7 breathtaking Indian sites join UNESCO tentative list: From Kerala to Meghalaya

India adds seven new natural sites to UNESCO’s Tentative List, bringing the total to 69. This includes 49 cultural, 17 natural, and 3 mixed sites. The move shows India’s commitment to protecting and sharing its rich heritage with the world and is the first step toward becoming a World Heritage Site. Here's the list:St Mary’s Island Cluster, Karnataka: Famed for its striking columnar basalt formations, these islands date back 85 million years to the Late Cretaceous period, making them a rare geological treasure.

The spectacular cave systems, especially Mawmluh Cave, serve as the global reference point for the Meghalayan Age, reflecting key climate and geological shifts.

Among the world’s most studied lava flows, these volcanic formations lie within the Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary, already a UNESCO site, showcasing India’s geological marvels.

Stretching along Kerala’s scenic coast, these cliffs expose Mio-Pliocene rock formations and natural springs, blending scientific significance with touristic beauty.

Located near Visakhapatnam, these red sand formations reveal ancient coastal and climatic history, with striking landscapes shaped over thousands of years.

These unique hills display ancient oceanic crust pushed onto land, offering insights into plate tectonics, ocean ridge dynamics, and Earth’s deep geological past.

Home to the Silathoranam natural arch and the Eparchaean Unconformity, these hills represent 1.5 billion years of Earth’s history and rare geological formations.