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The Pink Orchid Mantis

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With a pink and white body and large lobes on its feet resembling flower petals, Hymenopus coronatus is a beauty, but the life of this “flower mantis” is not all roses. If you’re a male mantis, you’d better watch out! Your girl may be pretty, but she could be twice your size. Plus, she’s hungry, all the time. And there’s a good chance you are on...

LAOS – Cycle Luang Namtha’s Rice Paddies

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The mountainous northern province of Luang Namtha offers emerald mountains and abundant rice paddies dotted with wooden huts. Bicycles, motorcycles and scooters are easily rentable, and provide a fast but flexible means of seeing the waterfal's, rivers and temples. The sparse traffic means peaceful, flat roads and the ability to stop and explore wherever piques your fancy. One of the...

Pink Himalayan Salt

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It’s probably no better for you than regular salt, and it doesn’t actually come from the Himalayas, but pink salt has some history behind it – and it’s here to stay According to local legend, it was none other than the exalted historical figure Alexander the Great (356–323 BCE) who discovered pink salt, otherwise known as Himalayan salt, when he...

Geisha – The Mystery Behind the Makeup

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Text: Emily Drew Our tourist boat sailed down the central river of Tokyo and stopped near Ginza, a high-end district with a walking street paved with the likes of Gucci, Versace, Prada and Louis Vuitton. A friend and I moved from the dock towards the street with dozens of other tourists. We noticed a woman in elaborate, traditional robes, her hair...

ALOR – Preserving Paradise

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Savvy divers know this far-flung archipelago as the home of stunning reefs and exhilarating currents, and now a group of dive operators and conservationists have united with government to ensure the long-term preservation of this very special marine ecosystem Against a gilded dawn sky, a reclusive, torpedo-shaped figure bathed in the day’s first light gently breaks the sea’s surface. The blue...

Images of Asia (IOA) Annual Competition 2024

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Celebrating 25 Years of Bringing Asia to the World in 2024 ASIAN GeographicImages of Asia PHOTO/VIDEO/ART COMPETITION 2023–24 ASIAN Geographic celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2024, and we’re marking the occasion with the biggest-ever edition of our flagship Images of Asia (IOA) Photo/Video/Art Competition. Enjoyed by readers for the past 16 years, this prestigious contest has attracted amazing entries by both amateur and professional...

The Biggest Pink Diamond in the World

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Tracing the journey of the “Sea of Light” and the “Light of the Eye” diamonds from a mine in south-central India to a cavernous vault in the capital of Iran Mention the “Crown Jewels” and you’ll likely immediately conjure in your mind the pomp and ceremony of the British monarchy. In 2023, the world got a rare glimpse of a...

ZHENG HE – Legendary Explorer

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The seven naval expeditions of Admiral Zheng He from Ming Dynasty China to India, the Middle East and Africa have fascinated the world for centuries. ASIAN Geographic looks at the advanced naval technology and treasures transported from Chinato the rest of the world. Text by Terence Koh After finally overthrowing the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368), ending close to a century under foreign...