Photo: Swarna1311 / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons. The Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram (Mamallapuram, மாமல்லபுரம்), inscribed by UNESCO

Photo: Sasha Isachenko / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons. Taxila (Greek: “Τάξιλα” — transcription of the ancient name, from

Photo: Sandeep7679 / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons. The Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara (नालंदा महाविहार), inscribed by UNESCO

Two World Heritage sites lie within 500 km of the Gusuku Sites of the Ryukyu Kingdom: Amami-Oshima and related islands at 30 km, and Yakushima at 475 km.

The nearest World Heritage sites to the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range are the Ancient Capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara (10 km) and the Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group (28 km).

Two UNESCO sites lie near Gunung Mulu National Park: Niah National Park’s Caves Complex at 131 km and Kinabalu Park at 293 km. Mulu itself holds the largest known cave chamber and one of the world’s largest bat colonies.

Khangchendzonga National Park is the closest World Heritage property to the Mountain Railways of India, at 81 km. Sagarmatha National Park is 168 km away and Paharpur 235 km. The three railways remain operational.

Photo: Bpilgrim / CC BY-SA 2.5 / Wikimedia Commons. The Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya (महाबोधि मंदिर, Bodh Gayā),

Photo: Joel Suganth / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons. Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi (साँची के बौद्ध स्मारक), inscribed by

Photo: PLBechly / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons. The Khajuraho Group of Monuments (खजुराहो स्मारक समूह), inscribed by UNESCO