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Home/ What to pack/ Temples & sacred sites

Temples & sacred sites

Mosques, temples, churches, monasteries, shrines and living places of worship.

Temples & sacred sites

Illustrative image.

What to pack

  • Modest clothing - Shoulders and knees covered - the single most common requirement. Find on Amazon →
  • A scarf or shawl - To cover the head or shoulders on entry; women especially at mosques. Find on Amazon →
  • Slip-on shoes - Many sites ask you to remove shoes; slip-ons save fuss. Find on Amazon →
  • Socks - For walking on cold or hot stone floors once shoes are off. Find on Amazon →
  • Small cash for donations - A modest offering or entry donation is customary at many sites.
  • Quiet, respectful behaviour - Lower your voice, ask before photographing worshippers, follow the rules.
  • Check dress rules in advance - Some sites hand out or rent cover-ups; others simply turn you away.

Some links on this page are Amazon affiliate links - if you buy through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only list the kind of gear we would pack ourselves. Check the season and the official source for each place before you go.

🖨️ Printable checklist →

Where this comes in handy 5295 places

archaeological site The Bamyan Valley

The Bamyan Valley

Afghanistan
old town The Casbah of Algiers

The Casbah of Algiers

Algeria
old town Leone

Leone

American Samoa
ruins Mbanza Kongo

Mbanza Kongo

Angola
church Debed Canyon

Debed Canyon

Armenia
church Alto Vista Chapel

Alto Vista Chapel

Aruba
national park Litchfield National Park

Litchfield National Park

Australia
national park Purnululu (the Bungle Bungle Range)

Purnululu (the Bungle Bungle Range)

Australia
viewpoint Uluru

Uluru

Australia
church Admont Abbey

Admont Abbey

Austria
old town Graz Old Town

Graz Old Town

Austria
church Gurk Cathedral

Gurk Cathedral

Austria
fortress Hohensalzburg Fortress

Hohensalzburg Fortress

Austria
church Karlskirche

Karlskirche

Austria
church Kirche am Steinhof

Kirche am Steinhof

Austria
festival Salzburg Festival

Salzburg Festival

Austria
old town Salzburg Old Town

Salzburg Old Town

Austria
church St Florian Abbey

St Florian Abbey

Austria
church St Stephen's Cathedral

St Stephen's Cathedral

Austria
old town Steyr Old Town

Steyr Old Town

Austria
palace The Hofburg

The Hofburg

Austria
old town Baku and the Old City

Baku and the Old City

Azerbaijan
monument The Mosque City of Bagerhat

The Mosque City of Bagerhat

Bangladesh
monument The Belfries

The Belfries

Belgium
archaeological site Altun Ha

Altun Ha

Belize
monument Bumthang Valleys

Bumthang Valleys

Bhutan
archaeological site The Tsodilo Hills

The Tsodilo Hills

Botswana
monument Brasília

Brasília

Brazil
monument Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque

Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque

Brunei
church Boyana Church

Boyana Church

Bulgaria
archaeological site Angkor Thom and the Bayon

Angkor Thom and the Bayon

Cambodia
old town Yaoundé

Yaoundé

Cameroon
archaeological site Agawa Rock

Agawa Rock

Canada
old town Old Montreal

Old Montreal

Canada
museum The Royal Ontario Museum

The Royal Ontario Museum

Canada
archaeological site Writing-on-Stone

Writing-on-Stone

Canada
old town Cidade Velha

Cidade Velha

Cape Verde
old town Berberati

Berberati

Central African Republic
old town N'Djamena

N'Djamena

Chad
archaeological site Easter Island

Easter Island

Chile
palace Chengde Mountain Resort

Chengde Mountain Resort

China
tradition Chinese Calligraphy

Chinese Calligraphy

China
tradition Chinese Shadow Puppetry

Chinese Shadow Puppetry

China
mountain Daocheng Yading

Daocheng Yading

China
monument Dujiangyan Irrigation System

Dujiangyan Irrigation System

China
old town Historic Quanzhou

Historic Quanzhou

China
national park Huanglong Valley

Huanglong Valley

China
archaeological site Longmen Grottoes

Longmen Grottoes

China
archaeological site Maijishan Grottoes

Maijishan Grottoes

China
mountain Mount Emei

Mount Emei

China
mountain Mount Jiuhua

Mount Jiuhua

China
mountain Mount Tai

Mount Tai

China
lake Namtso Lake

Namtso Lake

China
old town Pingyao Ancient City

Pingyao Ancient City

China
lake Qinghai Lake

Qinghai Lake

China
archaeological site Sanxingdui

Sanxingdui

China
monument Shaolin Temple and the Pagoda Forest

Shaolin Temple and the Pagoda Forest

China
observatory The Ancient Observatory, Beijing

The Ancient Observatory, Beijing

China
monument The Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Xi'an

The Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Xi'an

China
monument The Confucius Temple and Cemetery, Qufu

The Confucius Temple and Cemetery, Qufu

China

Showing 60 of 5295. Use the search box to find a specific country or place.

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