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The islands of Raja Ampat are right in the middle of the center of diversity of coral reefs and reef fish in the Indo-Pacific; it is hard to come up with a better reason than that to include anything in the list of World Heritage. I visited on board a ship dedicated to scuba diving, and boy was it ever worth it. The reefs are almost pristine, mostly because there are no large cities nearby and so there isn't much runoff or (many) fishermen. Huge schools of fish, both small and colourful and also very large (snappers the size of Volkswagens!), sea snakes, dugongs, sea turtles. Oh, an on land there are birds of paradise, too. An amazing place.

Well, the place was visited by me in 1999 but I guess that most of the information is actual. The easiest way to get there is by car (I haven't even checked the possibility of local transportation there), from Tunis take road P7 to Mateur and then P11 to Tinia, after a while turn left on a non-sealed but stable road you can reach the gate of the park (there is an entrance fee for the car). Just around 2 km from the place there is an eco-museum (at the time of my visit it was free of charge) with local exhibitions. From that point you can take an easy by-the-lake walk on a local road (unsealed) round the lake. All that area together with a nearby Jabal (Mointain) Ichkeul and the marchlands with bulls (on a way to the park) are inscribed as World Heritage Site. More info:

www.eoearth.org/article/Ichkeul_National_Park,_Tunisia

I love this ancient wonder still in use. the most impressive one is in Hangzhou, the southern point of the canal~ river cruise, historic buildings, local restaurants and tea houses, museums along the canal (they are best museums in China, not large in size, but focus on local topics, like pottery, sword, scissor, and of course, canal), art galleries, as well as the night sightseeing. It's just awesome!!

Goree is a small pleasant island situated a 30minute ferry ride offshore from crowded ugly Dakar. Free of vehicles, its sandy streets are lined with pleasing old houses and flowering shrubs. There is a fort, a castle (with some impressive early 20th century gun emplacements) and several restaurants – in its own right it deserves a visit if you are in Senegal. BUT – beyond these anodyne aspects, lies its claimed “history” as a centre of the Atlantic slave trade and its subsequent emergence as “a memorial to the African diaspora (which) continues to serve as a reminder of human exploitation and as a sanctuary for reconciliation.” (UNESCO long description).

The central point for this “memorial” is the “Maison des esclaves” (photo). Within you will be shown what are said to be slave prison rooms and the “gate of no return” through which slaves were sent to the Americas. You will be regaled with details of the undoubted horrors of the slave trade. You will be shown plaques commemorating the visits of numerous world leaders – a visit is de rigeur for any such person visiting Senegal – Mandela, the Clintons, George W Bush and Pope John Paul II among them.

However, whether this building was ever a slave trading prison and, indeed, whether Goree itself was ever a significant entrepot of the trade is a matter of considerable doubt. But beware - to question any of this is regarded by some as the equivalent of …

Graz is a nice historical town full of buildings from late gothic, renaissance and baroque period, that is typical for central European region. I enjoyed small restaurants located within courtyards of old houses close to main street. Nice view over the old town is from hill with the clock-tower. As Graz is located in south-east Austria, I felt an influence of "disordered" eastern Europe, but it should not be taken as disadvantage.

It's hard to miss this place when you're driving around eastern Finland. There are roadsigns to this site from all the main roads and it's good thing because these rock paintings are in the middle of nowhere. Walk from the road to the paintings can feel long for those who are not fit and in summer the forest is full of mosquitos. But when you get to the site it's all worth of suffering. Paintings are really clear and there is lots of them. Usually Finnish rock painting sites include only one painting or the paintings are almost disappeared. Surroundings are beautiful with Lake Saimaa sparkling in summer sunshine. Information is available in English at the site. There is a dock for a boat if you are sailing around Saimaa. I think this would be good add to the World heritage list.It really represents eastern Nordic history.

We visited all 8 (including Sucevita, which was added in 2010 shortly after we returned to the US). It was an amazing experience! We had an English-speaking guide with a car who knew the region very well and could never have found some of the monasteries without him. While seeing Voronet, Moldovita and Humor was inspiring, the most special for us were Patrauti, where we met the Priest and had a personal tour, along with hearing his rich descriptions of the paintings -- he is a scholar with extensive knowledge about the paintings and has published on the subject, and Probota, where the level of restoration is at the highest level (no doubt from the Japanese endowment). Going to Probota was well worth the additional drive, though it was very difficult to get to really (down rural, dirt, heavily pot-holed roads). Arbore was a different sort of place as well, noting that it is currently not in use. The woman who is in charge of watching over it though was very candid and told us much about the church and the community. Of course, speaking with anyone really at any of the monasteries would have been difficult at best without a translator. It was interesting how little tourist infrastructure there was, and it reminds you that these are living religious sites that are currently in use by the community as churches, in most cases, and their WHS label does not suddenly turn them into museum monuments. With most of the …

Site visited in December, 2010. Just arrived from Oman, seeing all their World Heritage Sites. It is not so bad with accessibility of Bat - there is a sealed road directly from Ibri via Ad Diriz. On a way from Ad Diriz there are already some marked excavations area (no named but at least there are plates). Just before entering Bat village you should turn left (road to Wadi Al Ayn). Bat archeological sites lies just 800 meters on the left. If you don't find it ask locals for UNESCO sites - the majority of them should know. Some structures extend also on the right side of the road. Total area is partly fenced, marked, graves or I should say structures are partly restored. One of those partly restored graves in Bat archeological site you can see on the photo.

For Al Ayn which is by far the most spectacular Unesco place in whole Oman, you can use the same road to Wadi Al Ayn - accessable but poor - but it is better to go Al Banah (watch for the signposts) and from there go to Al Ayn towards the road Ibri - Bahla. This road is now completely asphalted. If you enter Al Ayn just watch the hills - you cannot miss the graves.

Telc is small but pretty town nicely located between three fish-ponds. I think that it is an eyewash for tourist, because the main quality of houses on market square stems from their unity and cohesion and not from thier architectonic importance. This is not absolutely true for castle, which represents a landmark of renaissance architecture in central-european region.

The Wachau Valley is really a magical place. It has almost mediterranean character somehow unexpected in the middle of a bit boring fields and forests typical for central Europe. Valley itself decorated with such monumental buildings like Melk monastery is incredible. However, I enjoyed very much antient parts of Krems and Stein, especially several churches and palaces dated back to 13th century.

It is worth-visiting Brugge for everybody who wants to enjoy a medieval urban landscape. The historical center is so large that one can find picturesque places without crowds of tourists. Nevertheless, I have some doubts on the medieval authenticity of the site, because I would expect half-timbered houses instead of brick neo-gothic.

My Name is Chidi Nzeh, a tourism student of National Open University of Nigeria, Akoka lagos study centre. I visited idanre hills and was full of myself and my country Nigeria.though i was in a sober mood, reflecting how our world class natural endoement are being wasted. no wonder the tourism professionals said that " Tourism in Nigeria is still at it's infancy stage" We went on a field trip, students were excited seing the miracie of nature and the exhibition of God's power of creativity, but to me i was wondering why the destination were uncared for. You may not get what i am talking about. the hills may excite you but the environ matters a lot. God has done his by blessing us with the hills he can not come to beauty the environ. Federal govt., State and local please take note.

During my short visit to Hong Kong, I went to Macao, the former Portuguese colony in China and the Las Vegas of Asia, and I was really happy to revisit this city again. As I mentioned this trip was not my first time in Macao, in 2002, the first time I saw her, Macao was still a laid-back city, but in just eight years, Macao is become the dynamic city with load of fantasy buildings of international casinos!

While most of tourists come to Macao for its casinos or its WHS historic centre, the highlight of Macao for me is its food, and its gourmet heritage is the real reason to bring me back here. From the delicious African Chicken, crispy custard tart, unique papaya milk to great noodle and dim sum, make me want to come back again and again.

For WHS review, Macao colonial heritages is a nice place to visit, the ruin of St. Paul and Senado Square are the prime attractions, the street is full of many nice colonial buildings together with hundreds of Chinese tourists who will accompany you everywhere you go! While Macao is full of European buildings and feel of Mediterranean, Macao has its own special charm to remind you that this is Macao, not anywhere else, but just Macao and Macao only and that make Macao to be the fascinating place to come and taste!

Visited, December, 2010. All components but as other locations (Al-Balid, Wadi Dawkah and Sumhuram) are easily accessible I will focus on the lost city of Ubar.

Shisr or Ubar (Wubar) can be visited by normal car right now. If driving from Salalah just go around 40 km north of Thumrayt where you can take well sealed road to Shasar (oficial name of Shisr at least on roads signposts) total lenght is around 50 km where at least half of it is asphalted, the rest is normal dirty Omani road but accessible on normal car. I doubt if there is any form of public transport to get to the village.

The site is really for the most desperate persons, not very spectacular but at least interesting enough to make a journey. It is well marked with plates and descriptions of seperate archeological findings (Arabic and English), fenced and yet free of charge. As there are speculations if the place is really Ubar you can decide on your own. For me the most spectacular place there was a huge cave partly colapsed - main reason for abandoning the place. Photo attached shows the remains of the fortress or an administrative structure (upper part of the city).

Idanre hill is a fascinating place and relatively easy to access. Its deserted hilltop site once contained wonderful wooden statue posts, photographs of which were submitted to Nigeria's National Commission of Museums and Monuments in the early 1990's, before that regime's role in dealing with the nation's antiquities was fully appreciated. Within a few months, the statues had gone. Idanre Hill is a splendid walk amidst beautiful hills but, although included in the sites considered, it was not included in the original Tentative List because it was not universally unique.

The Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve has become my favorite natural (and one of my favorite cultural) areas in all of Central America, surpassing that of more known countries, in particular Costa Rica.

The deep parts of the reserve are amazing untouched, and even where there are larger groups of indigenous people, there hasn't been too much deforestation. The wildlife was amazing (I saw 2 tapir, howler monkeys, spider monkeys, sloths, tree anteaters, white-faced monkeys, an ocelot, jaguarundi, crocodiles and caimans, several snakes and lizards, insects, and encountered several fresh jaguar tracks).

The indigenous culture (Miskito, Pech, and Garifuna) is also amazing. It's expensive to explore the reserve, but it's a priceless experience.

It is a magical place: highly symetrical church surrounded by the cloister with chapels situated on the top of the bare hill. The impresive interior has been reconstructed according the old plans. The ansamble was built in the special czech style - so called gothic baroque.

Some practical up-to-dated additions:

I have visited also both places in October 2010. The easiest way to get to Crac is by minibus from Homs (check the latest but they should depart from main city bus station, normal place costs 50 SYP (but this counts when car is full), we paid (ad hoc group) 150 SYP each which is still not bad (around 3-4 usd). On a way back - just take any of awaitng buses - they gather just outside the main gate. If you wait for a while you should pay around normal price (50 SYP per person). The best view of the castle itself is from the nearby hill just follow the road from the main gate. There is a possibility to leave the luggage by the ticket office at the castle's entrance.

To get to Saladin's Castle: it is good to arrange a normal minibus from Lattakia (from the place close to main bus station), if you are with a group after some negotiations the driver should take you directly to the castle (price for both way should be around 1000-1200 SYP), if you are a good negotiator it may be less. Saladin's Castle (Kalat Salah ad-Din) looks to be less touristic (photo attached were taken from the upper part of fortress to the courtyard and Master Tower).

For both places there is also a possibility to arrange a taxi, prices are much bigger (but still acceptable I guess) or a package tour …

This is an amazing site of over 150 caves used during kindgom battles of over 400 years ago in the Abomey region of Benin. The tour guides are excellent and the site is set up so one can visit the interior of once cave fully in tact as well as climb down into the cave that was first identified when a bulldozer fell into it just a few years ago during road construction.

The grounds are lovely and include fantastic local huts, a playground for kids, and a gorgeous butterfly garden.

A great visit and right off the national road between Cotonou and Parakou at Bohicon.

I wimped out a little on this one, and took an organised day trip from Bangkok's tourist enclave of Khao San Road. However I have to say the trip was pretty worthwhile, but I would have preferred to spend more time in the Park proper and perhaps got a little more chance to hike around and try to glimpse some wildlife.

After some stops for general touristy things like visiting a market, we entered the park and headed straight for it's highest waterfall at Haew Narok which provided a nice glimpse of the environment. Our guide didn't seem to concerned on keeping noise down to allow a better glimpse of some wildlife, and when we did finally see a chameleon up close the other members of the group seemed a little disinterested.

We then drove through the park and spotted some deer by the road side before stopping at a view point where there was a large group of macaques.

I was impressed by the infrastructure of the park, I really reminded me of the national parks in US that I have visited, except the food stalls sold eminently more tasty looking food. This reflected a lot of what I found in Thailand, it is a rapidly developing country and amenities for tourists are very impressive.

After we left the park we went for a meal at a 'Jungle Lodge' just outside the park proper. We then got to ride Elephants, I must admit I was not really holding out …