THAILAND: Ayutthaya World Heritage Fair
A window on the past glories of this great city opens this month, offering visitors a glimpse of the heyday of the old capital.
Ayutthaya’s forest of old temples comes alive in a spectacular light-and-sound show, while a series of exhibitions throws more illumination on this World Heritage Site.
When: December 13-22
CAMBODIA
International Kite Festival
The haunting sounds of traditional Khmer kites known as kleng ek are just one of the attractions soaring through the skies of Koh Kong Province today. Kleng ek “play” the wind with a sounding bow that makes a low humming musical sound. Battling for the judges’ attentions will be a colourful flock of kites of all shapes and sizes from all over the world. Each is judged on on beauty and flying technique.
Where: Koh Kong Province (bordering Trat Province).
When: Today
MALAYSIA
Penang Chingay
The bamboo Chingay flagpole is up to 9 metres in length. Snaking from the top is a 7-metre flag that brings the total weight to an impressive 28 kilos. The festival features acrobats tossing it around like a matchstick, in parades of skill, strength and bravery. Each Chingay troupe has its own signature moves, flipping and balancing the pole on various parts of the body to whoops and cheers from spectators who line the streets.
Where: Penang
When: Today
JAPAN
Chichibu Night Festival
Men hauling gorgeous floats dash up a steep slope under winter nighttime skies lit up by fireworks.
Chichibu Shrine dates back more than 2,000 years and plays host to one of Japan’s three greatest hikiyama (float) festivals.
Massive wooden hikiyama shaped like small houses and weighing 10-20 tonnes each are paraded through the city streets. They are then transformed into stages, setting the scene for Kabuki plays to be performed.
The most exciting festival spectacle unfolds on the third evening when kasaboko and yatai floats lit up with countless lanterns ascend the hill. The spectators’ excitement grows to a crescendo with the powerful sound of drums and flutes and shouts of “Ho-ryai! Ho-ryai!”
Where: Chichibu Shrine, Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture
When: Tomorrow and Tuesday
