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 exciting five-day festival takes place yearly at the ornate Sun Temple in Kornak, Odisha, India. Visitors will witness all kinds of jubilant dance and music, with musicians playing drums, cymbals and other traditional instruments, while dancers from all over the country perform traditional dances.
February 21st commemorates the lives sacrificed during the political movement in 1952 that advocated the recognition of the Bengali language as the official language of Bangladesh, which was then a dominion of Pakistan whose government imposed the state language of Urdu. To honor the martyrs, each year government officials and the public lay wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar in front of the Medical College and Hospital of Dhaka, the location where the movement took place.
The lantern festival is a popular celebration which takes place over one night throughout China. Children take elaborate, vividly-colored - usually red - lanterns to the temple. The lanterns are embellished with riddles the children try to solve. The releasing of the lanterns symbolizes letting go of the past, and being ready for renewal.
The Taiwan Lantern Festival is celebrated around the first full moon of the lunar year, and is considered one of the most romantic dates in the festive calendar. Locals and visitors make handheld candles, set off firecrackers and release lanterns into the sky. A can’t-miss favorite is tangyuan (sticky rice dumplings) - the festival food.
Asia’s premier cycling event takes place over ten days and its ten stages pass through eight states in the Malaysian peninsula with the route changing every year. Teams comprised of six professional riders from across the globe compete to complete the 930-mile course in record time and win the coveted yellow jersey.
The Lim Festival in Bac Ninh is a rich Vietnamese cultural festival taking place on the 13th day of the first lunar month. Just outside Hanoi, Lim Village welcomes many visitors, most of whom are coming to see (and hear) the famous Quan Ho show. This ancient ritual involves a ‘dialogue’ sung in a unique Vietnamese style.
Set in the spectacular surrounds of Bo Lu field in Bac Kan province, Long Tong is one of the largest agricultural festivals in northern Vietnam. Literally meaning ‘going to the field’, the day-long festival includes various religious rituals alongside stilt walking, archery, ball games and all the usual farm animals.
During the first month of the Tibetan calendar, Buddhist devotees visit the temples to pray, worship, burn incense and listen to scripture recitals. At this time, the monasteries’ greatest treasures are displayed, they are particularly spectacular in Jokhang and Labrang. The monks chant and perform ritual dances called Cham.
Both locals and tourists come to Colombo every year for Navam Perahera Festival. Perahera - meaning parade - is the focal point for all to see, with elephants, dancers and entertainers taking to the streets across two days. It’s held every full moon in February (sometimes March) near the glorious Gangaramaya Temple that overlooks the Beira Lake.
This three-day annual festival celebrates the nomadic communities in Bhutan as they gather together in the countryside of Bumthang to share their traditions and cultures. There is a ceremonial parade, traditional dances are performed and games are played. Crowds gather to cook, eat and socialize together, and sell their products and crafts.
