The UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has designated 45 World Heritage Sites in nine countries (also called "State parties") of Southeast Asia: Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Only Brunei and Timor-Leste (East Timor) lack World Heritage Sites.[1][2]
Indonesia lead the list with ten inscribed sites, followed by Vietnam with eight inscribed sites, with Thailand has seven, the Philippines six, Cambodia and Malaysia four each, Laos three, Myanmar two, and Singapore one.[3] The first sites from the region were inscribed at the 15th session of the World Heritage Committee in 1991.[4] The latest site inscribed are Koh Ker: Archaeological Site of Ancient Lingapura or Chok Gargyar in Cambodia, the Ancient Town of Si Thep and its Associated Dvaravati Monuments in Thailand, and the Cosmological Axis of Yogyakarta and its Historic Landmarks in Indonesia, inscribed in the 45th session of the Committee in 2023.[5] Each year, UNESCO's World Heritage Committee may inscribe new sites or delist those no longer meeting the criteria, the selection based on ten criteria of which six stand for cultural heritage (i–vi) and four for natural heritage (vii–x);[6] some sites are "mixed" and represent both types of heritage. In Southeast Asia, there are 30 cultural, 14 natural and 1 mixed sites.[3]
The World Heritage Committee may also specify that a site is endangered, citing "conditions which threaten the very characteristics for which a property was inscribed on the World Heritage List." One site in this region, Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra, is listed as endangered; Angkor and Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras were once listed but were taken off in 2004 and 2012 respectively.
By comparison with other world regions such as East Asia, South Asia, Middle East, Central America, and Western Europe, the designation of UNESCO sites in the Southeast Asian region has been regarded as 'too few and too slow' since the inception of the 21st century. Scholars from various Southeast Asian nations have suggested for the establishment of an inclusive Southeast Asian body that will cater to the gaps of the region's activities in UNESCO as the majority of nations in the region are underperforming in the majority of the lists adopted by UNESCO, notably the World Heritage List.
Site | Image | Location | Criteria | Area ha (acre) |
Year | Description | Refs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Angkor | Siem Reap Province, Cambodia 13°26′N 103°50′E / 13.433°N 103.833°E |
Cultural: (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) |
40,100 (99,000) | 1992 | The site was listed as endangered from its inscription in times of political instability following the civil war in the 1980s to 2004. | [7][8] [9] | |
Archaeological Heritage of the Lenggong Valley | Perak, Malaysia 5°4′N 100°58′E / 5.067°N 100.967°E |
Cultural: (iii), (iv) |
398.64 (985.1); buffer zone 1,786.77 (4,415.2) | 2012 | [10] | ||
Bagan | Mandalay Region, Myanmar 21°10′00″N 94°52′00″E / 21.166667°N 94.866667°E |
Cultural: (iii), (iv), (vi) |
5,005.49 (12,368.8); buffer zone 18,146.83 (44,841.8) | 2019 | [11] | ||
Ban Chiang Archaeological Site | Udon Thani Province, Thailand 17°32′55″N 103°47′23″E / 17.54861°N 103.78972°E |
Cultural: (iii) |
30 (74); buffer zone 760 (1,900) | 1992 | [12] | ||
Baroque Churches of the Philippines | Manila; Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur; Paoay, Ilocos Norte and Miag-ao, Iloilo; Philippines 14°35′24″N 120°58′12″E / 14.59000°N 120.97000°E |
Cultural: (ii), (iv) |
—
|
1993 | [13] | ||
Borobudur Temple Compounds | Magelang Regency, Central Java, Indonesia 7°36′28″S 110°12′13″E / 7.60778°S 110.20361°E |
Cultural: (i), (ii), (vi) |
25.51 (63.0); buffer zone 64.31 (158.9) | 1991 | Buddhist monument dating from the 8th and 9th centuries, located in Central Java. The monument structure is a large stepped pyramid crowned with rows of stupas. | [14] | |
Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long - Hanoi | Hanoi, Vietnam 21°2′22″N 105°50′14″E / 21.03944°N 105.83722°E |
Cultural: (ii), (iii), (vi) |
18.395 (45.46); buffer zone 108 (270) | 2010 | [15] | ||
Citadel of the Hồ Dynasty | Tây Giai, Vĩnh Lộc District, Thanh Hóa Province, Vietnam 20°4′41″N 105°36′17″E / 20.07806°N 105.60472°E |
Cultural: (ii), (iv) |
155.5 (384); buffer zone 5,078.5 (12,549) | 2011 | [16] | ||
Complex of Huế Monuments | Thừa Thiên–Huế Province, Vietnam 16°28′10″N 107°34′40″E / 16.46944°N 107.57778°E |
Cultural: (iii), (iv) |
315.47 (779.5); buffer zone 71.93 (177.7) | 1993 | [17] | ||
Cultural Landscape of Bali Province: the Subak System as a Manifestation of the Tri Hita Karana Philosophy | Bali, Indonesia 8°20′0″S 115°0′0″E / 8.33333°S 115.00000°E |
Cultural: (iii), (v), (vi) |
19,519.9 (48,235); buffer zone 1,454.8 (3,595) | 2012 | [18] | ||
Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex | Saraburi, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Nayok, Prachinburi, Sa Kaeo and Buriram Provinces, Thailand 14°20′N 102°3′E / 14.333°N 102.050°E |
Natural: (x) |
615,500 (1,521,000) | 2005 | [19] | ||
Gunung Mulu National Park | Northern Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia 4°8′N 114°55′E / 4.133°N 114.917°E |
Natural: (vii), (viii), (ix), (x) |
52,864 (130,630) | 2000 | [20] | ||
Hạ Long Bay - Cát Bà Archipelago | Quảng Ninh Province, Vietnam 20°54′N 107°6′E / 20.900°N 107.100°E |
Natural: (vii), (viii) |
65,650 (162,200); buffer zone 34,140 (84,400) | 1994[nb 1] | [21] | ||
Historic City of Ayutthaya | Ayutthaya Province, Thailand 14°20′52″N 100°33′38″E / 14.34778°N 100.56056°E |
Cultural: (iii) |
289 (710) | 1991 | [22] | ||
Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns | Sukhothai and Kamphaeng Phet Provinces, Thailand 17°0′26″N 99°47′23″E / 17.00722°N 99.78972°E |
Cultural: (i), (iii) |
11,852 (29,290) | 1991 | [23] | ||
Historic Town of Vigan | Ilocos Sur, Philippines 17°34′30″N 120°23′15″E / 17.57500°N 120.38750°E |
Cultural: (ii), (iv) |
17.25 (42.6) | 1999 | [24] | ||
Hội An Ancient Town | Hội An, Quảng Nam Province, Vietnam 15°53′0″N 108°20′0″E / 15.88333°N 108.33333°E |
Cultural: (ii), (v) |
30 (74); buffer zone 280 (690) | 1999 | [25] | ||
Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex | Ratchaburi, Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan Provinces, Thailand 13°14′N 5°5′E / 13.233°N 5.083°E |
Natural: (x) |
408,940 (1,010,500) | 2021 | [26] | ||
Kinabalu Park | Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia 6°15′N 116°30′E / 6.250°N 116.500°E |
Natural: (ix), (x) |
75,370 (186,200) | 2000 | [27] | ||
Koh Ker: Archaeological Site of Ancient Lingapura or Chok Gargyar | Preah Vihear Province, Cambodia 13°46′59″N 104°32′14″E / 13.78306°N 104.53722°E |
Cultural: (ii), (iv) |
1,187.61 (2,934.6); buffer zone 3,523.77 (8,707.4) | 2023 | [28] | ||
Komodo National Park | East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia 8°33′S 119°29′E / 8.550°S 119.483°E |
Natural: (vii), (x) |
219,322 (541,960) | 1991 | [29] | ||
Lorentz National Park | Papua, Indonesia 4°45′S 137°50′E / 4.750°S 137.833°E |
Natural: (vii), (ix), (x) |
2,350,000 (5,800,000) | 1999 | [30] | ||
Megalithic Jar Sites in Xiengkhuang - Plain of Jars | Xiangkhouang Province, Laos 19°25′48″N 103°9′10.8″E / 19.43000°N 103.153000°E |
Cultural: (iii) | 174.56 (431.3); buffer zone 1,012.94 (2,503.0) | 2019 | Located on a plateau in central Laos, gets its name from more than 2,100 tubular-shaped megalithic stone jars used for funerary practices in the Iron Age. | [31] | |
Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca | Malacca and Penang, Malay Peninsula, Malaysia 5°25′17″N 100°20′45″E / 5.42139°N 100.34583°E |
Cultural: (ii), (iii), (iv) |
154.68 (382.2); buffer zone 392.8 (971) | 2008 | [32] | ||
Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary | Davao Oriental, Philippines 6°43′2″N 126°10′24″E / 6.71722°N 126.17333°E |
Natural: (x) |
16,923.07 (41,817.8); buffer zone 9,729.47 (24,042.0) | 2014 | [33] | ||
Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary | Duy Phú, Duy Xuyên District, Quảng Nam Province, Vietnam 15°31′0″N 108°34′0″E / 15.51667°N 108.56667°E |
Cultural: (ii), (iii) |
142 (350); buffer zone 920 (2,300) | 1999 | [34] | ||
Ombilin Coal Mining Heritage of Sawahlunto | West Sumatra, Indonesia 0°40′0″S 100°47′0″E / 0.66667°S 100.78333°E |
Cultural: (ii),(iv) |
268.18 (662.7); buffer zone 7,356.92 (18,179.3) | 2019 | Sawahlunto is the oldest coal mining town in South East Asia. At the end of the 19th century, Dutch Indies had discovered and further exploited coal in Sawahlunto. | [35] | |
Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park | Bố Trạch and Minh Hóa districts, Quảng Bình Province, Vietnam 17°32′14″N 106°9′5″E / 17.53722°N 106.15139°E |
Natural: (viii) |
123,326 (304,750); buffer zone 220,055 (543,770) | 2003 | [36] | ||
Prambanan Temple Compounds | Central Java and Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia 7°45′8″S 110°29′30″E / 7.75222°S 110.49167°E |
Cultural: (i), (iv) |
—
|
1991 | [37] | ||
Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park | Palawan, Philippines 10°10′0″N 118°55′0″E / 10.16667°N 118.91667°E |
Natural: (vii), (x) |
22,202 (54,860) | 1999 | [38] | ||
Pyu Ancient Cities | Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Myanmar 22°28′12″N 95°49′7″E / 22.47000°N 95.81861°E |
Cultural: (ii), (iii), (iv) |
5,809 (14,350); buffer zone 6,790 (16,800) | 2014 | [39] | ||
Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras | Ifugao, Cordillera Region, Philippines 16°56′2″N 121°8′12″E / 16.93389°N 121.13667°E |
Cultural: (iii), (iv), (v) |
—
|
1995 | [40][41] | ||
Sangiran Early Man Site | Central Java, Indonesia 7°24′0″S 110°49′0″E / 7.40000°S 110.81667°E |
Cultural: (iii), (vi) |
5,600 (14,000) | 1996 | [42] | ||
Singapore Botanic Gardens | Central Region, Singapore 1°18′55″N 103°48′58″E / 1.31528°N 103.81611°E |
Cultural: (ii), (iv) |
49 (120); buffer zone 137 (340) | 2015 | [43] | ||
Temple of Preah Vihear | Preah Vihear Province, Cambodia 14°23′26″N 104°40′49″E / 14.39056°N 104.68028°E |
Cultural: (i) |
154.7 (382); buffer zone 2,642.5 (6,530) | 2008 | [44] | ||
Temple Zone of Sambor Prei Kuk, Archaeological Site of Ancient Ishanapura | Kompung Thom Province, Cambodia 12°52′15″N 105°2′35″E / 12.87083°N 105.04306°E |
Cultural: (ii), (iii), (vi) |
840.03 (2,075.8); buffer zone 2,523.6 (6,236) | 2017 | [45] | ||
The Ancient Town of Si Thep and its Associated Dvaravati Monuments | Phetchabun Province, Thailand | Cultural: (ii), (iii) |
866.471 (2,141.10); buffer zone 3,824.148 (9,449.68) | 2023 | [46] | ||
The Cosmological Axis of Yogyakarta and its Historic Landmarks | Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia | Cultural: (ii), (iii) |
42.22 (104.3); buffer zone 291.17 (719.5) | 2023 | The 6 km north-south axis central axis of Yogyakarta is positioned to link Mount Merapi and the Indian Ocean, with the Kraton at its centre, has become a centre of government and Javanese cultural traditions. | [47] | |
Thungyai-Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuaries | Kanchanaburi, Tak and Uthai Thani Provinces, Thailand 15°20′N 98°55′E / 15.333°N 98.917°E |
Natural: (vii), (ix), (x) |
622,200 (1,537,000) | 1991 | [48] | ||
Town of Luang Prabang | Luang Prabang Province, Laos 19°53′20″N 102°8′0″E / 19.88889°N 102.13333°E |
Cultural: (ii), (iv), (v) |
820 (2,000); buffer zone 12,560 (31,000) | 1995 | [49] | ||
Tràng An Landscape Complex | Ninh Binh Province, Vietnam 20°15′24″N 105°53′47″E / 20.25667°N 105.89639°E |
Mixed: (v), (vii), (viii) |
6,226 (15,380); buffer zone 6,026 (14,890) | 2014 | [50] | ||
Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra† | Sumatra, Indonesia 2°30′S 101°30′E / 2.500°S 101.500°E |
Natural: (vii), (ix), (x) |
2,595,124 (6,412,690) | 2004 | [51][52] | ||
Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park | Cagayancillo, Palawan, Philippines 8°57′12″N 119°52′3″E / 8.95333°N 119.86750°E |
Natural: (vii), (ix), (x) |
96,828 (239,270) | 1993[nb 2] | [53][54] | ||
Ujung Kulon National Park | Banten and Lampung, Indonesia 6°45′S 105°20′E / 6.750°S 105.333°E |
Natural: (vii), (x) |
78,525 (194,040) | 1991 | [55] | ||
Vat Phou and Associated Ancient Settlements within the Champasak Cultural Landscape | Champasak Province, Laos 14°50′54″N 105°49′20″E / 14.84833°N 105.82222°E |
Cultural: (iii), (iv), (vi) |
39,000 (96,000) | 2001 | [56] |
Southeast Asia has the fewest UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Asia, next to Central and North Asia, despite being the base of the UNESCO Asia-Pacific headquarters located in Bangkok, Thailand and having a diverse line of natural and cultural heritage sites. Due to this, numerous scholars have been calling on Southeast Asian governments to participate and nominate more sites in UNESCO annually.
Various institutions have also criticized UNESCO for its 'Europe-centric' designations. An example of which was when UNESCO declared 10 UNESCO sites in Italy (a European country) in just a single year (1997). During the same time, 8 sites were declared for the entire Asian continent, where no designated site was located in Southeast Asia at all.[57]
Green - Natural; Yellow - Cultural; Blue - Mixed; Red - In danger
The performance of Southeast Asia is contrasted by the performance of South and East Asia. Southeast Asian countries are in blue.
Brunei and Timor-Leste currently have no tentative list sites. Both Brunei and Timor-Leste are presently undergoing comprehensive research for tentative site submissions [citation needed]. The latest countries revised their tentative lists are Vietnam and Singapore in 2022, followed by Malaysia and Thailand last revised their tentative lists in 2021, Cambodia last revised in 2020, Laos last revised in 2019, Indonesia and Myanmar last revised in 2018, and the Philippines last revised in 2015. The following lists also include the current nomination process being focused on by each country.