Kinabalu National Park

Kinabalu National Park - UNESCO World Heritage Site

From the World Heritage inscription for Kinabalu National Park: Located in the State of Sabah, Malaysia, on the northern end of the island of Borneo, Kinabalu Park World Heritage property covers 75,370 ha. Dominated by Mount Kinabalu (4,095m), the highest mountain between the Himalayas and New Guinea, it holds a distinctive position for the biota …

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Gunung Mulu National Park

Gunung Mulu National Park - UNESCO World Heritage Site

From the World Heritage inscription for Gunung Mulu National Park: Gunung Mulu National Park, situated in the Malaysian State of Sarawak on the island of Borneo, is outstanding both for its high biodiversity and for its karst features. The park is dominated by Gunung Mulu, a 2,376 m-high sandstone pinnacle and the property is the …

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Historic Center of Macau

Historic Center of Macau - UNESCO World Heritage Site

From the World Heritage Inscription for the Historic Center of Macau: Macao, a lucrative port of strategic importance in the development of international trade in Chinese territory, became a Portuguese settlement in the mid-16th century and returned to Chinese sovereignty in 1999. The inscribed property presents a group of 22 principal buildings and public spaces …

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Hwaseong Fortress

Hwaseong Fortress - UNESCO World Heritage Site

From the World Heritage inscription for the Hwaseong Fortress: Hwaseong is a piled-stone and brick fortress of the Joseon Dynasty that surrounds the center of Suwon City, of Gyeonggi-do Province. It was built in the late 18th century by King Jeongjo for defensive purposes, to form a new political basis and to house the remains …

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First Thoughts on Dubai

Other than higher than normal amounts of turbulence, my flight from Bangkok was pretty uneventful. I few on Etihad Airlines, the official airlines of the UAE. I had never heard of it before until I booked the flight. It was good flight. The flight attendants had a very unique uniform which is probably the most …

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Jongmyo Shrine

Jongmyo Shrine - UNESCO World Heritage Site, South Korea

From the World Heritage inscription for the Jongmyo Shrine: Jongmyo is a shrine housing the spirit tablets of the former kings and queens of the Joseon Dynasty. The shrine is a symbolic structure that conveys the legitimacy of the royal family, where the king visited regularly to participate in the ancestral rites to wish for …

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Changdeokgung Palace Complex

Changdeok Palace - UNESCO World Heritage Site

From the World Heritage inscription for the Changdeokgung Palace Complex: In the early 15th century, Emperor T’aejong ordered the construction of a new palace at an auspicious site. A Bureau of Palace Construction was set up to create the complex, consisting of a number of official and residential buildings set in a garden that was …

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Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple

Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple - UNESCO World Heritage Site

From the World Heritage inscription for Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple: Established in the 8th century on the slopes of Mount T’oham, the Seokguram Grotto contains a monumental statue of the Buddha looking at the sea in the bhumisparsha mudra position. With the surrounding portrayals of gods, Bodhisattvas, and disciples, all realistically and delicately sculpted …

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