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(April 2010). I visited Angkor in November 2009, and am still amazed by what I saw. The remains are beautiful and inspiring. The sheer size is mind-boggling. I took two days to tour Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, Elephant Platform and surrounding temples..and did not even scratch the surface. The details on the reliefs draw you close to admire their craftsmanship. The emmense size of the walled cities are breath-taking. Enjoy these treasures while they last. The city of Siem Reap is a typical third world tourist city, but offers some incredible dining and shopping opportunities. I'd suggest renting a bicycle as well as riding an elephant while in Angkor.

Dayton, Ohio, is the birthplace of aviation, and it is only fitting to tour some of the places that inspired such innovation from Orville and Wilbur Wright. The Wright Cycle Shop is an excellently restored walk back in time in a historic part of west Dayton, near downtown. The Wright Brothers began as bicycle shop owners and then mastered powered flight. You can see a replica of the Wright B Flyer III at Wright Hall. Hawthorne Hill is majestic mansion that teh Wright Brothers built, where they lived with their sister, Catherine. A trip to Dayton is not complete without visiting the US Air Force Museum -- but be prepared to walk, as it is massive. One of the most beautiful and inspiring buildings in Dayton is The Dayton Art Institute. Not only architecturally stunning, inside it houses some rare collections of early American Furnishings and classic French Impressionists, too. The view from aptly named Dayton View gives you a full perspective of the Great Miami River and Downtown Dayton. Even after surviving the departure of its last remaining Fortune 500 company, NCR Corporation in 2009, Dayton has an air of sophistication, innovation and culture that is attributed to the early discoveries of people like the Wright Brothers, Charles Kettering and other industrial era capitalists.

So I was in Jordan in March and did not want to miss this site and hired a driver to take my son and I out to Um er Rasas. The driver was a tour guide and he is out with tourists every day but he confessed that he has not been to this site in the last four years as no one wants to visit it! He took several wrong turns but a local farmer pointed us to the right road.

When we arrived, there is a beautiful brand new visitor's center. However the parking lot was empty as we were the only visitors at that time. Also all the facilities were not open except the rest rooms. The restaurant, visitor's hall, ticket office were all closed. The guard showed us to the back gate which opens to the site.

The previous descriptions are accurate. A whole pile of rocks strewn over a very large area. We walked around for a while taking pictures and then headed to a hangar like structure that covered the mosaics of St Stephen. The mosaics were superb and well worth the visit and the viewing platform allowed a top down view. Later we visited the stylite tower sitting by the road. Unfortunately, it is still being restored with scaffolding. On the other hand, since no one was on site, my son and I climbed the stairs of the scaffolding to the top of the tower and had a great view of the surrounding …

We traveled twice to Wadi Feiran; in 1994 we spent four days climbing Jebl Seirbal and exploring the wadi leading up to it. In 1996 we again visited the site, measuring some of the ruins we found there. Among the interesting artifacts was found an oval basin carved into a stone with a square frame around the edge. Given the position of the artifact on the wadi floor, we assumed it had fallen from a height above. Whether it was from Bible times or prehistory, we do not know.

On Jebl Seirbal is a spring called The Gate (Ein Sha'Ar'Ani), which is at @ 4000' MSL. This spring flows at about 5 gal/min and disappears underground not too far from the rock face it flows from. The water is very good, as it is stored in the granite t'fun of the peaks of Seirbal.

Another very interesting phenomenon is a rock pedestal 250' above the laura on the east side of the wadi. We called it Moses' Seat, as we found that words spoken there could be heard as far as the wadi floor, perhaps 500' below. The laura here are not carved into the side of the living rock, as they are on the western side of the wadi, but they are built of stacked stone much like the Nawamis. These laura are double-wall insulated, again borrowing from Nawamis. The ruins of an old monastery lie to the south and above these lauras.

Some inscriptions can be found on …

I attended osun osogbo festival 2008 when high personal individuals also were present. Among others were The osun state Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, The Odua Peoples Congress leader, Chief Gani Adams, HRM. The Ata-oja of Osogbo, Chief Fasasi Olabankewin (DAGUNRO) and others. In short, it was fantastic.

Just spent 2 nights/3 days on a junk in Halong Bay (April 2010), like some of your other reviews I to was shocked by the amount of pollution in this World Heritage area. The haze was described by the operators as mist and apparently is at its worst at this time of the year April/May. I would describe the 'mist' as smog and if the air quality in this area is as bad as the water quality in this beautiful area I would say this was a fair description. One of the days we visited a beach for a swim. The beach was so polluted by plastic bags, bottles, plastic bags filled with garbage and other flotsam and jetsam, there was no way that I would let my children swim in such polluted water. I found it amazing that the tour operator took us to this beach when it was in such a dirty state. My husband and I found it ironic that the operator didnt employ some locals to keep the beach clean - this could've been done at a minimal cost. Halong Bay needs to be cleaned up - on my return home I told people how beautiful the area is, but I also tell them about the pollution. Eventually tourists will be turned off and the main losers will be the tour operators and the locals who live in the floating fishing villages.

One of the great temples in Korea, Haeinsa is located in Gayasan National Park about an hour Southwest of Daegu. The temple itself is worth exploring, but the woodblocks is what makes Haeinsa truly special. The number of woodblock prints is stunning and considering that these Buddhist sutras are numerous centuries old is something to marvel at. Indeed, these treasures were commissioned during the Goryeo Dynasty. The temple and national Park are both great sites. Plan additional time getting to the temple as its a bit out of the way.

In addition to basic logistics, there are factors worth considering. Haiensa is a great temple, but by no means is it the most authentic, exceptional, or representative of Korean Buddhist temples. Its OUV lies primarily in the Janggyeong Panjeon, which was constructed to house the Tripitaka Koreana woodblocks. 

What makes Jongmyo Shrine special is it's unique architecture and peacefulness. The site is a splendid place to take a walk, or as a quite spot for reflection. This site will not amaze you, but be patient and relax and you can certainly appreciate this beautiful shrine.

Update: I revisited Jongmyo in 2016 to improve my pictures and better appreciate this quite WHS. My second visit was rewarded with a serene environment and lush green landscapes in the center of old Seoul. A pleasant 45 minutes deviation from my rather full itinerary. I've noticed some nice changes to the surrounding property since 2008. The entrance has been expanded forming a "green axis" that is aimed toward connecting Jongmyo Shrine with Namsan Park. I am excited by this development. In the years to come, Seoul City Wall, Changdeokgung Palace, Jongmyo Shrine, Namsan Park, Yongsan, and the Han River will all be connected. It is astonishing that this "green axis" will happen in a city of 10 million.

These pre-historic dolmens site are just as fascinating as some of those found in the UK or France. Not as spectacular as Stonehenge or some of the other stone circles in the UK, but altogether impressive if at the very least by the sheer number of them. The largest dolmen is located on Ganghwa Island, which is only about an hour or so from Seoul. Some of the best preserved and largest clusters are found in Gochang in the Southwest. There are three different styles of dolmens. The major dolmen at Gangwha is by far the most impressive. Yet, the other dolmens on the island are often collapsed or difficult to locate.

Gochang has the largest concentration of dolmens perhaps anywhere in the world. Most Gochang dolmens are table-top style and are found spread out over a broad hill. Many look like boulders, but on closer inspection you can see they are placed on two or four small rocks. There is an excellent small museum at the Gochang site just completed in 2010. I visited some of the Ganghwa dolmen sites in 2008 and I visited the major Gochang dolmen cluster in 2011. I was most awed by the Ganghwa dolmen, but as far as visitor experience Gochang holds the greatest value. Will anyone venture to the Hwasun Dolmen cluster? Perhaps on my next visit, as I explore the nearby Unjusa Temple.

A caveat in choosing Gochang is that Gochang County is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. This reserve includes the …

I have just been to the Island and cannot believe the damage being caused by the visitors to the island.

The tracks are being eroded deep into the sand to such an extent that matting is being used in some locations.

The East beach is being treated like a Motorway with buses dashing up and down, The beach has litter including broken glass and plastic. I even saw people letting fireworks off and the remains were left on the beach.

Surely if this is supposed to be a World Heritage site it should be better protected

Idanre hills is just as the name implies is a wonder of God in that area. I've been to other hills but that place is spectacular. What makes it spectacular you may ask, the terrain on the rocks, the climate up there and even the scenery plus the vegetation.

I went there with my class mates and we look forward to going back there because it was an enjoyableexperience.

It was stressful but the fun part over shadowed the stress that it was when we retired to our hotel that we felt the stress we just put ourselves through.

I encourage people to visit that place as it is a place for both accademics and fun loving people.

We went in April 2010 and it is an incredible place. We went with an Egyptian Guide and Driver and arrived about 4pm, perfect timing as most visitors had gone so we had the whole place to ourselves and watched the sun setting and creating amazing colours on the surrounding rocks. Seeing the 40 million year old fossils and bones was incredible - the place is covered with mangrove fossils too. We then camped overnight there - waking up at 3am to see the moon up and looking out at such stunning scenery was something I will never forget. The highlight of our tour to Egypt.

I must admit that I only visited the Stoclet house because it’s on the list and I want to visit as many sites as possible. I’m not sure if it was a wise decision to inscribe it on the list yet. I somehow have the romantic idea that a “World Heritage” should be accessible to the world, which in April 2010 was still not the case. From the few existing pictures I know that the interior must be magnificent, but all one can see by now is a not incredibly exciting façade from only one side of the house. I rather felt like a stalker than a tourist, going there and taking a few pictures. The good thing about the house is that it’s in Brussels, a city with three other WHS. So if you’re there stop by for a moment. It’s an easy one to tick off your list. Unfortunately that’s all.

I, and my wife who is a classical scholar, have visited the remarkable site at Sumurham several times. The whole site is reminiscent of several ancient sites in Greece The 'gate' is very similar to the lion gate at Mycenai, and the plaque on one wall which is inscribed in what, we suppose, is ancient Phonecian. These similarities indicate clearly that Sumurham was once an important trading centre. It well deserves a concentrated archeological study.

As the Netherlands are planning to publish an updated Tentative List later this year, I had a second look at the current list. To me it's a rather unimaginative collection of more polders, dunes, terps, fortifications and Roman remains. The average Dutchman will not be familiar with any of them. I would be surprised to see them return on the next list. The best cards hold the historic centre of Amsterdam (up for WHS nomination this year), the Van Nelle Factory and the former Aftercare Colony and 'Sunray' Sanatorium. The latter two are examples of the Dutch Modern Movement.

Sanatorium Zonnestraal ('Sunray') is located in Hilversum, about 35 kms southwest from Amsterdam. The sanatorium was founded by the Amsterdam Diamondworkers Union as an aftercare colony to train tubercular patients for their return to society. It was a revolutionary social experiment, based on occupational therapy. Its nomination for the Tentative List is because of its role in the Dutch branch of the international Modern Movement. Architects Johannes Duiker and Bernard Bijvoet designed the sanatorium in 1925-1927

I visited Zonnestraal on a Sunday morning. It is located on an estate just outside Hilversum, on the edge of the woods. Entrance is free. During my visit I only met a couple of people walking their dogs. There's a trail that leads you along the major monuments.

All these historic buildings have a very open feel, with lots of glass, windows and doors. The materials used were cheap and simple, they only had to …

I strongly agree with Ian. I visited the museum this April and loved it. Incomprehensible why in some Antwerp travel guides the museum isn’t even mentioned as a highlight. The museum is definitely a must to see in Belgium. It’s really easy to reach, as it’s in the centre of Antwerp, a few minutes walking distance from the main square. I think everything about the museum is already told by Ian. I just can ad that apart from the museum, Antwerp itself is well worth a visit (the small Belfry is also Unesco listed). The main square can compete with those from Bruges or Brussels, there is a gigantic cathedral and the train station is more kind of a palace. Further it seems that there is a restaurant for every kitchen of this planet. If you go to Belgium it would be a big mistake not to visit Antwerp and the Plantin-Moretus Museum.

Went there in 1987 as an 18 year old. Didn't really know what to expect and didn't really understand what it was when I got there. We didn't have the internet back then.

I remember that it was fantastic and fantastically remote. We travelled for hours along an unmade road in a dolmus/minibus full of goats and chickens. I kept falling asleep on an old lady's shoulder and may have dribbled on her, but she was too polite to complain. We spent the night on the mountain top under the stars. It was freezing, but worth it for the sunrise.

Hope it is still the same.

I’ve been to Lyon a couple of times but only on my last visit I had the time to go to the Fourvière hill. The view of the city from the back of the Basilica is magnificent (and the Basilica itself worth a visit even if it is only from the end of XIX century) but what I liked most was the Musèe de la Civilitation Gallo-Romaine in the complex of the Parc Archéologique de Lyon Fourvière where you can also visit for free the beautiful and well preserved Roman Theatres (Grand Théatre and Odéon). I had no idea that this museum had so many, big and wonderful mosaics! They reminded me of those in the Tunis museum, also there I was struck by these outstanding works dating from the Roman empire. You can reach the museum with a funicular railway to be taken near St. Jean Cathedral down in the Vieux Lyon (here, don’t miss to look inside the buildings), then a short walk just on the right, facing the Fourvière Basilica. I’ve also taken a look to the interesting Musée de Beaux Arts that houses one of France's richest collection of art masterpieces and been to the splendid Hotel de Ville where I had the chance to be invited to a gala dinner! Once I’ve also been to the famous Paul Bocuse’s “Abbaye of Collonges” at Collonges, 5km north outside the city of Lyon where there’s a incredible huge “carillon”. It’s a mechanical pipe organ dating 1900, whose …

An incredible city with a wide variety of things to see and do. Delicious food, interesting people, and exquisite Byzantine & Ottoman sites. Hagia Sophia is a magnificient work of architecture, the Blue Mosque is impressive, the intricate designs are easy to get lost in. The cisterns are worth a visit as well. For some the Ottoman Palace is a slight letdown, however I felt it was still worth my time, but I agree it was not my highlight. I enjoyed 5 days in Istanbul and I wish I only had more time. Kabab's everywhere, the Great Bazaar, the call to prayer. All good memories in experiencing a unique and beautiful city.

There has been concerns in recent years about the preservation and management of Istanbul. When I visited the iconic walls, they were in a sad state, but the remaining monuments to my untrained eye looked quite well protected.

As of September 2022, Mammoth Cave includes a total of 426 miles (685 km). In the IUCN evaluation (1981) the total cave system was listed at 190 miles (306 km). Today, 50 years after being designated the longest cave system in the world, Mammoth continues to expand with new discoveries (annually additional mileage of cave explored is published in September). This means the known cave system at Mammoth has more than doubled since inscription.

My first visit was in the Spring of 2009. We camped, we crossed the Green River via ferry, and we took the Historic Cave Tour. This Fall (October 2022), I re-visited the park for a couple reasons. Firstly, I found myself irresistibly close by for a conference in Nashville (1.5 hrs drive). Secondly, my pictures from the first time were not great (some were even lost). Lastly, with so much tours (reserve on recreation.gov), I felt the caves deserved at least one more tour (Domes and Dripstones).

Now Kentucky is considered #1 in America in physical inactivity. Perhaps this is why the park rangers have the stair count memorized for specific caves, for optional sections, and they repeat this information often. A two-hour tour is not especially strenuous, unless you have lung issues, knee issues, or rarely take modest walks or hikes. Anyone between 10 and 50 generally should not have issues and those ages are by no means benchmarks, a reasonably fit retiree should have no issues, but they should be …