Northstar

www.travelweekly-asia.com 18 OCTOBER 2019 D AY 3 TRAVEL WEEKLY ASIA I T B A S I A S H O W D A I L I E S 15 Paro Tshechu Paro, Bhutan Tschechu, which means "the 10th day" of a lunar month is considered auspicious, since the number corresponds to the birthday of Guru Rimpoche who introduced Tantric Buddhism across the Himalayas. Most cities and precincts celebrate an annual tshechu, but none Naadam Festival Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia The origin of Naadam comes from Mongolia's rich military history. Akin to the Olympic games for Mongolians, the festival is a show of male strength, where contestants pit against each other in three games: wrestling, archery, and horseracing. Sportsmen, sportswomen and children alike compete in Naadam, with winners rewarded titles for their achievements. Once used as a way of scouting warriors, this community event is now inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. as popular and large scale as Paro's. Arrive early for a good spot to see masked dancers dance to dizzying beats, sacred rituals and hypnotising chants. The festival cumulates with the unveiling of a massive thongdrel (appliqué) of the Guru on the fifth day. If you're lucky, you may catch a glimpse of Bhutan's King, who's known to visit on the last day to get a blessing from Guru Rimpoche's thongdrel. Here, five incredible festivals worth celebrating and making the detour for By Natalie Joy Lee Pingxi Lantern Festival Pingxi, Taiwan Pen your wishes onto paper lanterns, and watch them float heavenwards as they light up the night sky. We're talking about the annual Pingxi Lantern Festival during the Three Kingdoms era, and in the mid-19th century, as prayers ascend in hopes of conceiving sons and for bountiful harvests. The practice has continued until today, with the popular festival already passing the 100-year mark. Pingxi is the only place sky lanterns are allowed for release in Taiwan, since surrounding mountains prevent them from drifting too far off. The next time Pingxi's skies will be lit this beautifully will be Feb 8-23, 2020, paired with folk performances, carnivals and lantern riddle contests. Songkran Chiang Mai, Thailand More than half a million people willingly pack themselves into one area, armed with pistols, pails and packets of water for one of Thailand's biggest celebrations – Songkran. The April water fest marks the Thai new year as the entire country celebrates with days off work, family time, temple visits and iconic water fights, where it's not uncommon to find yourself soaking wet as long as you're visiting one of the more touristy zones. In Bangkok's backpacker district of Khaosan Road, shops in the area even provide unlimited water refills and coloured powder to push the fun – and the crowds. Other cities to join the water party include Phuket, Chiang Mai and Pattaya. Boryeong Mud Festival Boryeong-si , South Korea Millions flock to Daecheon Beach every July for the Boryeong Mud Festival, which welcomes visitors who come ready to get dirty in the mud-themed activities, and believe it or not, the nutrient-rich mud itself (mud facial packs anyone?). Easily reached via a two-hour ride from Seoul, the festival is set on the largest beach of Korea's west coast, offering space aplenty for a wide variety of survival-style mudflats games, giant mud baths, multiple beach party venues, K-Pop concerts, coloured mud face painting and crafts for kids, and even a seaside mini water park complete with inflated slides and tubes. CREDIT: HYPNOTICA STUDIOS INFINITE CREDIT: DRPNNCPP/GETTYIMAGES ASIA'S UNIQUE FESTS Mongolia's Naadam Festival is marked by fascinating battles over wrestling, archery, and horseracing. Thousands of paper lanterns carry people's hopes and dreams up into the skies over the weeks spanning the Pingxi Lantern Festival. On the fifth day of the popular Paro Tshechu, lookout for the unveiling of a massive thongdrel (appliqué) of the Kingdom's revered Guru Rimpoche. Get ready for some muddy fun at the annual Boryeong Mud Festival, held on the largest beach of Korea's west coast. Thailand's new year is marked by intense bouts of water wars, happening mostly in Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Pattaya. CREDIT: HADYNYAH/GETTYIMAGES

• Cover