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 festival coincides with the festival of light and goes on until the day after the full moon. Visitors come to pay homage to the great Buddha, carved out of a single enormous block of marble in the pagoda at the foot of Mandalay hill. The pagoda is surrounded by a fair of local crafts and food with magic, puppet and dancing shows.
Lanzones are small tropical fruits on which the inhabitants of the Camiguin Islands rely for their livelihoods. Every year, the people celebrate the harvest with a colorful festival in which the fruit and its leaves are used to decorate everyone and everything. There are cultural displays and markets of food and crafts.
Masskara, which means ‘many faces,’ is a vibrant two-day festival taking place over the third weekend of October in Bacolod. People from all over travel to the city to take part in games, watch the beauty pageant and the popular masked tribal street dance competition, while enjoying the music, food and festivities.
The traditional folk music of Sabah is characterized by the gong which has been made for centuries by the craftsmen in the village of Sumangkap. The gong is celebrated by the villagers and visitors in this two-day festival featuring classical music and dance from Sabah. There is also the opportunity to see how the gongs are made.
Hosted by the Morobe Provincial Agricultural Society in the city of Lae, this annual two-day event in Papua New Guinea shows off the surrounding province’s impressive culture diversity. Among the tribal dances and songs of this 50 year-old event, visitors will also find agricultural, livestock, educational and cultural exhibitions.
Held annually in the ancient capital north of Tbilisi, Orthodox Christians in Georgia celebrate Mtskhetoba-Svetitskhovloba in Mtskheta, remembering and celebrating the former capital and the legends of its cathedral. Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, among other legends, is said to be the burial site of Christ's robe. Celebrants visit the city for a number of worship experiences.
Over several nights in October, something mysterious happens along the Mekong River at Nong Khai. Crowds flock to see huge fireballs erupting out of the water, with many claiming it's the work of the mythical serpent ‘Naga’ (others suggest it's a build-up of methane). This is a truly unique phenomenon that even scientists can’t fully explain.
The night of Naga Fireballs usually occurs on the last day of Buddhist Lent. People visit the Mekong River on this night to see burning orbs bursting out of the surface and rising into the sky in Pakngum Province. The cause of the phenomena is much contested but traditionally it is believed to be produced by the mythical river snake.
Held annually in October for the last 370 years, the Nagasaki Kunchi Festival celebrates a fusion of Dutch and Chinese cultures within Japan. Incorporating traditional Japanese dances, Chinese dragon dances, elaborate floats and many cultural performances, the three-day festival is a celebration of harmonious cultures.
The Hakka Yimin Festival, an important date for Taiwan’s Hakka Chinese-speaking community, is held at the Taipei City Hakka Cultural Park over three days in October. Organizers invite over 25 different Yimin temples across the island to join in the festivities, including parades, merit-making, blessings and traditional Hakka performances.
