The UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has designated 50 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.
Indonesia lead the list with ten inscribed sites, followed by Vietnam with nine,Vietnam and Laos have one transboundary property: Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park and Hin Nam No National Park. Thailand with eight, Malaysia and the Philippines each with six, Cambodia with five, Laos with four, Myanmar with two, and Singapore with one. The first sites from the region were inscribed at the 15th session of the World Heritage Committee in 1991. The latest sites inscribed are Cambodian Memorial Sites: From centres of repression to places of peace and reflection in Cambodia, Forest Research Institute Malaysia Forest Park Selangor in Malaysia and Yen Tu-Vinh Nghiem-Con Son, Kiep Bac Complex of Monuments and Landscapes in Vietnam, inscribed in the 47th session of the Committee in 2025. 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); some sites are "mixed" and represent both types of heritage. In Southeast Asia, there are 32 cultural, 14 natural and 1 mixed sites.
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.
Legend
Site; named after the World Heritage Committee's official designation Location; at city, regional, or provincial level and geocoordinates Criteria; as defined by the World Heritage Committee Area; in hectares and acres. If available, the size of the buffer zone has been noted as well. A value of zero implies that no data has been published by UNESCO Year; during which the site was inscribed to the World Heritage List Description; brief information about the site, including reasons for qualifying as an endangered site, if applicable.
World Heritage Sites
Site Image Location Criteria Areaha (acre) Year Description Refs Angkor Cultural:(i), (ii), (iii), (iv) 1992 The site was listed as endangered from its inscription in times of political instability following the civil war in the 1980s to 2004. Archaeological Heritage of the Lenggong Valley Cultural:(iii), (iv) ; buffer zone 2012 Bagan Cultural:(iii), (iv), (vi) ; buffer zone 2019 Ban Chiang Archaeological Site Cultural:(iii) ; buffer zone 1992 Baroque Churches of the Philippines Cultural:(ii), (iv) 1993 Borobudur Temple Compounds Cultural:(i), (ii), (vi) ; buffer zone 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. Cambodian Memorial Sites: From centres of repression to places of peace and reflection Cultural:(vi) ; buffer zone 2025 Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long - Hanoi Cultural:(ii), (iii), (vi) ; buffer zone 2010 Citadel of the Hồ Dynasty Cultural:(ii), (iv) ; buffer zone 2011 Complex of Huế Monuments Cultural:(iii), (iv) ; buffer zone 1993 Cultural Landscape of Bali Province: the Subak System as a Manifestation of the Tri Hita Karana Philosophy Cultural:(iii), (v), (vi) ; buffer zone 2012 Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex Natural:(x) 2005 Forest Research Institute Malaysia Forest Park Selangor Natural:(ii), (vi) ; buffer zone 2025 Gunung Mulu National Park Natural:(vii), (viii), (ix), (x) 2000 Hạ Long Bay - Cát Bà Archipelago Natural:(vii), (viii) ; buffer zone 1994First inscription as Ha Long Bay. Extended inscription in 2000 to include natural criterion (i) (in present nomenclature criterion (vii)) and extended again in 2023 to include Cat Ba Archipelago and name change to the present name. Historic City of Ayutthaya Cultural:(iii) 1991 Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns Cultural:(i), (iii) 1991 Historic Town of Vigan Cultural:(ii), (iv) 1999 Hội An Ancient Town Cultural:(ii), (v) ; buffer zone 1999 Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex Natural:(x) 2021 Kinabalu Park Natural:(ix), (x) 2000 Koh Ker: Archaeological Site of Ancient Lingapura or Chok Gargyar Cultural:(ii), (iv) ; buffer zone 2023 Komodo National Park Natural:(vii), (x) 1991 Lorentz National Park Natural:(vii), (ix), (x) 1999 Megalithic Jar Sites in Xiengkhuang - Plain of Jars Cultural: (iii) ; buffer zone 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. Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca Cultural:(ii), (iii), (iv) ; buffer zone 2008 Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary Natural:(x) ; buffer zone 2014 Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary Cultural:(ii), (iii) ; buffer zone 1999 Ombilin Coal Mining Heritage of Sawahlunto Cultural: (ii),(iv) ; buffer zone 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. Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park and Hin Nam No National Park* Bố Trạch and Minh Hóa districts, Quảng Bình Province, ; Natural:(viii), (ix), (x) ; buffer zone 2003First inscription as Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. Extended inscription in 2025 to include natural criterion (iii) and (iv) (in present nomenclature criterion (ix) and (x)) with include Hin Nam No National Park to be transboundary property with Laos and name change to the present name. Phu Phrabat, a testimony to the Sīma stone tradition of the Dvaravati period Cultural:(iii), (v) ; buffer zone 2024 Prambanan Temple Compounds Cultural:(i), (iv) 1991 Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park Natural:(vii), (x) 1999 Pyu Ancient Cities Cultural:(ii), (iii), (iv) ; buffer zone 2014 Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras Cultural:(iii), (iv), (v) 1995 Sangiran Early Man Site Cultural:(iii), (vi) 1996 Singapore Botanic Gardens Cultural:(ii), (iv) ; buffer zone 2015 Temple of Preah Vihear Cultural:(i) ; buffer zone 2008 Temple Zone of Sambor Prei Kuk, Archaeological Site of Ancient Ishanapura Cultural:(ii), (iii), (vi) ; buffer zone 2017 The Ancient Town of Si Thep and its Associated Dvaravati Monuments Cultural:(ii), (iii) ; buffer zone 2023 The Archaeological Heritage of Niah National Park's Caves Complex Cultural:(iii), (v) ; buffer zone 2024 The Cosmological Axis of Yogyakarta and its Historic Landmarks Cultural:(ii), (iii) ; buffer zone 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. Thungyai-Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuaries Natural:(vii), (ix), (x) 1991 Town of Luang Prabang Cultural:(ii), (iv), (v) ; buffer zone 1995 Tràng An Landscape Complex Mixed:(v), (vii), (viii) ; buffer zone 2014 Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra† Natural:(vii), (ix), (x) 2004 Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park Natural:(vii), (ix), (x) 1993First inscription as Tubbataha Reef Marine Park. Extended in 2009 and name change to the present name. Ujung Kulon National Park Natural:(vii), (x) 1991 Vat Phou and Associated Ancient Settlements within the Champasak Cultural Landscape Cultural:(iii), (iv), (vi) 2001 Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan, Nakhon Si Thammarat Cultural:(ii), (vi) 2026 Yen Tu-Vinh Nghiem-Con Son, Kiep Bac Complex of Monuments and Landscapes Cultural:(iii), (vi) ; buffer zone 2025
Location of sites 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.
Green - Natural; Yellow - Cultural; Blue - Mixed; Red - In danger
Performance of Southeast Asia in UNESCO The performance of Southeast Asia is contrasted by the performance of South and East Asia. Southeast Asian countries are in blue.
Tentative List Brunei and Timor-Leste currently have no tentative list sites. Both Brunei and Timor-Leste are presently undergoing comprehensive research for tentative site submissions . The latest countries revised their tentative lists are the Philippines and Thailand in 2024.
The following lists are the current nomination process for each country.
Cambodia There are currently 6 sites on the tentative list. The Site of Angkor Borei and Phnom Da (2020) The Archeological complex of Banteay Chhmar (2020) Beng Malea Temple (2020) Ancient City of Oudong (2020) Phnom Kulen: Archeological Site/Ancient Site of Mahendraparvata (2020) The ancient complex of Preah Khan Kompong Svay (2020)
Indonesia There are currently 19 sites on the tentative list. Betung Kerihun National Park (Transborder Rainforest Heritage of Borneo) (2004) Bunaken National Park (2005) Raja Ampat Islands (2005) Taka Bonerate National Park (2005) Wakatobi National Park (2005) Derawan Islands (2005) Tana Toraja Traditional Settlement (2009) Bawomataluo Site (2009) Muara Takus Compound Site (2009) Trowulan - Former Capital City of Majapahit Kingdom (2009) Sangkulirang - Mangkalihat Karts: Prehistoric rock art area (2015) The Old Town of Jakarta (Formerly old Batavia) and 4 Outlying Islands (Onrust, Kelor, Cipir dan Bidadari) (2015) (Nominated in 2018) Semarang Old Town (2015) Traditional Settlement at Nagari Sijunjung (2015) The Historic and Marine Landscape of the Banda Islands (2015) Kebun Raya Bogor (2018) Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra – Significant Boundary Modification (2023) Karst Landscape Maros Pangkep Prehistoric Cave Area (2025) Megalithic Cultural Heritage of Lore Lindu Area (2025) Muarajambi Temple Compound (2025) The Land Below the Wind: Spice Trade Route on XIII-XVIII AD (2025)
Laos There are currently 2 sites on the tentative list. That Luang of Vientiane (1992) Hin Nam No National Protected Area (2019)
Malaysia There are currently 4 sites on the tentative list. National Park (Taman Negara) of Peninsular Malaysia (2014) Gombak Selangor Quartz Ridge (2017) Royal Belum State Park (2017) Sungai Buloh Leprosarium (2019)
Myanmar There are currently 15 sites on the tentative list. Wooden Monasteries of Konbaung Period: Ohn Don, Sala, Pakhangyi, Pakhannge, Legaing, Sagu, Shwe-Kyaung (Mandalay) (1996) Badah-lin and associated caves (1996)