World Heritage Sites in Asia

The white-marble mausoleum built by Shah Jahan for his beloved Mumtaz Mahal is India’s defining monument and, for many, the most beautiful building on Earth. Its flawless symmetry and delicate stone inlays reward slow inspection, and the marble shifts from rose at dawn to gold at dusk. Come at sunrise.

Snaking thousands of kilometres over mountain ridges, the world’s largest human-made structure is best walked along a section outside Beijing. Popular Mutianyu offers cable cars and a toboggan descent, while wilder Jinshanling rewards hikers with near-empty ruins climbing impossibly steep slopes. Come in spring or autumn, and start early.

The vast temple complex of the medieval Khmer Empire spreads across the Cambodian jungle in hundreds of monuments. Beyond Angkor Wat lie the serene stone faces of the Bayon and the tree-strangled ruins of Ta Prohm. A multi-day pass and a tuk-tuk escape the crowds. Visit the cooler months, November to February.

Thousands of life-size clay warriors, each with individual features and once brightly painted, stand in silent battle formation to guard the tomb of China’s first emperor. Buried for two millennia and rediscovered by well-diggers in the 1970s, the ranks near Xi’an rank among the great archaeological finds. Arrive early.

The world’s largest Buddhist monument rises from the Javanese plain in nine stacked terraces carved with over two thousand relief panels. Visitors circle slowly upward, following the reliefs like a stone scripture to a summit of bell-shaped stupas. Most magical at first light when mist lifts from the volcanoes.

The immense palace complex at the heart of Beijing was the seat of Chinese emperors for nearly five centuries, off-limits to ordinary people. Behind vermilion walls and golden roofs lie some 900 buildings, ceremonial halls and imperial gardens. Walking the central axis traces old China’s ritual heart; book ahead and arrive early.

Thousands of Buddhist temples, pagodas and stupas dot a dusty plain beside the Irrawaddy River, the legacy of a medieval Burmese kingdom. Climbing a terrace at sunrise, when hot-air balloons drift over the spires and mist rises off the river, is one of Asia’s unforgettable sights. Visit November to February.

The ruined former capital of the Siamese kingdom lies on an island where three rivers meet, an easy day trip north of Bangkok. Brick prangs, rows of headless Buddhas and the famous stone Buddha head cradled in fig roots recall a city that once rivalled Europe’s great capitals. Cycle between the complexes.

The boulder-strewn ruins of the mighty Vijayanagara Empire sprawl across a surreal landscape of giant granite outcrops in southern India. Ornate temples, royal enclosures and the famous stone chariot survive from one of the world’s richest cities. Pair temple-hopping with clambering over balancing boulders and a hilltop sunset; explore October to February.

A sheer 200-metre rock rises abruptly from the Sri Lankan jungle, crowned by the remains of an audacious fifth-century royal palace. The climb passes ancient frescoes of celestial maidens and the giant carved lion’s paws that name the fortress. The summit rewards panoramic views; climb early and pair with Dambulla.

This exquisitely preserved former trading port on Vietnam’s central coast blends Chinese shophouses, a Japanese covered bridge and French villas along lantern-lit riverside lanes. Once a month the town douses its lights for a full-moon lantern festival, silk lanterns glowing as paper boats drift downriver. Celebrated tailors tempt lingering.

The former imperial capital of Vietnam’s Nguyen dynasty centres on a vast walled citadel and Forbidden Purple City beside the languid Perfume River. Elaborate royal tombs, each reflecting its emperor, dot the surrounding hills, best reached by boat. The refined imperial cuisine is among the country’s finest; visit February to April.

Japan’s sacred, near-perfect volcanic cone has inspired artists and pilgrims for centuries and lends its name to a cultural landscape of shrines and lakes. Climbers ascend its cinder trails overnight in the short summer season to catch sunrise from the 3,776-metre summit. For most, it is best admired from afar.

Often called a museum without walls, this South Korean city was the thousand-year capital of the Silla kingdom, its treasures scattered across parks and hillsides. Grassy royal burial mounds rise between the streets, and the serene Bulguksa temple and Seokguram grotto rank among Korean masterpieces. Loveliest in blossom and autumn.

The cobbled old town of this Yunnan city, home to the Naxi people, is a labyrinth of canals, wooden bridges and tiled courtyards beneath snow-capped Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Watermills, courtyard guesthouses and the surviving Naxi script give it singular character. Come early before the tour groups; spring and autumn suit it.

China’s best-preserved walled town lets you walk streets little changed since the Qing dynasty, when this was one of the country’s great banking capitals. Intact ramparts encircle a warren of courtyard mansions, temples and the counting houses where China’s first draft banks were born. Stay overnight in a restored courtyard inn.

A remarkable cluster of intricately carved Hindu and Jain temples, celebrated worldwide for their extraordinarily sensuous, lifelike sculpture. Built by the Chandela dynasty a thousand years ago then swallowed by jungle for centuries, they are among the finest medieval Indian art. Wander the cooler months, October to March.

This lakeside city cradled in Sri Lanka’s misty hills was the last capital of the Sinhalese kings and remains the island’s Buddhist heart. It centres on the revered Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, whose gold casket is paraded on an elephant during the spectacular Esala Perahera festival.

The compact medieval capital of Sri Lanka preserves palaces, monasteries and Buddhist shrines in a beautifully organised archaeological park. Its highlight is the Gal Vihara, colossal Buddha images carved from a single granite face that rank among Asia’s finest stone sculptures. Loop between the ruins by bicycle; pair with nearby Sigiriya.

An oasis town on the old Silk Road and gateway to the Mogao Caves, a honeycomb of grottoes filled with over a thousand years of dazzling Buddhist murals and painted statues. Nearby, a crescent-moon spring nestles among towering, singing sand dunes, best explored by camel at sunset.