Offbeat Traveler: Potential UNESCO World Heritage sites

The capital city of Rabat, founded in the 12th century, is located in northern coastal Morocco about 50 miles northeast of Casablanca. In its evaluation, ICOMOS notes that “The modern city of Rabat tangibly expresses a pioneering approach to town-planning, which has been careful to preserve historic monuments and traditional housing.” Historic structures include 12th century Hassan Tower (top center), the minaret of an unfinished mosque. Nearby is the Mausoleum of Mohammed V (top right), who was king of Morocco from 1957 to 1961. (Bdelhak Senna / AFP/Getty Images)

June 19, 2012 5:30 AM PT

Starting next week, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee will meet to consider 36 sites for its well-regarded list that includes the likes of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, Arizona’s Grand Canyon, Peru’s Machu Picchu and Britain’s Stonehenge. Besides prestige, inscription offers opportunities for preservation aid.

Though the World Heritage Committee makes the final decisions, two organizations spend months evaluating nominated sites. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) reviews natural sites and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) reviews cultural sites. Here’s a look at some of their recommendations for inscription.

-- Jason La, Los Angeles

Subak is an irrigation system that has been in practice on Bali since the 11th century. In this system, temples are used to direct water from canals and springs into rice paddies. ICOMOS reports that “The overall subak system exemplifies the Balinese philosophical principle of Tri Hita Karana that draws together the realms of the spirit, the human world and nature.” This listing consists of five sites that illustrate the relationship between subak and Tri Hita Karana. (Made Nagi / EPA)