Author: Asia Book of Records Team

The Makkah Royal Clock Tower in Saudi Arabia set a record for being the biggest clock tower in the world. Standing 1,972 feet (601 metres) tall with 120 floors in the superstructure and 3 floors below ground, it contains numerous hotel rooms, a five-storey high shopping mall, Islamic Museum and prayer rooms, topped off by a golden crescent. The symmetrical complex towers above the piazza and the Kaaba, as confirmed on May 22, 2023.

AlUla Moments in association with Saudi Arabian Hot Air Balloon Federation in AlUla, Saudi Arabia, set a record for organising the largest hot air balloon glow show. A total of 142 hot air balloons were displayed in the show, as confirmed on May 22, 2023.

The Jeddah Superdome of Madinah Road, Saudi Arabia, holds a record for being the world’s largest dome with a continuous roof. It is also known as the largest geodesic dome with a diameter of 210 meters and over 300 tons of steel. The dome is 46 meters high, covers over 34,000 square meters, and can house multiple-size audiences. Its parking lot can accommodate over 5,000 cars, as confirmed on May 22, 2023.

The Great Prayer Wheel “Drigung Kagyu Rinchen Khorchen Khorwe Go Gek,” located at Samten Hills cultural and spiritual tourist complex in Dalat, Vietnam, set a record for being the largest prayer wheel of the world. It is made of pure copper, inlaid with 24K gold, weighing 200 tons, 37.22 meters in height and 16.53 meters in diameter, as confirmed on May 22, 2023.

The Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment in Tak, Thailand set a record for having the longest petrified log. This petrified log measures 72.22 metres long, the same height as a 20-storey building. Petrified logs are long pieces of ancient wood that have changed into a stony substance and are mostly found on Doi Soi Malai mountain in the province, as confirmed on May 22, 2023.

Palawan, often called the Last Frontier of the Philippines, set a record for being the best island in the world. It is a narrow island in the country’s western region and stretches to about 432 km (270 miles). It is remote but a world-class and award-winning tourist destination and is home to the world’s longest navigable underground river and the gateway to the beautiful Tubbataha Reef Marine Park, as confirmed on May 22, 2023.

Masjid Sheikh Makhdum, located in the town of Tubig Indangan, Simunul, Tawi-Tawi,  in the Philippines, set a record for being the oldest mosque in southeast Asia. It was built in 1380 AD. There have been renovations done to the Masjid Sheikh ever since. The current structure of this mosque today still has the pillars that were reconstructed during the 17th century, as confirmed on May 19, 2023.

Binondo in the Philippines set a record for being the oldest Chinatown in the world. It was established in 1594 by the Spanish colonial government so that Catholic-converted Chinese immigrants can have a permanent settlement. The heart of Binondo is Escolta Street, where the Philippines’ first major commercial and business buildings were built, as confirmed on May 19, 2023.

The Puerto Princesa underground river of the Philippines, holds a record for being the longest navigable underground river in the world. With a length of about 8.2 kilometres, it is also listed as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Philippines, as confirmed on May 22, 2023.

The Whale Shark of the Philippines, holds a record of being the biggest fish species in the world. This gentle creature is only called a “whale” due to its large size, which is over 40 feet in length. There are a few spots like Donsol, Sorsogon and Oslob, Cebuin in the Philippines where whale sharks (locally called Butanding) can be seen frequently, as confirmed on May 19, 2023.