UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Asia

Galle, which is pronounced "Gawl", is an old trading town 120 km south of Colombo. Its history goes way back, but the boom time was under the Dutch colonial period in the 17th and 18th century. Built on an island stands the impressive Galle Fort. It was built by the Dutch in the 17th century upon an old Portuguese fortress. The fort is actually a walled city with narrow streets, beautiful restored houses, churches, temples and even a mosque for the later arrived Muslim traders. The iconic lighthouse is a bit newer, namely from the British colonial time in early 20th century. Though Galle Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is still inhabited by ordinary people, probably some with colonial ancestors, and some of the beautiful houses have been turned into classy boutique hotels, swanky cafes and art shops for the few tourists. The wide encircling wall is a favourite place for snogging among young couples.

Besides being a huge rock on a flat plateau, it's also the place for the ruins of the spectacular Lion Fortress built on the summit by King Kasyapa in the end of fifth century. After the fall of the kingdom, the rock fortress turned into a Buddhist monastery and was later totally forgotten until rediscovered in the mid-nineteenth century. Halfway up, there are some 1500-year-old rare rock paintings showing a couple of fairly sexy ladies. Maybe it was more a penthouse than a fortress for king Kasyapa...

Sri Lanka has pretty much everything: beaches, temples, colourful culture, friendly people, misty tea plantations, colonial towns, civil war, wild life, and jungle. Sinharaja belongs to the last category and is a hilly virgin rainforest hosting an impressive range of endemic species, including most of Sri Lanka's bird species, butterflies, insects, and reptiles. Though a paradise for tree huggers and birdwatchers, the bigger wildlife is close to impossible to encounter, for the jungle is simply too dense. There are mountain ridges that rise above the tree tops and give magnificent views over the whole jungle. Be prepared for muddy trails and leeches.

Ayuthaya was the crown jewel and powerhouse of ancient Southeast Asia. It was the majestic capital of Siam (name of ancient Thailand) and a major trading centre for the whole Asian region. Its size and splendour were unmatched at the time. Unfortunately, this made the neighbouring Burmese envious, so in 1767 they raided the city, smashed it to pieces and burned the rest. This means of course that today the only surviving structures from the glory days are the ones that were made of bricks, like monasteries and towers. But there are still heaps to see and it is still darn splendid. And all this is just a tranquil day trip from buzzing Bangkok.

The origins of Merv are prehistoric, possibly as far back as the 3rd millennium BC. Leaders came and went but Merv kept growing. There's even a claim to fame that it was the largest city in the world in the 12th century. Today, little remains. Essentially, there are several small walled cities that became amalgamated into one. The few ruins are rather scattered and a car is almost a necessity for a visit. For the few that actually make it to the areas, a visit is well worth it. Rarely does one have the opportunity to roam around a UNESCO world heritage site with quite literally nobody else around (it is Turkmenistan after all).

There is, perhaps, no better place to relive the fabled Silk Road than the old town of Bukhara. Although lacking in individual showpieces (like the Registan in Samarkand), Bukhara has maintained an authentic feel. Its interwinding streets and alleyways meander past ancient mosques and medressas. But it is the fact that the market is so alive that makes Bukhara special. While many of the items on sale are tourist oriented, the visitor can still see local merchants labouring away on hand-made crafts with skills passed down through generations. While the main thoroughfares might get a little busy, it is easy to escape down a back street and have the place to yourself.

The third jewel in the crown of Uzbekistan's ancient Silk Road cities is the town of Khiva. And while some might think "you've seen one, you've seen them all", this is not the case with Khiva. The walled up old Khiva, Ichon Qala, has been heavily restored - almost to the point of Disneyfication. This level of restoration might not appeal to all, but it's a glimpse into the former glory of the city. The old town within the city walls is a wonderful maze of mosques, medressas, art shops, hotels and cafes along with residential houses, adding daily life to the otherwise open-air museum. It's a place to explore at random and just visit as many "historical sights" as you please. Great views over Khiva, both the new and the old part, can be enjoyed by climbing either one of the minarets and/or the northern part of the mud wall, accessed at the northern gate.

There are few places on Earth that are so absolutely spectacular, yet somehow seemingly unknown. The Registan in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, is one of those places. A UNESCO world heritage site, the central square surrounded by magnificently ornate medressas (dating back as much as 500 years) is a true sight to behold. A pillar of Islamic learning throughout the centuries, Samarkand is a thing of legend in the Muslim world. Towering doors and vaulting ceilings lead the visitors eyes to heaven, while the masterfully tiled walls and floors help to keep your feet on the ground. Samarkand is a truly spiritual place.

Samarkand is the most famous of Uzbekistan's 3 must-see Silk Road cities (the others being Bukhara and Khiva). When you first enter the city, the first impression will be of a very modern place with lots of Soviet era apartment blocks, and not at all that ancient Silk Road city with protective walls, towering minarets, and azur domes that you might expect. But when you finally arrive at the Registan and see the blue tiled mosques and medressas, you quickly forget the dull surroundings. The historical centre around Registan and Timur's mausoleum, Gur-e-Amir (picture), is really done up, too much in many opnions, but it's not impossible to find your way into the old town, where people still live in mud brick houses.

Timur (1336-1405) was for Uzbekistan what Genghis Khan (1162-1227) was for Mongolia. Timur was born in Shakhrisabz and grew up to be a blood-thirsty ruler who conquered great parts of Arabia, Persia, Caucasus and northern India, not to mention Central Asia. Like Genghis Khan, his campaigns resulted in the death of more than a million people. Under Timur rule, Shakhrisabz was said to be more splendid than even Samarkand. Today Shakhrisabz is just a small town with a few historical reminders of a bygone era, but is nonetheless an interesting destination. Besides obvious sights, like the intended tomb for Timur which he built himself (Timur's real mausoleum is in Samarkand), the town has a great small-town feel with a buzzing main street carrying the fitting name Ipak Yoli, Uzbek for Silk Road. The drive from Samarkand is equally lovely and goes over the Takhtakaracha Pass (1788 m) with views of snow-covered mountains in the distance. The ride only takes two hours, making Shakhrisabz a possible day trip from Samarkand.