9 Newly Added UNESCO Sites You MUST SEE at Least Once in This Lifetime

These newly added UNESCO sites are begging to be on your travel bucket list!

The Pyramids of Giza, Petra, Machu Picchu, and the Taj Mahal are some of the most remarkable UNESCO World Heritage sites on the planet.

Many of them, like Mammoth Cave National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, and, of course, the Statue of Liberty, can be visited in the US, and we recommend seeing them at least once in this lifetime.

But this year, the UNESCO World Heritage Convention has inscribed a few more cultural and natural places. They’re not only considered valuable to the country in question but also to humanity.

So let’s not waste any more time! Here are 9 newly added UNESCO sites you should visit as soon as possible!

Vjetrenica Cave, Bosnia and Herzegovina

-Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday, 9 am to 6 pm
-Entry fee: About $85

The most extensive cave in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Vjetrenica Cave, is situated in the village of Ravno, home to approximately 3,000 people. Thousands of years ago, these caves were homes for prehistoric humans.

Nowadays, though, this newly added UNESCO site allows visitors to experience a fascinating geologic tour along their natural winding hallways. An extremely unique feature of this expansive cave system is the rare nature found inside.

Vjetrenica Cave is home to the world’s only subterranean tube worm and numerous species of subterranean aquatic fauna that prosper in this unique ecosystem.

The caves also include quite a few ancient animal species whose nearest relatives are extinct. This astonishing biodiversity makes the cave a must-visit natural wonder if you find yourself in the area.

Badain Jaran Desert, Towers Of Sand And Lakes, China

-Best Time to Visit: May, June, September, and October for less crowds and nice temperatures
-Opening Hours: 24/7
-Entry Fee: About $22

China is full of natural wonders and incredible architecture, from the Great Wall to the phenomenal Rainbow Mountains. The Badain Jaran Desert is simply another, though a lesser-known, newly added UNESCO site to visit.

Extending over the provinces of Ningxia, Gansu, and inner Mongolia, this newly added UNESCO site features ancient temples and dunes whose height averages over 1,000 feet and has even reached more than 1,500 feet at times.

The World Heritage Convention wasn’t only impressed with “the highest concentration of inter-dunal lakes, and the largest expanse of so-called singing sands,” and “the world’s tallest, stabilized sand mega-dune,” but also with the “high level of habitat diversity, and hence of biodiversity.”

Lencois Maranhenses National Park, Brazil

-When to Visit: Between May and September
-Opening Hours: 8 am to 6 pm
-Entry fee: Free

In northeastern Brazil, this newly added UNESCO site features the country’s most extensive dune field, mangroves, and crystalline lagoons and lakes.

It offers photography, trailing, bird-watching, swimming, and off-roading opportunities, making it a premium tourist attraction.

The site was picked by UNESCO because “Beyond its essential role in biodiversity conservation, the park boasts globally significant aesthetic and geological and geomorphological values.

The vast expanse of stable and shifting dunes, the largest in South America, presents remarkable evidence of the evolutionary progression of coastal dunes throughout the Quaternary period.”

The newly added UNESCO site has several endangered species, like the neotropical otter, scarlet ibis, and West Indian manatee.

Nelson Mandela Legacy Sites, South Africa

-Best Time to Visit: May to September when the days are more relaxed, sunnier and drier

Nelson Mandela was one of history’s most influential civil rights activists who aided South Africa in overcoming its awful history of apartheid.

Recognizing how critical Mandela’s influence was and remains to this day, UNESCO added a collection of his legacy sites to the World Heritage List this year.

There are 14 unique sites, including the Great Place at Mqhekezweni, where Mandela lived as a child, and the Sharpeville sites, which mark a horrific massacre of protesters who were slaughtered while protesting racially discriminatory laws.

If you decide to visit, you can journey through these sobering and fascinating newly added UNESCO sites to learn more about this great man’s life and the lasting effect of his work and the work of those around him.

Brancusi Monumental Ensemble of Targu Jiu, Romania

-Pieces: The Table of Silence, the Endless Column, and the Gate of the Kiss
-Opening Hours: 24/7
-Entry fee: Free

Romania is known primarily for Transylvania’s enchanting castles and folklore.

But from now on, it’ll also be visited for this newly added UNESCO site! It features an incredible Sculptural Ensemble of Constantin Brancusi, a testament to the national heroes of World War I authorized by the National League of Gorj Women and introduced in 1938.

The Heritage Convention says that, “The remarkable fusion of engineering, abstract sculpture, landscape architecture, and urban planning conceived by Constantin Brancusi goes far beyond the local wartime episode to offer an original vision of the human condition.”

Phu Phrabat, Thailand

-Best Time to Visit: November to February
-Entry fee: About $1

The Phu Phrabat Historical Park, in the Ban Phue district of northeastern Thailand, is well-known for unique rock formations, including boulders, spires, and massive rocks that seem to be alarmingly balanced.

The rocks have been standing at this newly added UNESCO site since prehistoric times, as evidenced by the carved human art that’s believed to date back more than 6,000 years.

From the seventh century CE throughout the 11th century, Buddhist and Hindu worshippers used these rocks as religious shrines. They remain a yearly pilgrimage site for many people who live in the region, who come to pray just as their ancestors once did.

Umm El-Jimal Village, Jordan

-When to Visit: Spring and autumn for milder temperatures
-Hours of Operation: Dawn to dusk
-Entry fee: Free

Thinking about Jordan conjures up visions of the Dead Sea and a ton of intriguing historic sites, including the Baptism Site, Petra, and Umm El-Jimal Village.

The latter, a newly added UNESCO site, signifies “Mother of Camels,” features unique basalt architecture and was inhabited some time between the 1st and 8th centuries AD through the Roman, Nabatean, Byzantine, and Umayyad periods.

The intricate water catchment system for herding and agriculture and tombstones with Nabatean and Greek inscriptions repurposed as building blocks are worth noting at this newly added UNESCO site.

Te Henua Enata, The Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

Best Time to Visit: In the dry season, from late fall to early spring

Known as Te Henua Enata or “The Land of Men,” the Marquesas Islands are a group of 15 volcanic islands in French Polynesia, situated northeast of Tahiti.

They were first inhabited in the 10th century AD. UNESCO finds them a “hotspot of biodiversity that combines irreplaceable and exceptionally well-conserved terrestrial and marine ecosystems.

Marked by impressive peaks, sharp ridges, and cliffs ascending abruptly above the ocean, the landscapes of this newly added UNESCO site are unparalleled in these tropical latitudes.”

Other aspects that contributed to the designation include “archaeological sites ranging from monumental dry-stone structures to lithic sculptures and engravings.”

Via Appia, Italy

-Best Time To Visit: Mornings, on a clear weekday
-Hours of Operation: From 9 a.m.; closing times vary
-Entry fee: About $8

This revolutionary road allowed new settlements and facilitated trade. Amazingly, the Via Appia or Appian Way, one of Italy’s most famous ancient Roman sites worth visiting, hadn’t made the UNESCO list before this year.

This newly added UNESCO site was constructed between 312 and 264 BC, allowing merchants and soldiers to travel between Rome, Brindisi, and Capua.

This long stretch is nowadays a popular cycling, trailing, and picnicking site that attracts history and archeology buffs to its many landmarks, from mausoleums to baths, bridges, amphitheaters, canals, and basilicas.

Fun Fact: The Appian Way is Italy’s 60th UNESCO World Heritage Site. So, be sure to pack your camera and some comfy shoes before heading out on your Italian adventure!

Have you visited any of these newly added UNESCO sites yet? If so, be sure to share your experiences with us in the comments below. But if you haven’t and wish to visit someplace closer to home, check out: 7 Incredible US UNESCO World Heritage Sites to See in Your Lifetime