ASEAN VOYAGE

tourism | CULTURE | photography ASEAN VOYAGE ISSUE 1 • MAY 2022

PREFACE In this issue of asean voyage, WE GIVE RECOGNITION TO THE TEN MEMBer countries of asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). indulge in the mesmerizing strength, beauty, and artistry of each countries. this magazine will surely capture your eyes and hearts. come and see the land of unexpected treasures (BRUNEI), Land of khmer (cambodia), emerald of the equator (indonesia), land of a million elephant (laos), land of indigenous malay (Malaysia), land of the golden pagoda (myanmar), pearl of the orient seas (philippines), lion city (singapore), land of smiles (thailand), and land of blue dragon (vietnam). Travel as you flip through and take a glimpse of these countries rich in culture and traditions. EDITED BY JEMELLE C. LUMBRES NHORIE ANNE S. MACATANGAY COVER PAGE PHOTO BY NIKADA

CONTENTS ASEAN VOYAGE ISSUE 1 MAY 2022 03 15 brunei PHILIPPINES 05 17 Cambodia singapore 07 19 indonesia Thailand 09 21 laos VIETNAM 11 23 malaysia FLAGS & 13 NATIONAL COSTUME myanmar

assalamualaikum! BRUNEI B runei Darussalam is PHOTOS BY GETTY IMAGES a place headed by a BRUNEI TOURISM Sultan and is famous for its rainforests and rich culture and heritage. Its capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, or simply \"Bandar\" for the locals, is where the country's most prominent attractions are situated. As one of the countries close to the equator, seeing clear blue skies and having perfect, moderate weather would be nothing out of the ordinary. Boats are one of the main means of transportation in Brunei, so naturally, boat making has been one of the country's most prominent industries. Not only does this give people a ride to their market, school, work, or other destinations, this also shows a glimpse of their culture. With the use of colorful be paints and beautiful patterns, their boats become even more special and worthy to ride. PHOTOS BY KURUN BORNEO BULLETIN 3

ASEAN VOYAGE ISSUE 1 MAY 2022 PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque is one of the most famous 4 mosques in Brunei situated in the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan. Known for its majestic appearance and height of 171 ft, this mosque has become a famous tourist attraction. Its main dome is a picture worthy feature of the mosque because it is covered with pure gold. The mosque is considered one of the most beautiful mosques in Asia and is named after the 28th Sultan of Brunei, Omar Ali Saifuddien III, built in 1958.

ASEAN VOYAGE ISSUE 1 MAY 2022 choum reap sor! CAMBODIA One of its gems is the glorious 12th Century Angkor Wat temple, the largest religious building in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located in the vibrant city of Siem Reap. It was built during the dynasty of Khmer Kings who ruled over and made the most prosperous kingdoms of Southeast Asia. The temple was built by King Suryavarman II and has then become one of the greatest cultural wonders of the world. 5 PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES

PHOTO BY PSZABO Cambodia, located on the Indochinese mainland of Southeast Asia, is a land of plains and rivers that lies amid important overland and river trade routes linking China to India and Southeast Asia. Phnom Penh, once known as the “Pearl of Asia”, is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. It is an economic, commercial, cultural and tourist center. kite-making Not only is Cambodia a place of beautiful place, it also boasts about their kite-making tradition. Since the early 1990s, kite-making and kite-flying is a very popular art craft in Cambodia. Tourists and locals often enjoy witnessing the beautiful parade of colors up in the air while listening to the sound the kite makes, specifically, the bows attached to the kite ends that make sound in contact with winds. These kites are not only pleasant to look at for their colors but also for the eccentric designs they have that takes up to months to finish. PHOTO BY THE PHNOM PENH POST PHOTOS BY TRAVEL DAILY MEDIA GUOZHONGHUA RIYANKA 6

ASEAN VOYAGE ISSUE 1 MAY 2022 selamat siang! INDONESIA On 2 October 2009, T he Republic of Indonesia is UNESCO inscribed located between the cont- Indonesian batik on its inents of Asia and Australia. Representative List of It comprises 16,056 islands, with 34 the Intangible Cultural provinces spreading over five main Heritage of Humanity. islands and four archipelagos. The five main islands include Sumatra, Apart from the natural Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and landscapes, culturally it Papua. The four archipelagos are also offers a rich diversity Riau, Bangka Belitung, Nusa of ancient temples and Tenggara, and Maluku. Apart from its historical remnants, such vast territory, Indonesia has a dense as Borobudur Temple in population and is rich in natural Magelang, Central Java. resources. It is also rich in cultural The Temple of Borobudur diversity, with each region having its or sometimes \"Barabudur\" own unique cultural characteristics, is a Mahayana Buddhist local language, dance, custom and temple built during the rule costume. of the Sailendra Dynasty (c. 650-1025 CE) and remains the world's largest Buddhist temple. 7 PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES

UNESCO designated Borobudur as a World Heritage Site in 1991 CE following a restoration in the 1970s and 1980s CE overseen by President Suharto (1967-1998 CE) and UNESCO, and the iconic tem- ple continues to play a powerful role in shaping Indonesian aesthe- tics, architecture, and cultural iden- tity. Borobudur is the most visited tourist site in Indonesia. wayang kulit PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES One of the country's most famous art form is the Wayang Kulit which has become a tradition and was a great pastime and entertainment for the Indonesians through the centuries. A combination of puppet crafting, voice acting and great storytelling makes this one of a kind. This is a puppet show with engaging storylines while only showing the shadows of the puppets. These puppets are controlled by a dhalang or a puppeteer. The stories are usually about kings, knights, princesses and even ogres. The puppets they use are made up of buffalo hide and detailed costumes shone with oil lamps or, nowadays, electric bulbs to cast their shadows on to a silk or plain cloth. Ramayana and Mahabharata are some of the famous epics used in Wayang Kulit performances. 8

sabaidee! LAOS I vory carving is one of the most famous art that is well known in Laos. Ivory is a great material to show one's skill in carving but through the years, the art of ivory carving has diminished, as more laws were passed PHOTO BY PUTHUCHON making hunting for ivory ille- gal. Saving the animals, particularly the elephants where ivory usually comes from, led people to find alternative materials to continue the craft. This is where ivory wood comes in, a similar material to work on like how one would work on real ivory. This made ivory carving stay in the market and continue being one of the most beautiful arts in Laos, the detailed and beautiful works of the locals still present for everyone's sight. Officially known as the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), Laos is located in Southeast Asia. Laos is incredibly diverse in terms of ethnic and linguistic groups. Nonetheless, most Lao share common values, attitudes and collective experiences. For example, many Lao have a collectivistic outlook and seek to mai- tain harmony and honor among their family, friends and communities. Additionally, most Lao have experienced hardships resulting from the events of the Indochina Wars. Despite adversities on a national or local level, Lao are often warm and modest people who find contentment in their day-to-day lives. PHOTO BY MORIES602 9

ASEAN VOYAGE ISSUE 1 MAY 2022 pha that luang This majestic infrastructure is regarded as the national symbol for Laos, located in Vientiane—the capital of the country. Pha That Luang is a Buddhist monument standing 45 meters tall and is covered with gold that makes it very stunning to look at and even take pictures. This holy site da- tes back 1566 CE. It has fallen PHOTO BY LEE HUU DAN and has been revived numerous times in the face of war and conquests. Every full moon of the 12th lunar month, hundreds of people gather in this site to participate in various activities such as candle-lit processions, almsgiving, and playing Lao games. PHOTOS BY VENUSVI OSCAR ESPINA LUCKOHNEN TOURISM LAOS 10

ASEAN VOYAGE ISSUE 1 MAY 2022 salaam! MALAYSIA P etronas Twin Tower is the tallest in the world stan- ding 452 meters tall and has remained unchallenged since the year 1996. This 88-storey building is situated in the country's capital, Kuala Lumpur. Although the towers were not meant to surpass the then tallest tower, Sears Tower in Chicago, the project developers did aim to make the building a monu- ment to represent Malaysia's growing commer- cial and cultural capital. This majestic tower does not only make people look with awe for its height but also shows how the details and geometric structures employ Muslim architecture, Islam being the country's official religion. 11 PHOTOS BY MEGHA PAUL VEENA WORLD

Malaysia is a country domina- ted by mountains, the Main Range being the most prominent one. Aside from mountains, coastal plains, hills, valleys, rivers and more geographic areas are also present in the country. Temperature PHOTOS BY AHMED DARWISH in Malaysia throughout the year is uniformly high, but is helpful in NIKO CEZAR the country's industries such as TUPUNGATO DINOZAVER CHRIS PUTNAM rubber, palm oil, petroleum and natural gas production, benefiting most people. Aside from these, religion is another thing that is diverse in the country, with Islam being the most prominent one, having more than 61% of the citizens Muslims. batik Dating back to 2000 years ago, this art form has evolved into what it is today. The term batik came from two Javanese words — amba which means to write, and titik which means dot. Loosely, batik means to write with dots. With batik, wax is used as a mean of color blocking in the coloring process. Through the centuries, batik has become an inspiration to many people around the globe to take interest and continue the art form. With the combined effort of the government, the entrepreneurs and even the small artists from PHOTO BY ACIT RAMAN ABDULLAH Malaysia, batik survived modernity and has adapted to the changing times, making it possible for the next generations to see and make the art for themselves. 12

minga-lam-bar! myanmar anatural lakes, unspoiled M yanmar is also known as beaches and archipelagos Burma and the Golden 135 national races with Land because of the abu- their colorful costumes and ndant use of gold leaf on its customs, traditional arts temples and shrines. The country and crafts make Myanmar possesses abundant natural the most exotic and fasci- resources a strategic location at nating destination in Asia. the crossroads of Asia, a young Burma has one of the population, and a sizable market most diverse populations with wide-ranging investment in Southeast Asia, with 135 opportunities. Myanmar is rich in indigenous cultures and cultures and natural attractions. languages. Members of There are numerous pagodas, te- the largest group are mples, beauty spots, archaeol- referred to as `Burmans', ogical sites, snow-peaked mou- while all citizens of Burma, ntains, deep forests with abund- regardless of ethnicity, are ant flora and fauna, rivers and known as `Burmese' nationals. 13 PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES

ASEAN VOYAGE ISSUE 1 MAY 2022 The ancient city of Bagan was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2019. Bagan’s vast array of temples, stupas, monasteries and other religious artefacts reflects the religious devotion of an early Buddhist empire which was at its peak between the 11th and 13th centuries. Bagan is a sacred landscape which features an exceptional array of Buddhist art and architecture, demonstrates centuries of the cultural tradition of the Theravada Buddhist practice of merit making, and provides dramatic evidence of the Bagan Period, when redistributional Buddhism became a mechanism of political control, with the king effectively acting as the chief donor. It is a complex, layered cultural landscape which also incorporates living communities and contemporary urban areas. Panbe, a traditional art of Myanmar, is the process of making necessary things by tempering iron in the furnace. Blacksmiths create items from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal, using tools to hammer, bend, and cut. It began during the early Bagan period. The art of PHOTO BY GOMYANMAR blacksmith from Inlay region get the prestige TOURS among South East Asian countries and constitutes one of the artistic wonders of the world. 14

ASEAN VOYAGE ISSUE 1 MAY 2022 mabuhay! The terraces, located approximately 1500 PHILIPPINES meters above sea level, are irrigated by an ancient T he Banaue Rice Terraces (Filipi- irrigation system that no: Hagdan-hagdang Palaya- draws water from the n ng Banawe) are terraces cut jungle above. Up to this and carved into the mountains of day, the place has been a Banaue, Ifugao, Philippines, by great tourist attraction in Igorot forefathers. The terraces the country and is still have been dubbed the \"Eight serving its main and Wonder of the World\" and were original purpose–giving believed to have been made the locals a place to plant mostly by hand and small tools. and harvest rice. PHOTO BY CULTURE TRIP 15

The Philippines is one of the world’s largest archipelago nations. It consists of around 7,640 islands classified into three main geographical areas – Luzon (the largest, northernmost island, which includes Manila), Visayas (including the major islands Panay, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Samar, and Masbate) , and Mindanao (second- largest island in the Philippines, found at the southern end of the archipe- lago). Because of its archip- elagic nature, the Philippines is a culturally diverse country. With its topography consisti- ng of mountainous terrains, dense forests, plains, and coastal areas, the Philippines is rich in biodiversity. It is considered as one of the mega biodiversity countries in the world. Since the 1750’s the Philippines has been called the “Pearl of the Orient Sea” because of the elegant organic beauty it contained. The wonderful art of weaving is a rich tradition in the Philippines. The country's weaving culture stretches back to the 13th century. Raw materials like indigenous cotton, abaca, fibers, and pineapples are used in making eccentric patterns and designs in the weaved products. Weaving has long been seen by tribes as a recreational pastime in which weavers can gather and socialize with one another. Different materials and colors are utilized to signify various rites throughout the country. Traditional dances for courting, healing, war, harvest, and protection follow certain patterns. Colors are also associated with certain festivals by indigenous tribes. This art form is spectacular for its multipurpose–helps people socialize, showcases culture and tradition and helps people make livelihood out of the products they can make through the raw materials they can work on. PHOTOS BY FUTURE LEARN VISIT PHILIPPINES FILIP + INNA STUDIO PHILIPPINES 16

ni hao! PHOTO BY PIXABAY singapore Through its well-preserved landscape design and T he Singapore Botanic Gardens continuity of purpose, the is situated at the heart of the Singapore Botanic Gardens city of Singapore. It is a well- is an outstanding example defined cultural landscape which of a British tropical botanic includes a rich variety of historic garden which has also landscape features, plantings and played a key role in buildings that clearly demonstrate advances in scientific the evolution of the Botanic Gardens knowledge, particularly in since its establishment in 1859. It was the fields of tropical botany inscribed as Singapore's first UNESCO and horticulture, including World Heritage Site on 4 July 2015. the development of plantation rubber. 19

Singapore, a city-state located at ASEAN VOYAGE ISSUE 1 the southern tip of the Malay MAY 2022 Peninsula. It is renowned for having some of the cleanest streets in the PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES world, largely due to a 50,000-strong cleaning workforce employed to buildings, you will often keep the streets clean. It has a seen flowers and bushes reputation as the Garden City, lining the overhead bridges, evident in how well manicured and or tall shady trees planted lush the public spaces and even the along the central divider of roads are. While much of the the expressways. agricultural and wild landscapes were cleared to make way for the growing population, efforts have been made to introduce some greenery into the concrete jungle - besides public parks amidst the tall Having no natural resources to build its economy on has not stopped the hard-work- ing and inventive Singapor- eans from turning their country into the second- richest in the world. Being a central world hub for global financial services firms driv- es the economy. The jobs in manufacturing, services, tr- ansport engineering, and logistics pay its citizens well, while electronics, biotech- nology, and chemicals are the country's main exports. PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES ANDREY KHROBOSTOV HOLIDIFY TRAVELOGUE OF KUNTALA 20

sawasdee! THAILAND T hailand is situated in PHOTOS BY GETTY IMAGES the heart of Southeast KUDUN SUKHUMANANDA Asia. Located wholly PLANETWARE within the tropics, Thailand OFFICE HOLIDAYS encompasses diverse ecos- ystems, including the hilly forested areas of the north- ern frontier, the fertile rice fields of the central plains, the broad plateau of the northeast, and the rugged coasts along the narrow southern peninsula. It is also known as an ideal place to travel being the most safe country to travel in Southea- st Asia and having significa- ntly cheaper hotels and acco- modations than other coun- tries. One huge tradition in Thailand is performance art using Khon masks as main props. The actors of Thailand's classical dance-drama use Khon masks as part of their costume. The show is not limited to acting but also includes singing, dancing, acting, acrobatics, and music, a truly all-in-one show. The drama's stories are entirely based on the Ramakien, Thailand's version of an Indian epic. Khon masks are divided into three categories based on characters from the Ramakien epic: deity, demon, and monkey. Ngoa, Rishi, Phra Pirap, and Phra Pikanet are just a few of the venerable characters whose masks have been utilized in religious rites to pay honor to creative artists. This is still practiced up to this day, by all ages, to preserve and foster their tradition. 17

ASEAN VOYAGE ISSUE 1 MAY 2022 PHOTO BY BESTPRICE TRAVEL The Grand Palace (Phra Borom Maharatchawang) was consecrated in 1782 as a former royal home in Bangkok. It houses not only royal and throne halls, but also a number of government buildings and the famous Emerald Buddha Temple. It has a surface area of 218,000 square meters and four walls that measure 1900 meters in length. The palace was constructed after King Rama I ascended to the throne in 1782. The royal palace and administrative center had formerly been in Thonburi, on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River. It is now solely utilized for ceremonial purposes, although it is still the city's most popular tourist attraction and a Buddhist pilgrimage site. 18

xin chào! VIETNAM H a Long Bay, located in the Gulf of Tonkin, within Quang Ninh Province, in the northeast of Vietnam, is 165 km from the capital of Ha Noi. Covering an area of 43,400 hectares that including over 1600 islands and islets, most of which are uninhabited and unaffected by humans, it forms a spectacular seascape of limestone pillars and is an ideal model of a mature Karst landscape developed during a warm and wet tropical climate. The property’s exceptional scenic beauty is complemented by its great biological interest. 21 PHOTO BY NICOLAS MA

ASEAN VOYAGE ISSUE 1 MAY 2022 Look out for the beautiful beaches when you visit Vietnam. It is known for its staggeringly beautiful ones accompanied by hospitable people who will you for the experience. Travel from trains and buses to unique cycles and even carabaos. The country flourished through the years following the years since the independence from France colonization. PHOTO BY BLUESKY85 hoi an lanterns The lantern, brought by Chinese and Japanese merchants when they came to Hoi An to trade and settle in the late 14th century, is one of Hoi An’s most famous symbols.The traditional lantern crafting in Hoi An has been lasting for over 400 years until today. PHOTO BY CHRIS PUTNAM PHOTOS BY NHORIE M SASINT KKDAY 22

ASEAN VOYAGE ISSUE 1 MAY 2022 BRUNEI CAMBODIA INDONESIA LAOS MALAYSIA MYANMAR PHILIPPINES 23 SINGAPORE THAILAND VIETNAM PHOTOS BY NATANAEL GINTING

ASEAN (ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS) the asean community is like a friendship bridge that unites regions as one. they share knowledge to help their economies grow stronger. they share borders and cooperate with each other to build a better community. \"ONE VISION, ONE IDENTITY, ONE COMMUNITY\" EDITED BY JEMELLE C. LUMBRES NHORIE ANNE S. MACATANGAY COVER PAGE PHOTO BY NIKADA

ASEAN VOYAGE ISSUE 1 MAY 2022