So much in Asia depends on the calendar. In February in Beijing, more than 20 million people all set off fireworks to celebrate Chinese New Year. In Nagaland in India, tribes from all over the region meet to compete, dance, and celebrate. In Thailand, spectators look on as celebrants perform bizarre rituals at the Nine Emperor Gods Festival.
With an intimate and unique knowledge of Asian culture, Remote Lands knows the importance of experiencing culture the right way. Whether you want an up-close view of the Sing-Sing festival in the Asaro Valley of Papua New Guinea or a quiet walk through the Sapporo Snow Festival in Japan, Remote Lands can give travelers the best possible experience on their celebrations throughout Asia.
This two-day festival is celebrated by the Bisaya people of Sarawak and attracts visitors from all over. The Bisaya honor their buffalos with a carnival featuring dance and music performances, traditional food and handmade crafts. The highlight is an exciting bareback buffalo race between teams from Limbang, Sabah and Brunei.
This increasingly popular event attracts boat racing teams from Hong Kong, China, Japan and the rest of Malaysia to Likas Bay in Sabah. Spectators flock to see the colorful boat race as the teams beat their drums to synchronize their paddling. There are local gourmet delicacies, while music and dance creates a carnival atmosphere.
Folk dance ensembles from around the world are invited to perform and share their traditions and culture through dance and music at the Sabah Cultural Center. The multi-day event features demonstrations, workshops, folk art exhibitions and a food fair alongside performances of international classical dance.
For decades, the descendents of the Portuguese settlers of Melaka have held an annual festival in honor of the patron saint of fishermen and now the week-long San Pedro fiesta is popular with tourists from all over who come for the bazaars, the fairground, concerts, cultural performances and the procession and feast on the final day.
Established to celebrate and promote the diverse and beautiful culture of the island of Borneo, this popular ten-day festival attracts visitors from all over. There are art exhibitions, cultural dance performances, concerts, story and poetry recitals and delicious home-cooked traditional food from all facets of the community in Sibu.
This increasingly popular two-day jazz extravaganza is the leading music festival in the country and attracts aficionados from all over the world to Miri in Sarawak. Every year more visitors are coming to enjoy live music from the local and international line-up of jazz superstars and to experience the culture of the region.
The Bidayuh community of Bung Jagoi in Sarawak comes together for one day with increasing numbers of visitors from all over Malaysia and beyond to celebrate the end of the year’s harvest and to show off their culture and traditions. There are performances of traditional music and dance, as well as a beauty pageant and carnival.
Moginakan festival has a special significance to the Kadazandusun Murut community as it marks the anniversary of their original settlement and the crowning of their leader, Huguan Siou. Members of the ethnic group and visitors from all over come to Ranau for the bazaar, sporting competitions and traditional performances.
Every two years, the community in the Baram River basin in Sarawak celebrates their culture and traditions, along with peace between tribes. Visitors flock to the region to witness exciting races with different types of boats. There are also cultural performances, sporting and singing competitions and a grand beauty pageant.
This popular festival showcases the incredible skills of kite makers from all over Malaysia as well as other countries, as international participants and spectators gather to see their creations color the sky. There are also cultural dance and music shows to be enjoyed as well as delicious traditional food and crafts on sale.
