Thomas Buechler

Switzerland \ Member since December 2010

#2 1011 480 88

I started travelling in Europe with the popular Interrail ticket that was valid for most of the Western European countries.
That was more than 30 years ago.And what looked like a normal student experience, turned out to be just the beginning of an incredible lifespan tasting of different countries, cultures,people and cuisines.But it all started with Europe.
1980 I moved my "headquarters" to the Philippines, and started to visit all of Southeast Asia, and its marvelous temples and cultural sites, also in China and the Indian Subcontinent.
Later on ,I visited all countries in Oceania,South America, Central America and the
Carribean. On the African continent I have been to all 54 UN countries, and to many UNESCO world heritage sites that are very difficult to reach, and really off the beaten track.In 80 countries I have now visited all Unesco sites that currently exist, but then in 17 countries I have not seen any yet!! As of January 2024, I have been to 942 sites out of 1198 or around 79% in a total of 149 countries! I keep on going, including the Tentative list (508 so far) if those sites are near my travel path.

My most impressive site: Angkor Wat, Cambodia Lascaux, France Burgos, Spain Wies Church, Germany

My proposal for a new site: Lucerne, Switzerland

Recent Visits

1

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Nov. 14, 2025

Mbanza Kongo
1

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Oct. 21, 2025

Brâncusi Monumental Ensemble of Târgu Jiu
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1

Oct. 5, 2025

Mdina (Citta Vecchia)

Top 10 Missing

Completed Countries

About Thomas Buechler

Member since: December 2010

Country of Origin: Switzerland

Visits

Rank: #2

WHS: 1011

Tentative Sites: 480

Website Participation

Reviews: 40

Ratings Ratings World Heritage Sites Brazilian Atlantic Islands 5.0 Osun-Osogbo 5.0 Leptis Magna 5.0 Kaziranga National Park 5.0 Mount Athos 5.0 São Luis 5.0 Island of Mozambique 5.0 Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Songo Mnara 5.0 Lower Valley of the Omo 5.0 Matobo Hills 5.0 Djémila 5.0 Lamu Old Town 5.0 Ilulissat Icefjord 4.5 Rila Monastery 4.5 Ahwar of Southern Iraq 4.5 Sana'a 4.5 Babylon 4.5 Sítio Roberto Burle Marx 4.0 Wadi Rum 4.0 Thracian tomb of Kazanlak 4.0 Shushtar 4.0 Churches of the Pskov School of Architecture 4.0 Socotra Archipelago 4.0 Chongoni Rock Art 4.0 Sangay National Park 4.0 M'Zab Valley 4.0 Ashur 4.0 Valparaiso 4.0 Aasivissuit - Nipisat 4.0 Huascaran National Park 4.0 Moenjodaro 4.0 Taxila 4.0 Dacian Fortresses 4.0 Byblos 4.0 Sabratha 4.0 Lord Howe Island 4.0 Goias 4.0 Santa Cruz de Mompox 4.0 Djoudj 4.0 Su Nuraxi di Barumini 4.0 Uluru 4.0 Galapagos Islands 4.0 Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur 4.0 Nan Madol 4.0 Lut Desert 4.0 Sundarbans National Park 4.0 Hatra 4.0 Sceilg Mhichíl 4.0 Rock Art of Alta 4.0 Mount Taishan 4.0 Vjetrenica Cave 3.5 Drottningholm 3.5 Visby 3.5 Bagerhat 3.5 Temple, Mansion and Cemetery of Confucius 3.5 Nessebar 3.5 Canterbury 3.5 Guanacaste 3.5 Chavin 3.5 Ghadames 3.5 Lower Valley of the Awash 3.5 Tsodilo 3.5 Wadi Al-Hitan 3.5 Kondoa 3.5 Caral-Supe 3.5 Fort Jesus 3.5 Ani 3.5 Sudanese style mosques 3.5 Niah Caves 3.5 Via Appia 3.5 Gedeo Cultural landscape 3.0 Si Thep 3.0 Kujataa 3.0 Okinoshima Island 3.0 Asmara 3.0 Taputapuātea 3.0 Mining Cultural Landscape Erzgebirge 3.0 Tiya 3.0 The Persian Qanat 3.0 Tchogha Zanbil 3.0 Plain of Jars 3.0 Tyre 3.0 Skogskyrkogarden 3.0 Surtsey 3.0 Saryarka 3.0 Mijikenda Kaya Forests 3.0 Eisinga Planetarium 3.0 Chankillo Archaeoastronomical Complex 3.0 Derbent 3.0 Paraty and Ilha Grande 3.0 Silk Roads: Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor 3.0 Liangzhu Archaeological Site 3.0 Tipasa 3.0 Qadisha Valley 3.0 Gonbad-e Qâbus 3.0 Thracian tomb of Sveshtari 3.0 Levuka 3.0 San Cristobal de La Laguna 2.5 Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley 2.5 Crac des Chevaliers 2.5 Armenian Monastic Ensembles 2.5 Bale Mountains National Park 2.5 Saloum Delta 2.5 Gedi 2.5 Agadez 2.5 Shahr-i Sokhta 2.5 Mount Hamiguitan 2.5 Archaeological site of Philippi 2.5 Mapungubwe 2.5 Phu Phrabat 2.5 Khami Ruins 2.5 Roșia Montană 2.5 Krzemionki prehistoric flint mines 2.5 Al Qal'a of Beni Hammad 2.5 Arslantepe Mound 2.5 ShUM Sites 2.5 Tierradentro 2.5 Abu Mena 2.5 Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains 2.0 Harar Jugol 2.0 Úbeda and Baeza 2.0 Madara Rider 2.0 Frank Lloyd Wright Buildings 2.0 Hyrcanian Forests 2.0 São Francisco Square 2.0 Shiretoko 2.0 Risco Caido 2.0 Coa Valley and Siega Verde 2.0 Deer Stone Monuments 2.0 Asante Traditional Buildings 2.0 Pirin National Park 2.0 Pampulha 2.0 Kaeng Krachan Forest 2.0 Susa 2.0 Konso 2.0 Lake Malawi 1.5 W-Arly-Pendjari Complex 1.5 Gough and Inaccessible Islands 1.5 Rock-hewn Churches of Ivanovo 1.5 Ciudad Universitaria de Caracas 1.5 Srebarna Nature Reserve 1.0 Rachid Karami International Fair-Tripoli 1.0 Valongo Wharf 1.0 Tentative Sites The Persian House in Central plateau of Iran Diocletian's Palace and the Historical Nucleus of: 143 2

Locations: 1

Zones: 0

Reviews by Thomas Buechler

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Silk Roads: Zarafshan-Karakum… (Inscribed)

Silk Roads: Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor

The Mausoleum of Mukhammad Bashoro is almost a thousand years old (built 11/12th century). It is a building that combines the function of a mausoleum and a mosque. The central …

Keep reading Thomas Bu… 14/06/25

Kujataa (Inscribed)

Kujataa

Erik the Red who came all the way from Iceland to the Southwest Greenlandic fjords to find greener pastures, and must have found in here in Bratthlid (Qassiarsuk), so he …

Keep reading Thomas Bu… 10/10/24

Aasivissuit - Nipisat (Inscribed)

Aasivissuit - Nipisat

Well before our visit, I made contacts with the UNESCO liaison office for Aasivissuit-Nipisat-it is a small group of 3 dedicated officers based in Sisimiut and Kangerlussuaq. One of them …

Keep reading Thomas Bu… 25/09/24

Mount Hamiguitan (Inscribed)

Mount Hamiguitan

Mount Hamiguitan is difficult to reach by public transport as it involves several changes of buses/minibuses or jeepneys; but the good news is that nowadays it is possible to rent …

Keep reading Thomas Bu… 07/05/24

Gedeo Cultural landscape (Inscribed)

Gedeo Cultural landscape

Chelba-Tututi was the cemetery we visited after reading Woijtek’s recommendations. It is in the tiny village of Koti, about 40 minutes south of Dila. The guide was excellent; only men …

Keep reading Thomas Bu… 22/02/24

Grottes de Dimba et Ngovo (On tentative list)

Grottes de Dimba et Ngovo

Ceramics and tools were found in this cave about 18,000 years ago, attesting human settlement during the Stone Age in a region relatively close to the sea and the Congo …

Keep reading Thomas Bu… 31/07/23

Si Thep (Inscribed)

Si Thep

Si Thep is about 250 kilometers (3.30h) northeast of Bangkok, and a bit tricky to reach with public transportation. From the Mochit BTS Northern Bus Terminal there are regular express …

Keep reading Thomas Bu… 02/01/23

Archaeological Site of Harappa (On tentative list)

Archaeological Site of Harappa

I visited this archaeological site by private car from Lahore, it is 200km or about 4 hours to drive. The Harappans used the same type of bricks as in its …

Keep reading Thomas Bu… 20/10/22

Apamee (On tentative list)

Apamee

Afamia was much affected by the civil unrest in Syria and basically closed to visitors until summer 2022. We had the place for ourselves. It is not on the program …

Keep reading Thomas Bu… 29/09/22

Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley (Inscribed)

Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley

I hiked from Escaldes (start from Hotel Muntanya on Avenida Carlemany close to the square with the Carmen Thyssen museum), there is a signboard Cami de la Canaleta, this is …

Keep reading Thomas Bu… 16/06/22

Sangay National Park (Inscribed)

Sangay National Park

Some practical advise for a visit to the Lagunas de Atillo and Laguna Negra out of Riobamba. I organised a car with driver for USD 70.- from a small travel …

Keep reading Thomas Bu… 17/03/22

Ashur (Inscribed)

Ashur

Ashur (Assur) was the first Assyrian capital and remained so for a long period (1400 to 608 BC). Located on the western banks of the Tigris River, just a bit …

Keep reading Thomas Bu… 27/11/21

Hatra (Inscribed)

Hatra

We visited Hatra in November 2021, and we were not sure up to the last minute if we were allowed in. There was no pre-arranged permit, and we just drove …

Keep reading Thomas Bu… 25/11/21

Saloum Delta (Inscribed)

Saloum Delta

We visited the Saloum Delta in September 2021 with a private car from Dakar, it was a day trip, all the way to the small fishing community of Djiffer at …

Keep reading Thomas Bu… 20/11/21

Sudanese style mosques (Inscribed)

Sudanese style mosques

Kong in Northeastern Côte d’Ivoire was once upon a time an important trade outpost when the merchants of the huge Mali empire exchanged salt and textiles from the North with …

Keep reading Thomas Bu… 29/09/21

Kondoa (Inscribed)

Kondoa

I like to focus on the practicalities of reaching this rather remote WHS by public transport. It is not too difficult. Buses go from either Dodoma or Arusha, and they …

Keep reading Thomas Bu… 31/07/21

Lord Howe Island (Inscribed)

Lord Howe Island

Home to just under 500 permanent residents, Lord Howe is also restricted to just 400 tourist beds, and Quantas has exclusive rights from mainland Australia which makes both airfares and …

Keep reading Thomas Bu… 02/02/19

Ahwar of Southern Iraq (Inscribed)

Ahwar of Southern Iraq

Ur was once an important Sumerian city state near the mouth of the Euphrates river, at the coast with marshy surroundings and regular floods and adverse weather impacts like erosions.Ur …

Keep reading Thomas Bu… 08/12/18

Okinoshima Island (Inscribed)

Okinoshima Island

This just deals with the technical side of visiting Hetsu-myia (Munakata Taisha) by public transport from Fukuoka, and combining this visit with the other Unesco site in the region, the …

Keep reading Thomas Bu… 08/03/18

M'Zab Valley (Inscribed)

M'Zab Valley

On a Friday there are no official guides at the entrance gate of the old city of Ghardaia, nevertheless it is compulsory, and I have to ask the help of …

Keep reading Thomas Bu… 12/05/16