Inside the City of Darkness
Kowloon Walled City – 300 interconnected high-rise buildings, built without contributions from architects or engineers, and home to nearly 40,000 people. This was the most densely-populated place on the planet until its demolition in 1993.
Sea Change in the Strait
By Sarah Chew
It is August 1965. Less than two years after a merger, Singapore’s reluctant departure from the Federation of Malaysia throws her into...
Thailand’s Hill Tribes See Their Last Days
As elders pass on and youth surrender to the tide of modernisation, the once-proud villages who lived off the land are surrendering their diligently preserved traditions for basic food and healthcare
When Opium was used for Toothaches
We know of opium as the addictive narcotic that once held Asia drugged and spellbound. But the people of Myanmar, Laos and Thailand – still major producers of this “joy fruit” – once had a healthy relationship with its intoxicating effects
“Bura na mano, Holi hai,” or, “Do not mind, it’s Holi!”
Holi is one of the major festivals of India and is celebrated on different dates every year. This Indian festival is observed at the...
Above Sea Level
Long before the sun peeks over the horizon, artisanal fishermen across Malaysia’s Johor Strait gather at their respective jetties and beaches. These days, fish are harder to find and their coastal lands are slowly disappearing into the sea. The future is bleak for the indigenous fisherman.
Jewelled Princes
The Shan people celebrate the ordination of young Buddhist novices with Poy Sang Long – an extravagant spiritual party that usually takes place between...
Lands Before Time: Origin myths in Asia
Text & Photos by Sophie Ibbotson and Max Lovell-Hoare
Before there was writing, there were stories, and those stories passed by word of mouth. Travellers...