Few countries in the world are as obsessed with football as those in SE Asia. Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam; they are all fascinated not only by their national teams but by those in the European League as well. Apparently Beckham has never been mobbed in quite the same way anywhere else. This makes it all the more of a tragedy if the teams from SE Asia don’t qualify for the Asian Cup in 2011.

Sudoku has been popular for quite a few years now and can be found in most major newspapers as well as in numerous books devoted to the pastime in the bookstore. But for those of us who joined the craze some time back, monotony is setting in and we are searching for new and ever more difficult challenges. This is when one appreciates the efforts made to take Sudoku to extremes.

Sumo wrestling is the national sport of Japan with a history which reaches back thousands of years, when it was created as a type of entertainment to amuse the Shinto gods. Although many people expect the matches to be painfully slow because of all the pomp and ceremony which surround the sport, in practice a match can be over in just a few, breathtaking seconds. Blink and you miss it.

The Malaysian Grand Prix is Malaysia’s biggest sporting event, attracting thousands of visitors from around the world and numerous local racing enthusiasts. Held in April every year, the Grand Prix not only puts Malaysia on the map of the international racing circuit but brings it an enormous amount of international exposure.

Superyachts in Asia Super yachts, or Mega yachts, are generally more than 120 feet in length and boast three decks with extravagant, luxury onboard accommodation for 10-12 guests. Asia is fast becoming a popular cruising destination for these impressive craft, with marinas in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.

Imagine swimming half a kilometre, cycling up and down mountains for 30 kilometres, running for 10 kilometres, kayaking in choppy waves for 5 kilometres and even rope climbing. Now imagine doing all of this consecutively and there you have adventure racing. An extreme sport which is making addicts of not only athletes but executives, chefs, librarians and anyone who likes a little adventure with their travel.

This relatively new sport was, until recently, seen as the domain of hip young things. But it is now entering the mainstream as more and more people recognise the skill and dexterity involved. Taking up the sport requires patience, a certain level of fitness and a daredevil attitude.

Thailand is a golfers' paradise with literally hundreds of courses to choose from, most of them offering stunning surroundings and top class facilities with green fees priced much lower than you would expect to pay elsewhere in the world.

The Asian international yachting series grows every year and now draws top class international skippers and world class crews to compete in sailing events in China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.

To have a good grasp of Thailand’s cultural heritage you need to understand something of Muay Thai, the martial art which combines kicks and punches to create a fast moving, exciting sport which is growing in popularity all around the world.

Hong Kong will host the 2009 East Asia Games. This international multi-sport event held every four years will feature 23 sports, 16 of which are Olympic sports. Athletes from around East Asia will participate in 1,700 sporting events in Hong Kong in December.

Walking the beach is a good way to keep fit and avoids having to use the gym treadmill to get your aerobic exercise. Koh Samui has some of the best beaches in Thailand and one in particular is great for walking along.