Cultural places in Asia

A Toraja funeral is a full on event that can last for days, sometimes even weeks, all depending on the family wealth. As funerals are expensive the deceased has often been dead for a long time, up to several years, before the funeral is held. During that time the body is injected with formalin and kept in the house, where the deceased will be considered "sick" and offered to join meals. During the funeral ceremonial slaughtering will take place. Pigs are tied up and killed with a deep stab to the lungs, while buffaloes have their throat sliced. Sometimes, a buffalo get loose during the killing and run with spraying blood into the screaming funeral crowd – hopefully not resulting in another funeral. When the coffin finally has to be taken to the final resting place, let it be a cave or mausoleum, it will get push around, as the carriers on each side of the coffin are "battling" each other. Expect a lot of waiting at a Toraja funeral, but when the action starts, it will be one of the most mind blowing thing you have ever attended.

The small fishing community at Lamalera still practices traditional whale hunting. From small boats, they hunt with harpoons thrown by hand from the stern. The usual prey are manta rays, dolphins and the occasional hammerhead shark, but a couple of times a year the big game comes by, the sperm whale. Being many times bigger than the boats, it is not unusual for an angry whale to flip over a boat, or even smash it with its tail. The black sand beach at Lamalera is dotted with wooden pieces from splintered boats along with whale bones. The few fishermen with missing limbs just add to the evidence that this kind of whale hunting is insanely dangerous. Since the number of caught animals is small, the village is excluded from any hunting ban, letting them continue their truly unique hunting tradition. You can join the whalers on a hunt. If a whale is in sight, you will be kept in safe distance, but with smaller preys you will get in on the action.

With a history going more than 1000 years back, Dogo Onsen is one of Japan's oldest. The current wooden bathhouse was constructed in 1894 and is beautiful with fine ornaments. The bottom floor holds the gender separated bathrooms, where each sex sit in a communal stone tub with hot springwater flowing in. Recently, an annex has been built, which also has private baths. Since Dogo Onsen has turned into a major attraction for (mostly Japanese) tourists, the area around the onsen is filled with shops and bathrobe dressed people.

Japanese communal bath is a keystone in Japanese culture. They come from very simple to extravagance luxury bath with outdoor pools, but they all work the same way. Women and men bath separately (unless it's one of the few mix ones, which work differently). First you strip fully naked in the changeroom. Then you enter the bathroom, where there will be small shower hoses and mirrors along the wall. You take a stool, shower it, and sit in front of the mirrow. Here you wash yourself thoroughly (some baths provide soap, others don't, in that case, bring your own) and rinse equally thoroughly. Then you can join the other naked people (of your sex of course) in the hot tub. Some bigger places have multiple tubs with different temperatures and mineral enriched water.
Note that many places don't accept tattoos, since historically they were a symbol of connection to the Yakuza and other "anti-social groups".

Central Asian nomads have a special bond with their horses. And while these animals are a source of kymyz (fermented mares milk) they are also used for transport. And the Kyrgyz do it with flare. Every summer, the young men put on a show of their tremendous horse riding skills in a series of games. Everything from chasing down a prospective bride (Kyz kuumai) to trying to pick a cloth off the ground at full gallop (Tyiyn Enmei) to wrestling on horseback (Kurosh) to the magnificently gruesome polo played with the carcass of a decapitated goat (Ulak Tartysh or Bushkashi). If you'll excuse the pun, when it comes to these traditional games, these guys aren't horsing around.

The ever romanticized title of "nomad" is one many travellers use for self-labelling. But this lifestyle of making no permanent home is not best exemplified by an extended trip around the world. Instead, it is the practice of countless generations upon generations. Such is the lifestyle of the Kyrgyz herdsmen. While true nomadism may be a thing of the past, every summer, glimpses of this past spring to life in the high alpine pastures (jailoos) of Kyrgyzstan. Herdsmen lead the livestock up into the hills, set up the traditional tents (called a Ger or Yurt) and let the sheep feed. But what is undoubtably more interesting than merely a photo-stop is the opportunity to share this life (for a few days anyway). Drinking fermented mares milk, hiking in pristine nature, all while wearing a traditional Kalpak are just a few of the highlights of a yurt stay. Truly memorable.

There is certainly a niche market for those in search of yesteryear. For many reasons, icons of the pomp and pageantry of the former Soviet Union are often high on the wish list of those travelling through the greater region. Perhaps no place in the former USSR is better to get a fill of soviet-ness than the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek. From the military precision of the changing of the flag in Ala-too square to the very pro-soviet imagery in the historical museum to the occasional statues of Lenin still gracing public parks, memories of a bygone era are everywhere. Who knew that a trip to Bishkek would be transport to the past?

Deep in the jungle close to the Indonesian border lays the friendly Kelabit Highlands. Located on a plateau 1000 m above sea level surrounded by rugged terrain, it is only reachable by plane or a seven-day trek through dense forest. The main settlement, Bario, is still famous for its longhouses that can house up to thirty families under the same roof. Some of the elders still carry the heavy brass or hornbill-ivory ear rings and have their arms and legs covered in tribal tattoos. Homestays and multi-day treks are what the few travellers come here for in this nature rich corner of Sarawak.

Thoddoo Island is an inhabited island with about 1400 people and about 1 km across. A third of the island is taken up by the village, another third is dense bush, while the last third is covered in manicured plantations of papaya, banana, coconut and watermelon. There are two gorgeous guest beaches, where bikinis are ok. The local people are friendly, though a bit reserved and will look right past you. Most women wear black chador and even niqab, and the few mosques call to prayer the mandatory five times a day. Selection of guesthouses is good, and since there are no fancy resorts with overwater bungalows, Thoddoo seems to attract a more independent crowd. It takes about 1.5 hours to reach Thoddoo Island from Male by public speedboat.

Ukulhas Island is an inhabited island with about 1000 people. It measures just 230 m across and 1000 m in length, making it one of the smallest inhabited islands in the Maldives. It was the first island to introduce waste management and is still known for its cleanliness. There are two smaller mosques, which dutifully call to prayer. The local people are chilled and seem easier to get a smile from than on other islands. The west side is one long gorgeous bikini beach lined by shady trees and palms and the house reef is one of the better. With a bit of patience, you will be able to spot sharks and stingrays from the pier at night time.