Author: Asia Book of Records Team

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.

The Philippine Arena located in a 140-hectare tourism enterprise zone called Ciudad de Victoria within Santa Maria and Bocaue, Bulacan, Philippines, set a record for being the largest indoor arena in the world. It can accommodate 51,000 people in a fully enclosed space and another 50,000 in the outdoor area, as confirmed on May 19, 2023.

The Santa Monica Parish in Panay town, Capiz, Philippines, set a record for having the biggest church bell in the Southeast Asian region. This massive bell stands at 5 feet high and weighs more than 10 metric tons. It has an impressive diameter of 7 feet (2.1 meters), as confirmed on May 19, 2023.

Lolong, the giant crocodile of Agusan del Sur, Philippines, holds a record for being the largest crocodile captured in the world. The reptile measuring 6.4 m (21ft) in height and 1,075 kg (2,370lb) in weight, is believed to be 50 years old at the time of capture in the town of Bunawan, and passed away later, as confirmed on May 19, 2023.

Carabao Mango grown in the coastal region of Masinloc Zambales, Philippines set a record for being the sweetest mango of the world. These mangoes have a total soluble sugar content of 23 percent, as confirmed on May 19, 2023.

Kayangan Lake located between Coron and the Calamian Islands in Northern Palawan, Philippines, set a record for being the cleanest lake in Asia. It boasts some of the clearest and cleanest lake water. It is composed of 70% freshwater and 30% saltwater. Travel experts and enthusiasts claim Kayangan Lake the cleanest lake in the Philippines and Asia, as confirmed on May 22, 2023.

Kotaro Kawai and Shingo Kimata of Japan set a record for being the fastest duo to finish a giant connect four board in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. They finished it in just 52.53 seconds, as confirmed on May 27, 2023.