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The spectrum of ASEAN gardens
From scenic sites to theme parks and even Buddhist temples, ASEAN’s gardens embody a diversity that cannot be summarized by one adjective.
By Bark Kyung-jaDirector (Traditional Landscape Preservation Institute)

Pura Taman Saraswati, Indonesia

ASEAN culture is a culture of diversity: it is characterized by multiplecultural (Chinese, Indian, Arabic, etc.) and religious (Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, etc.) influences and represents a unique blend of the similarities and differences of around 1,500 ethnic groups. The region is part of the Indochina cultural sphere and has atropical and sub-tropical climate.

Geographically, ASEAN is made up of islands, peninsulas, and inland regions boasting many scenic attractions. Mountainous landscapes, characterized by tropical and dense mountain forests, as wellas coastal and river regions blend to create a beautiful natural environment—one of the most beautiful features being the lotus flowers commonly found at Buddhist temples. A particularly famous scenicspot is Viet Nam’s Halong Bay National Park, which is set against a backdrop of approximately 3,000 mini-islands and recognized as one of the world’s seven most beautiful natural sites.

ASEAN’s theme parks are highly-developed. Malaysia’s Resorts World Genting, an hour’s drive north of Kuala Lumpur, is among the largest theme parks in Southeast Asia. Equipped with a casino, entertainment facilities, and hotels, Resorts World Genting, the brain child of Chinese-Malaysian businessman Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong, is often referred to as the “Las Vegas of Southeast Asia.”

Singapore, ASEAN’s wealthiest member in terms of per-capita GDP, is home to many vertical gardens and “green walls” that cover its buildings. This practice of covering the outside of buildings with plants filters harmful gases. Prominent attractions that blend the city’s keysites with an aesthetically-pleasing appearance include Gardens bythe Bay, Merlion Park, Singapore Botanic Gardens, and Jurong Bird Park.

Another genre of ASEAN’s parks and gardens is the Buddhist garden, which is heavily influenced by Theravada Buddhism. Each ASEAN country has many sophisticated Theravada Buddhist temples and pagodas, including Myanmar’s Shwedagon Pagoda (a large group of golden pagodas) and Bagan Temples, one of the world’s three most prominent Buddhist historic areas that is made up of a veritable forest of pagodas in a wide plain. Indonesia is also rich in Buddhist and Hindu temples, including Borobudur and Pura Taman Saraswati.