logo
Malaysian woman's epic solo motorcycle quest takes her from Asia to Antarctica

Malaysian woman's epic solo motorcycle quest takes her from Asia to Antarctica

Malaysian adventurer Anita Yusof has crisscrossed the globe on two epic solo motorcycle journeys, braving bears in North America, anacondas in the Amazon and the freezing cold of Antarctica – feats that made her the first Muslim woman to ride solo around the world and earned her a place in the Asian Book of Records.
The first solo adventure in 2015 took her to four continents. Now the 57-year-old is on a new mission: to conquer all seven on her trusty Yamaha motorbike.
Her bike is currently en route to Adelaide,
Australia , where she is planning a two-month ride across the Outback to Darwin.
From there, she will ship it to Timor Leste, ride through West Timor, and island-hop through
Indonesia to Sumatra, before finally sailing home to Malaysia – the last stretch of another monumental journey.
The ride will complete her quest to cover every continent – a remarkable feat for the teacher-turned-explorer, who was once mocked for her ambitions but is now celebrated as a trailblazer.
Anita Yusof flying the Malaysian flag in Antarctica. Photo: Anita Yusof
Born in Batu Pahat, Johor, and raised in Ipoh, Perak, Anita taught physical education at Sultan Idris Education University's Institute of Teacher Education in Perak.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Jakarta celebrates visa-free transit as China strengthens ties with Indonesia
Jakarta celebrates visa-free transit as China strengthens ties with Indonesia

South China Morning Post

time2 days ago

  • South China Morning Post

Jakarta celebrates visa-free transit as China strengthens ties with Indonesia

Bilateral ties between Jakarta and Beijing are expected to improve following China 's decision to include Indonesia in a list of countries eligible for a 240-hour visa-free transit policy, although any impact on tourism is expected to be minimal. Under the scheme, which began on Thursday, Indonesian travellers with ordinary passports can enter China and stay for 10 days provided they have air tickets to a third country after leaving China. Without further travel plans, their entry will be considered illegal. The visa-free transit allows Indonesian citizens to enter and exit China through any of 60 designated ports across 24 regions, including Beijing Shanghai , and Hainan Important for businesses

Green groups hail Indonesia's move to axe mining permits in marine ‘paradise' Raja Ampat
Green groups hail Indonesia's move to axe mining permits in marine ‘paradise' Raja Ampat

South China Morning Post

time4 days ago

  • South China Morning Post

Green groups hail Indonesia's move to axe mining permits in marine ‘paradise' Raja Ampat

Indonesia's green groups and Papuan residents have welcomed President Prabowo Subianto's decision to revoke almost all nickel-mining permits in the country's biodiversity gem of the Raja Ampat Islands, but urged authorities to protect other small and outlying areas from damage brought by such activities. Raja Ampat, an archipelagic region in Southwest Papua, has been dubbed the 'last paradise on Earth' due to its extremely rich terrestrial and marine biodiversity, which includes 540 species of coral and more than 1,500 species of fish. The postcard-perfect archipelago, comprising more than 610 islands, is popular among divers, including those who can pay extra for luxury yachts and eco-friendly lodges. Greenpeace Indonesia activists and four young Papuans stage a protest at the Indonesia Critical Minerals expo on June 3. Photo: Greenpeace Indonesia It was no surprise that Indonesians were up in arms to condemn nickel mining in the region, after the issue was exposed by Greenpeace Indonesia and four young Papuans who staged a protest during the Indonesia Critical Minerals expo in Jakarta on June 3. According to Greenpeace, nickel mining has already led to the destruction of 'over 500 hectares of forest and specialised native vegetation' in three islands within Raja Ampat: Gag Island, Kawe Island and Manuran Island. 'Extensive documentation shows soil runoff causing turbidity and sedimentation in coastal waters – a direct threat to Raja Ampat's delicate coral reefs and marine ecosystems – as a result of deforestation and excavation,' Greenpeace claimed in a statement on June 3. Other small islands in Raja Ampat, such as Batang Pele and Manyaifun, were also 'under imminent threat' from nickel mining, and these two islands were located about 30km from Piaynemo, the iconic karst island formation depicted on Indonesia's 100,000-rupiah banknote.

Interwar Hongkongers' summer destination of choice? Indonesia
Interwar Hongkongers' summer destination of choice? Indonesia

South China Morning Post

time05-06-2025

  • South China Morning Post

Interwar Hongkongers' summer destination of choice? Indonesia

Since the colony's earliest years, the summer months of dankly humid weeks of near-constant rain, followed by a few baking-hot, magnificently clear days, punctuated by passing typhoons, have been the season to escape. But before air services expanded everyone's travel horizons, where lay within reasonable reach by sea, offering pleasant, modern resort localities with warm daytime weather, fresh mornings and cool afternoons? Regional options were limited. In mainland China, modest hill stations, mostly established by missionaries, were scattered across the interior but none were readily accessible from Hong Kong. Farther afield, yet close enough for relatively short visits, Japan, and Japanese-ruled Taiwan, offered several attractive mountain resorts. Established from the early 20th century and accessible by road and rail from major cities, places such as Nikko became popular destinations for a while. By the early 1930s, however, as Japan descended into fascist rule, foreigners found themselves subject to official surveillance, which diminished that country's pull. So where else as erstwhile peaceful, interesting and accessible also offered a range of cooler-climate options? The Dutch East Indies (present-day Indonesia), and more specifically, the island of Java , was the premier interwar summer destination of choice for those Hongkongers able to afford leisure travel. An early 20th-century advertisement for steamship connections to Java. Photo: Handout Dramatically beautiful, cool-weather mountain resorts had been a noted feature on Java from the early 19th century. Linked by modern railways and excellent road networks to international ports at Surabaya and Batavia (present-day Jakarta), modern Dutch-built highland cities including Bandung, in West Java, and Malang, in East Java, offered convenient access to smaller hill towns found at higher altitudes nearby, such as Garut, Sukabumi, Lawang and Tretes.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store