festival highlights
20 You’re Invited!
A calendar of Asia’s festivals in
2018 to help you plan your travels.
From spiritual rituals to riotous
celebrations, festivals provide a
fantastic cultural experiencepicturesque
12 The Heart of Vastness
A photographic journey into the
Mongolian steppe to document the
iconic Golden Eagle Festival
BY MANUEL LIBRES LIBRODO JR.east asia highlights
34 China, Japan, South Korea
and Taiwansoutheast asia highlights
62 Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos,
Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnamsouth asia highlights
78 Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal,
Pakistan and Sri Lankanorth asia highlights
95 Russiawest asia highlights
98 Armenia, Georgia, The Arabian
Gulf, Israel, Jordan and Turkeyeast asia feature
26 Games of the Great Khan
The Naadam games in Mongolia send
the country into a festive frenzy every
summer as people revive the ancient
glory of a lost empire
BY ZIGOR ALDAMA, MIGUEL CANDELAsoutheast asia feature
56 Baptism of Fire
With exploding fireworks showering
crowds in sparks and sometimes
flame, the Taunggyi Fire Balloon
Festival is not for the faint-hearted!
BY JARED DOWNING, JEROEN DE BAKKERsoutheast asia feature
48 A Cross to Bear
Spanish colonisation brought
Catholicism to the Philippines, where
the passion of Christ is honoured in
the goriest of Easter festivals
BY ZIGOR ALDAMA, MIGUEL CANDELAChairman
LIM Geok KhoonPublisher/editorial direCtor
John THET • [email protected]
editor
Alex W. CAMPBELL • [email protected]
asso Ciate editor
Ian BONGSO-SELDRUP • [email protected]
art direCtor
Shellen TEH • [email protected]
W eb/it
Dutch CATALON • [email protected]
editorial intern
Rachel CHIA • [email protected]
aCC ounts managers (regional)
Ace W. M • [email protected]
Desmond HO • [email protected]
Anne LOW • [email protected]
events & marketing manager
Berri TAY • [email protected]
events & marketing exeCutive
Spencer NAH • [email protected]
s enior manager
Victor OW • [email protected]C ontributors
Zigor ALDAMA, Miguel CANDELA, Jeroen DE BAKKER,
Jared DOWNING, Mark ELLIOT, Sophie IBBOTSON,
Brent LEWIN, Manuel Libres LIBRODO Jr.
Editorial Submissions • [email protected]
Subscriptions • [email protected]
Feedback • [email protected]ASIAN Geographic is published by Asian Geographic Magazines Pte Ltd, 20 Bedok South Road, Singapore 469277
Singapore Tel: +(65) 6298 3241 Fax: +(65) 6291 2068 • Email: [email protected] printed in Singapore by KHL printing Co pte Ltd26C ontentsIMAGE © ZIGOR ALDAMANo. 128 • collectors’ edition 2017–2018 fESTIVALs of asia
southeast asia feature
40 Pachyderm Parade
The Surin Elephant Roundup is a nod
to the region’s status as the “land of
elephants”, and the bygone tradition
of elephant hunts in Thailand
BY BRENT LEWIN