Asian Insider

Asian Insider

West Sumatra, where you find buffalo supermodels and a village called ‘Singapore’

aapadang - A traditional Minangkabau rumah gadang stands amid rice fields in West Sumatra. The house is built largely from wood and topped by distinctive gonjong, the upward-curving roof peaks associated with Minangkabau architecture. Such rooflines are a common sight across West Sumatra, appearing not only on private homes such as this one but also on government offices and other public buildings.

Credit: Arlina Arshad

Asian Insider

Belitung: A beach escape closer to Singapore than Bali

hbbelitung - Belitung is a draw for tourists looking for a more relaxed vacation where they do not have to jostle with big crowds.

Credit: Hariz Baharudin

Asian Insider

Beyond Bali and Batam: How new routes are changing Singapore’s ties with Indonesia

aafly - Singaporean Zachary Lee (extreme right) with his family, his friends and their families on vacation in Belitung.
ST Photo: Hariz Baharudin

Asian Insider

No ghosts, just good food: Pontianak shines on the Equator

ktpontianak - Evening boat rides along the Kapuas River are a popular Pontianak attraction for locals and visitors alike. Two and a half centuries after the first sultan drove out the city's resident ghosts by cannon fire, the riverbanks remain reassuringly unhaunted.
Credit: Karina Tehusijarana

From tech visas to ‘gold card’, scholarships: Fast track to working in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan

Japan is looking for tech talents beyond its shores in a bid to plug a severe labour shortage in its IT and chips sectors.

Asian Insider

South Korea’s hunt for 100,000 tech workers

25-year-old Indonesian student Maharani Bahar arrived in February to do her Masters degree at the Sungkyungkwan University and found it relatively easy to settle into life in South Korea.

Asian Insider

No poaching, just ‘enticing environment’: Fukuoka, capital of Japan’s ‘Silicon Island’

wstalent - Hiroyuki Kano, the director of new industry promotion at the Fukuoka City government, introducing the Engineer Cafe, which was born out of a campaign to make the city a place where engineers can gather, be active and grow.

Credit: Walter Sim

Asian Insider

The great tech manhunt: East Asia’s billion-dollar race for ASEAN talent

wstalent - Many Vietnamese join the Vietnamese Youth and Student Association in Fukuoka, which caters to those aged 18 to 30. At this Hakata Dontaku Festival held in May 2026, members of the group promoted Vietnamese heritage and interacted with local residents and international visitors.
Credit: VIETNAMESE YOUTH AND STUDENT ASSOCIATION IN FUKUOKA

Asian Insider

Who was here first? Why maps, old compasses and history classes matter in South China Sea dispute

A ship identified by the Philippine Coast Guard as Chinese maritime militia is seen near Scarborough Shoal in the disputed South China Sea on June 15, 2026. (Photo by Jam STA ROSA / AFP)

Asian Insider

How much it costs to raise a child in Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea

Barbie Ho’s six-year-old son plays at a playground near their home in Mui Wo, Hong Kong.

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MDDI (P) 046/10/2025. Published by SPH Media Limited, Co. Regn. No.202120748H. Copyright © 2026 SPH Media Limited. All rights reserved.