Agile Personal Development

With over 851 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, choosing which ones should be on your must-see list is a daunting task. Trust me, I’ve been trying to figure it out for myself recently, and there are a lot of good choices.

I’ve compiled this list of the Top 10 cultural sites, focused on the world’s history and heritage.

1. Athens, Greece. Here is the birthplace of democracy, a key development in the world. This is where you’ll find the Acropolis, one of Top 10 archaeological sites in world. Also where Western Philosophy (and some would say Western Civilization) began with those guys you know about but have never really studied (shame on you!) - Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.
2. Chichen Itza, Mexico. This site in the Yucatan area of Mexico contains the ruins of one of the greatest centers of the Mayan civilization. It is also one of the 7 New Wonders of the World, and one of the Top 10 archaeological sites in the world (see link above).
3. Egyptian Pyramids. Specifically, most people think of the Giza Necropolis, site of the Great Pyramid (the only remaining site of the original 7 Wonders of the World). These are great artifacts of the life and times of Ancient Egypt.
4. Great Wall of China. While there are a number of significant cultural sites within China representing different dynasties, such as the Terra Cotta Warriors in Xi’an (Qin dynasty), or the Forbidden City in Beijing (Ming dynasty), the building of the Great Wall spans across both of these dynasties (almost 2000 years).
5. Kyoto, Japan. As the capital of Imperial Japan for over 1000 years, there are many historical sites to see. Make sure you check out a few of the Top 20 Zen Gardens in the world, such as Ryoan-ji. Sit and ponder more than just your navel.
6. Machu Picchu, Peru. One of the most famous pictures you’ll ever see, this Incan city built high in the Andean mountains is a popular site for hiking. It is also one of the 7 New Wonders of the World.
7. Mahabodhi Temple Complex (Bodh Gaya), India. This is one of the holiest sites for Buddhism, as the site where the Buddha’s enlightenment occurred. It also was built during the Gupta period of India, also known as the “Golden Age of India“. This was when the concept of the number zero was first developed, as well as significant work in astronomy (I read a rumor the Kama Sutra was written then as well). Alternatively, the Taj Mahal is another major site representing Indian heritage (built during the reign of the Mughal Empire) that is quite a bit more famous, and also one of the 7 New Wonders of the World.
8. Old City of Jerusalem. This location is considered holy by three of the world’s major religions - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (you could call it a “threefer”). This is also where the Dead Sea Scrolls currently are on display, their texts dating back to before 100 AD.
9. Rome, Italy. In addition to being the capital of the Roman Republic and Empire, it also includes the sites of the Holy See (the government of the Catholic Church) and Vatican City, including St. Peter’s Basilica (one of the holiest sites for Christianity) and the Sistine Chapel (you recognize the Sistine Chapel of course, where some famous guy painted something on ceiling). The Vatican museums are considered by some to be one of the Top 10 in the world. The Colosseum has recently been named one of the 7 New Wonders of the World.
10. St. Petersburg, Russia. This location was built by Peter the Great, who established the Russian Empire and St. Petersburg as its capital. It is also the site of the Hermitage, one of the Top 10 Museums in the World. And if you don’t that is good enough reason to go, the fact that AskMen.com says this is one of the top 10 World Heritage Sites should convince you.

Making a list like this is difficult, since there are a number of criteria that can be used. My criteria was that all of them had to be on the UNESCO list of cultural World Heritage Sites, and I also have attempted to capture those sites which represent major civilizations or empires in the world’s history, including some of the key sites for the world’s religions. From the Roman Empire to the Incas, from the Japanese Shogun era to Ancient Egypt, I’ve tried to cover the major locations that have influenced the development of world cultures.

There are two others that deserve honorable mentions: Istanbul, Turkey (formerly known as Constantinople), the capital of the Byzantine Empire, and Paris, France whose significant cultural heritage includes the French monarchy and the Cathedral of Notre-Dame.

Any ideas on other sites? Also, if you’ve been to any of the above sites, I’m interested in whether you think they are worth it and truly represent the major sites of world history and heritage.

As mentioned in a previous post, I’m compiling lists of the Top 10 travel locations in the world for different features. Here are the Top 10 travel locations for seeing nature. All of them are associated with natural World Heritage Sites. Some are ranked high for eco-tourism and others for guys to go check out on their next mancation. Each one contains a unique feature of world, such as glaciers, rainforests, everglades, coral reefs, and a big rock in the middle of nowhere. In alphabetical order, here are the Top 10 Nature Sites:

1. African Wilderness. When you think of nature in Africa, you probably think of vast expanses of grasslands with thousands and thousands of animals migrating across them. You also think of the “Big Five” animals that everyone hopes to see while on safari there. While there are a lot of locations within Africa to go on safari, Kenya (e.g. Masai Mara National Reserve) is the most popular, although Serengeti National Park is a World Heritage Site.
2. Alaska. This is a beautiful location (although a little cold) to see glaciers in their natural habitat. In particular, the Glacier Bay and Wrangell-St. Elias National Parks are where you should go. If you like huge mountains (some of the biggest in North America), you won’t be disappointed. While you are in the state, you might as well visit Denali National Park as well and check out the tallest mountain in North America (aka Mt. McKinley). You might also catch a glimpse of the powerful grizzly bear, although hopefully you’ll see one from a safe distance away!
3. Amazon Rainforest. The Amazon Basin (which drains into the Amazon river) has some of the most diverse species and is the largest rainforest in the world. By popular opinion, the best location to experience the Amazon is at Manu National Park in Peru. There are lots of different bird species here, in addition to more plant biodiversity than you can shake a stick at. The other interesting thing about this park is that it is so remote, you need to access it by boat - there aren’t a lot of roads leading there.
4. Everglades National Park. This area in the southern part of Florida is the most unique location in the world to see this type of marshy, swampy land that extends for over 2000 square miles (6000 square kilometers). And plus you get to ride around in boats with big fans on the back called airboats (imagine that!). If you visit here, you could probably swing by Disney World on your way. Not quite a nature spot, but if you have children, you don’t really have a choice.
5. Galapagos Islands. These islands off the coast of Ecuador are one of the key places in the world for studying how life evolves over time. You are probably familiar with Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection, which he developed during a visit here. Follow in his footsteps and come to see the large number of unique species.
6. Grand Canyon National Park. Have you ever seen something a mile (1.6 kilometers) deep? Step up to the edge of the Grand Canyon and you’ll get the picture. Or if you need a little more adrenaline, you can visit the nearby Grand Canyon Skywalk, and stand out over the edge of a side canyon at over 4000 ft (1200 m) . Many people hike down into the Grand Canyon, or raft down the Colorado River. Expect the Grand Canyon to show up on my Top 10 list of travel sites for sports as well.
7. Great Barrier Reef. As one of the largest and best examples of coral reefs in the world, this site off the coast of Australia is extremely popular for diving (also will probably make the Top 10 list of travel sites for sports). There are over a thousand types of fish you might see while diving here.
8. Iguazu/Iguacu National Parks. These twin parks contain the best waterfall (by popular opinion, although Victoria Falls in Africa is close) in the world. The waterfall and surrounding rainforest extend into both Argentina and Brazil. And best of all, you can check off two World Heritage sites at once!
9. Uluru / Ayers Rock National Park.  This site is famous for the large, huge, enormous, gigantic rock (aka monolith) sitting in the middle of the desert. In addition to the natural significance, it is also highly significant from a cultural perspective as well.
10. Yellowstone National Park. This park is unique for its geothermal activity, including the famous geyser, “Old Faithful“, that erupts at a very predictable frequency. You’ll also see a lot of wildlife in this area, with grizzly bears being one of the more unique types. Just in case you didn’t see enough of them in Alaska.

I’m sure you have different ideas for the best sites in the world to visit for nature, add your favorites into the comments.

With all the great places in the world to visit, how do you choose and prioritize the best places? That’s the question I’ve been asking myself lately. A key aspect of my personal vision is to continuously explore the world. There are many locations that I want to visit, and things to experience. For example, a goal on my life list is to visit all the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. However, with over 851 sites, I’ve come to realize that the likelihood of visiting all of them is like many of the sites - remote.

To make achieving this goal a little more realistic, I’ve come up with series of posts on the Top 10 travel locations, categorized by different reasons that people travel. (I’ll focus on traveling for the purpose of recreation only - apologies to all of you LIPs!). My selection criteria is the location’s popularity and the uniqueness of the travel destination.

Here are the categories I’m using for types of travel. I’ll post on each them in the future.

1. Nature. These are the unique locations in the world to see certain flora, fauna, or natural wonders. Many of them are within national parks or forests.
2. History & Heritage. These sites have significant relevance to how the world and our different cultures have been shaped. The UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Sites are in this category.
3. Leisure. Ahh, lying around on a beach somewhere, relaxing in a mountain cabin, or chatting it up with the owners of a bed and breakfast somewhere. These sites provide some nice scenery to look at while you sip a cold beverage of your choice.
4. Sports. This type of travel is focused on a specific sport, versus the adventure travel listed below. Skiing, biking, rafting, kayaking, surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving, hiking, the list goes on. There are many sites in the world known as *the* place to do these sports.
5. Food & Drink. To experience the best of world cuisine, you need to taste it in person. These are the quintessential locations for doing just that.
6. Adventure. Need to be engaged in your travel experience? Getting dropped off by helicopter at the top of a mountain to go skiing in the back country more your thing? These sites are the top ones for you.
7. Quirky/Strange/Unusual. The biggest ball of twine in the world? Got to see it! A nuclear fallout site? Take me there! If this sounds like you, these unusual travel locations are probably top on your list.

Honorable mention: One of the more interesting travel types is “volunteer vacations”. This is a popular type of travel, especially for recent university graduates. The idea is that you contribute your time and skills to help out somewhere in the world. One organization focused on this is Global Volunteers - their teams support projects in over 20 countries. There are many others, each one focused on improving a specific part of the world.