Asia is a continent that has an amazing history, and while many people think of beautiful natural features such as the Himalayas or the coast of South East Asia, there are plenty of historic sites to visit too. Indeed, many of these sites are truly spectacular themselves, and show off some of the amazing scale and ambition that the civilizations of the region have been capable of achieving. There are hundreds of different sites that you can visit depending on the region that you intend to visit, but here are a few of the most popular and impressive sites to explore if you have the opportunity to visit Asia.

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

This amazing temple complex dates from around the tenth century, and is without doubt the most iconic tourist site in Cambodia, as well as being one of the greatest monuments left by the Khmer empire. A truly spectacular place to explore, the temple itself is ornately decorated with intricately carved scenes depicting various religious scenes, and these are particularly impressive because of how well they have been preserved. If you are staying in Siem Reap, it is worth getting to the site early in the morning, as the opportunity to enjoy the sunrise over the temple is a wonderful sight to behold, as you can see in this time lapse video.

The Great Wall, China

The Great Wall of China is another stunning monument both in terms of its scale and the durability of the building work used in constructing the wall, and is definitely worth visiting if you are exploring China. The wall is actually made up of several different stretches of wall that were built over several centuries and then combined, and today there are still sections of the wall that are in good condition and can be walked upon, offering a stunning view of the surrounding countryside. One of the myths is that the Great Wall is the only man-made object that is visible from space, but this is not accurate, although it doesn't take anything away from the wonderful achievement and workmanship that constructed this wall.

The Potala Palace, Tibet

Located in the capital of Tibet, Lhasa, this impressive palace is situated on a prominent mount at the heart of the city, and served as the official residence of the Dalai Lama for centuries up until 1959, when the current Dalai Lama fled the city in 1959, following the Chinese Occupation of the country. The building was constructed in the seventeenth century, and finally completed in 1694, and was one of the largest buildings in the world for many centuries. Those looking to visit the palace will want to try and plan their trip in advance, as there have been visitor restrictions in terms of the number of visitors allowed to go into the palace, with a daily quota in place that is often filled in the mornings.

The Taj Mahal, India

This is another iconic Asian building that is located in the city of Agra, in Uttar Pratesh. This amazing mausoleum was built in the seventeenth century by the Emperor Shah Jahan to act as the tomb for his third wife. The famous white dome is at the center of the building, and the attractively decorated interior is almost as impressive as the superb view of the temple as you approach. Surrounded by an area of beautiful gardens and the lovely reflecting pool that runs down the main approach path to the mausoleum, this is truly an icon of India that well deserves its recognition as an UNESCO world heritage site.