#867 Taxila, Pakistan

Just out of the capital, Islamabad, past its twin city of Rawalpindi, lies one of Pakistan's ancient treasures: Taxila or Takshasila, built by the Achaemenians in 6th century BC. It is one of the regions most rich archaeological sites, though sadly much was destroyed by religious fanatics. Taxila was one of Gandhara's most important cities (Gandhara is the old name for the Peshawar Plain), visited by Alexander the Great, where Mauryan emperor Ashoka built a university. Bactruan Greeks and Kushans both extended this city where it was a centre of culture in a large Central Asian empire until the White Huns destroyed it in the 5th century.

Bhir Mound is often the first place visited, near the museum, which was the Gandharan center, and bears a resemblance to similar Buddhist mounds on the other side of the Indian subcontinent. Streets, shops and steps have been neatly excavated. At the other end of the complex is Jandial, which is of Greek style, including ionic columns. 

Jaulian and Mohra Moradu are complexes further away from the main center, but house the fascinating monk cells of a monastery and the amazing collection of bas relief Buddhas, elephants, and other creatures.

Source: Lonely Planet Pakistan & The Karakoram Highway, 7th Edition
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/139

#919 Galle, Sri Lanka

Aerial view of Galle from Wikipedia.com

On the southern coast of Sri Lanka lies the old city of Galle, a quaint walled old city that juts out from the mainland, and is pretty with its white walls and red tiles.

During both the Portuguese and Dutch eras it was an important port and is an excellent legacy of a European built and styled town in Sri Lanka.While it has fallen into disrepair, the grassed banks of the fort walls offer a beautiful view of the ocean and town, which lies at a lower level. Many majestic old trees line the small squares and narrow streets. The little courtyarded houses are a lovely place to stay or stop for lunch.

Source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galle

#968 Kerala, India

Kerala is a vibrant state in southern India.With the highest HDI in India, and a prosperous economy and culture, it's a pretty cool place. They are majority Malayali people speaking the Malayalam language, and have a mix of Hindus, Muslims, and Christians. How can a place with an unpronounceable capital city such as Thiruvananthapuram not be exciting, and other cities like Kochi and Kozhikode? Spices, elephants, street parades (see the fantastic costumes in the film below), beaches, unique fishing nets, and a lovely climate too!

One of the most unique things about Kerala is its canal house boats. Beautiful ratan constructions with pretty arched windows, they offer all the services of a house or hotel, but moving gently down the rivers and backwaters. Beautiful waterways and birdlife, while the people on the shores wash their clothes or swim in the rivers and wave hello!

One other thing that it is common to see are the traditional martial arts and theatre performances. The energy of the martial arts is impressive and was used for training warriors. The Kathakali theatre tells ancient Hindu tales -- have a look at these videos and see the expressiveness! And yes, in the film below the man is cutting off the woman's breasts.  

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerala

#983 Sigiriya, Sri Lanka

If I had to pick my favorite ancient site in the world for sheer spectacularity (probably not a word), and for richness of journey in visiting it, I think the Sigiriya Rock Fortress in the plains of central Sri Lanka would have to be it. A volcanic plug with the surrounds completed eroded away, it is a sheer rock face to climb up. The easiest, most logical way is not the way to go of course -- you must climb a series of stairs up the sheer side and view the superb 6th century rock paintings of the "Sigiriya Damsels" (believed to be celestial nymphs called apsaras) and their accompanying commentary graffiti (from as early as the 6th century) before you're allowed to emerge onto a level platform half way up. There, giant paws of a now crumbled rock lion form the gateway for more stairs up to the top. On top, several palace ruins, sacred pools and reservoirs vie for your curiosity with traditional monks standing contemplatively with picturesque umbrellas. Perhaps a stop for lunch or a snack to view the vast landscape below to the temples and other sacred sites nearby.

If the rock itself is not enough, it is surrounded by vasts lanes of water and boulder gardens, terraces and ruins, showing the advanced architecture, engineering and planning of the time.

It originated during the golden age of Sinhalese civilisation, when the area was called Rajarata and it's in the centre of the "Cultural Triangle" which includes the two great cities Anuradhapura and Polonnoruwa, and many Buddhist relics, monuments, caves and other fascinations. Sigiriya was built around 477 by Kasyapa, who feared an invasion from his half brother Moggallana after he overthrew his father King Dhatusena. Later it became a monastic refuge, only to be retaken by the tropical jungle.  

Source: Lonely Planet Sri Lanka (9th Edition)