A type of grass often mistakenly identified as a tree, bamboo can be found in tropical and sub-tropical parts of the world. You might even have this in your backyard as South-East Asia is one of the regions where the tubular plant has thrived for millions of years. Recognised as the fastest-growing land plant in the world (giant sea kelp grows faster), with some of the roughly 1,000 species able to grow over 1m in a day, bamboo is a highly versatile material.
It can be used for furniture, kitchenware and even clothing, among others. It also contributes to tourism, and no, it’s not limited to staying in resorts that utilise it as the main building material, or wandering the many bamboo forests that dot the globe. Coinciding with the annual celebration of World Bamboo Day on Sept 18, which was founded in 2009 by Kamesh Salam, then-president of World Bamboo Organisation, let us suggest a few bamboo-themed attractions that you can consider for your next travel.
Bamboo rafting is a popular water activity in Sarawak. — Borneo Adventure/Facebook Bamboo rafting: Malaysia and Thailand In areas where bamboo grew in abundance, it was often the buoyant material of choice to construct the traditional vessel known as a bamboo raft. As the everyday usage of the watercraft is no longer as prevalent in today’s society, except in certain rural areas, it now serves a more recreational purpose: Some river-based tourist attractions include bamboo rafting as one of its leisure activities.
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