seblat National Park and Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra is an endangered site of primary forest and endemic species under threat of destruction due to repeated poaching, illegal logging and encroachments. This site has been declared as a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 2004.

2) Town of Luang Prabang
Located in the Luang Prabang province in Laos, the town of Luang Prabang was the ancient capital of the old Kingdom of Laos that gathers traditional Lao architecture and French colonial buildings from the 19th and 20th century. Blending both Asian and Western culture, it was declared as a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1995.

3) Pyu Ancient Cities
Located in Mandalay, Magway and Bago, Myanmar, the three ancient cities of Halin, Beikthano and Sri Ksetra are remains of the Pyu kingdoms that spanned eleven centuries from 200 BC to 900 AD. These ancient cities contain rich Buddhist culture, royal and religious buildings, as well as the ruins of an ancient irrigation sysytme used in the past. This place was declared as a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 2014.

4) Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras
Located in Ifugao in the Cordillera Region, Philippines, the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras have been formed out of the mountain slopes for more than 2,000 years. Not only does it boast a awesome landscape, it is also successfully cultivated by the humans in Philippines.  This place was declared as a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1995.

5) Historic City of Ayutthaya
Located in Ayutthaya Province, Thailand, it was the capital of Sian from the mid-14 century unitl the Burmese invaded Siam and reduced it to ruins. Yet, the ruins behind are still impressive looking and have suggested how Ayutthaya would look like in the past, with its full glory. This place was declared as a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1991.