Asia

Philippines is the newest IOF member

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Asian orienteering has been growing quick. And now, it got a real boost with a new member of the International Orienteering Federation (IOF).

Philippines is the newest IOF member effective 12 January 2020, thus becoming the newest Asian member of the IOF. The IOF council meeting in Frankfurt approved the addition of the 76th member of the IOF, which the IOF website announced today (17 January).

In March, Philippines will host the first national orienteering championship in Manila, using a university campus. In addition to the championship, the event will also include an orienteering seminar.

Philippines is the 5th Southeast Asian member of the IOF, after Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand. This means that of the 10 ASEAN member countries, half of them are now IOF members. Besides the expanded participation, Asian events are attracting more international orienteers to discover the culturally diverse region, such as the Thailand International Orienteering Championship in Chiang Mai and Beidou Orienteering in Zhaoqing, Guangdong, China.

We at ORIEN.ASIA wish all the best for orienteering in the Philippines, and look forward towards potential cooperation soon.

Asia

3 places to enjoy in Chiang Mai over the New Year

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This article is written in conjunction with the Thailand International Orienteering Championship.

Chiang Mai is an interesting place. For starters, it was historically the centre of a kingdom called Lanna, only to be gradually assimilated into Siam/Thailand during the past 250 years. Lanna was historically and culturally distinct from Siam; it spoke its own language and wrote its own script. (If the script looked familiar, it’s because Lanna fell under Burmese influence for some centuries.)

And then there’s geography. Chiang Mai is a ten-hour train ride north of Bangkok, tucked in the mountains, and much nearer to the Burmese and Laotian border (and even Yunnan in China) than the Thai capital.

This distinctiveness pervades even today, as internationals flock to Chiang Mai for its laid-back feel and low living costs; Chiang Mai is known today as the “world capital of digital nomads”.

This New Year, Chiang Mai can lay claim to be the Asian capital of orienteering, as orienteers from 14 countries and regions join the Thailand International Orienteering Championship. Although in the tropics, you can chill in Chiang Mai at the following places!

1. Chiang Mai Old Town

The location of the sprint race is part of a moated old town, which is surprisingly not as crowded as what an “old town” might usually feel like. In fact, it feels like a very large village, with narrow lanes, cafes and stores.

Chiang Mai’s Old Town doesn’t feel like any other old town.

2. Doi Suthep

The place of a Buddhist monastery, it is a hill (doi) that is easily accessible by an hour’s hike from Chiang Mai University. Alternatively, take a songthaew (red truck) from the zoo uphill.

Thailand is an important centre of Buddhism and attracts people worldwide for pilgrimage, meditation and religious studies.

Pha Lat Temple on the hike uphill

3. Nimmanhaemin

Commonly called Nimman, the area has become the “world capital of digital nomads” as freelancers take up residence. You’re likely to bump into a foreigner every corner you turn! Normally laid back with cafes and affordable eateries, the area is seeing gentrification as new malls spring up, such as the Western-styled One Nimman.

One Nimman

There’s much more in Chiang Mai for you to discover! If you’re coming, share on our Facebook page how it feels different from where you live!