By MOOK Travel Life Network, Chen Guanxin | Compiled & Reported | Partial data source: Moleskine Editorial Department
Visiting scenic wonders and UNESCO World Heritage Sites around the globe has always been a key reason for travelers to go abroad. Some even make “life lists” of must-visit destinations and tick them off one by one to fulfill their dreams of seeing the world. Yet among these famous attractions, some are under threat from human damage or climate change, gradually losing their original appearance and even facing possible disappearance. These include Angkor Wat, famed for its ancient temple ruins; the Dead Sea, where you can float and read a newspaper; Pamukkale, with its snow-white terraces; and the Maldives, with crystal-clear waters and azure skies bathed in sunlight—places that make you eager to pack your bags and see these vanishing sights before it’s too late.
Cambodia’s iconic Angkor Wat, a popular Asian tourist attraction, suffers from the negative impact of heavy foot traffic and touching by visitors on its stone carvings. (Image provided by Moleskine Editorial Department)
1. The Great Empire of Southeast Asia from the 9th to 12th Century — Cambodia’s Angkor Wat
Angkor, once the greatest empire in Southeast Asia from the 9th to 12th centuries, boasted exquisitely symmetrical and precisely calculated architecture. Its stunning forms and unparalleled scale, along with an intricate water management system, large-scale urban planning, and construction—especially the capital city of Angkor Thom during the empire’s peak—stand as one of its most iconic symbols. At the very heart of Angkor Thom stands Bayon Temple, renowned for its intricately carved façade and the mysterious smiling stone faces of its towers.
Cambodia’s Angkor Wat is a major source of tourism income for the country. (Image provided by Moleskine Editorial Department)
Since the end of its civil war, tourist numbers to Angkor Wat have been steadily increasing. According to a 2010 report by the World Monuments Fund, visitor numbers rose from 840,000 in 2000 to 2.4 million in 2009. The heavy foot traffic, climbing, and trampling by tourists have taken a toll on this ancient Khmer stone-carving city, which is struggling to cope. Tourists’ unintentional touching and moving of statues and stones have also caused cumulative damage over the years. Additionally, the surge in tourism has led to a proliferation of hotels, restaurants, and shops around Angkor Wat, all of which extract large amounts of groundwater, putting the 54 towers of Bayon Temple at risk of land subsidence and even potential collapse of the ancient structures. Currently, apart from verbal reminders from local staff advising visitors not to touch the ruins, South Korea funded a $9.2 million project in 2010 to build alternative pathways around the site to reduce direct wear and tear on the monuments. Addressing the issue of excessive groundwater extraction, however, remains under discussion by the Cambodian government.
Once the greatest empire in Southeast Asia from the 9th to 12th century, it still cannot withstand the damage caused by over a million visitors each year. (Image provided by Moleskine Editorial Department)
2. Snow-White Travertine Crystal Landscape — Turkey’s Pamukkale
The name “Pamukkale” comes from the natural wonder that resembles piles of white cotton. In its terrace-like formations, natural hot springs emerge from beneath the earth. When sunlight hits this “cotton field,” the blue-green hues of the thermal waters contrast beautifully with the white landscape.
The snow-white travertine crystal landscape has earned the place the name Pamukkale, meaning “Cotton Castle.” (Image provided by Moleskine Editorial Department)
This marvel of nature was formed when calcium-rich hot springs seeped through limestone, with the mineral-rich waters flowing and pooling along the terrain. Over thousands of years, the slow release of calcium carbonate from the springs built up into terraced travertine formations. The white surface comes from calcium deposits, while underground natural hot spring pools are rich in carbonates, calcium, sodium, and magnesium—beneficial for both bathing and drinking, and famous since ancient times.
Unfortunately, since being developed as a tourist area, the proliferation of nearby hotels and hot spring pools has led to a steady decline in water volume within just a few years. Coupled with visitors’ reckless trampling, the fragile travertine has suffered severe damage. As a result, visitors today are required to remove their shoes and walk only along designated paths, and swimming in the pools is strictly prohibited to allow the springs to regenerate the natural wonder. Turkish authorities have also implemented seasonal water management plans for winter and summer, making optimal use of three water sources. A hotel near the Pamukkale water source has been shut down, and now only one public hot spring pool remains open, located right in the center of the entire Pamukkale scenic area.
Pamukkale has now introduced tourism regulations to ensure its sustainable future. (Image provided by Moleskine Editorial Department)
