Environment
Ancient Pillars to the Sky
The ancient Yakusugi trees of Yakushima are amongst the very oldest and largest of Asia’s living things. These evergreen cedars can be found on the circular island of Yakushima, lying near the southern tip of the Japanese archipelago with a mountainous interior that is mostly forested wilderness. These World Heritage-listed groves, called Cryptomeria japonica, are the national tree of Japan and are nestled within the valleys of these hills.
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Environment
Thar be Dragons
‘Hic sunt dracones’ (Thar be dragons) – that’s the terrifying inscription left by map-makers more than 500 years ago to warn medieval explorers of the mythical creatures lurking beyond the bounds of the known world. According to these legends, man-eating dragons inhabited the far-flung islands of East Asia, surrounded by treacherous waters teeming with sea serpents. At the time, few dared to venture ‘off the map’.
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Heritage
Quiet Soul of the Desert
Petra sits at the crossroads of Arabian, Assyrian, Egyptian, Greek and Roman cultures. Here in the peace of the Jordanian desert, Justin Ong explores the routes and ruins of the Nabataean city, a civilisation ahead of its time.
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Culture
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.
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On Assignment
Removing the Curse of Division
Famagusta, once a flourishing port has since come to pieces – schools and businesses share the space of medieval churches, some intact, others derelict. Turkish soldiers seal the coastline to intruders. The tourists have long gone and even the locals look abroad for opportunities.
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Heritage
The Ghosts of Gunkanjima
In Gunkanjima, ghosts live on in the memories of former inhabitants of the fortress island. The site has since been registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site at the behest of those born there, who hope that all who henceforth visit the island can learn from Gunkanjima’s rise and fall.
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Heritage
Lest We Forget
Ruins are, beyond tourist magnets, repositories of knowledge on the history of human civilisation. Reach back in time with these seven locations, each testaments to the ingenuity of mankind and to the rich cultural foundations on which modern Asia stands.
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