lonely-planet-myanmar-burma-11-edition

16MonthbyMonthTop EventsWater Festival (Thingyan),mid-AprilTaungbyone Nat Pwe Festival,August or early SeptemberIndependence Day, 4 JanuaryTazaungmon, Octoberor NovemberAnanda Pahto Festival,JanuaryNearly every active paya(Buddhist temple) or kyaung(Buddhist monastery)community hosts occasionalcelebrations of their own,often called paya pwe or‘pagoda festivals’. Manyoccur on full-moon daysand nights from January toMarch, following the mainrice harvest, but the buildupcan last for a while. Allsuch festivals follow the12-month lunar calendar(p 368 ) and so their celebrationcan shift between twomonths from year to year.JanuaryPeak season and, ifChinese New Year fallswithin the month, evenbusier with local touristsand those from theregion. Plan well ahead tosecure transport ticketsand hotels of choice.Note New Year’s Day isnot a public holiday inMyanmar.z IndependenceDayCelebrating the end ofcolonial rule in Burma,this major public holidayon 4 January is marked bynationwide fairs, includinga week-long one at KandawgyiLake (p 48 ) in Yangon.Manao Festivalz Costumed dancing,copious drinking of ricebeer and 29 cows or buffalosacrificed to propitiate nats(traditional spirits) are partof this Kachin State Dayevent, held in Myitkyina on10 January (p 236 )Ananda Pahtoz FestivalStretching over a coupleof weeks in January (butsometimes in December,depending on the Myanmarlunar calendar) this is oneof the biggest religious festivalsin Bagan (p 158 ).FebruaryStill a busy travelseason, with the weatherbeginning to get warmer.If Chinese New Yearhappens to fall in thismonth, watch out for aboost in travel activity.z ShwedagonFestivalThe lunar month ofTabaung ( which can also fallin March) signals the startof the Shwedagon Festival(p 51 ), the largest paya pwein Myanmar.AprilWhile joining in the waterfrolics of Thingyan canbe fun, note that it’ssteaming hot in Myanmarduring this month. Also,with many locals off workand on the move duringthe New Year celebrations,securing transport,booking hotels and evenfinding a restaurant openfor a meal can be tricky –plan well ahead!z Buddha’sBirthdayThe full-moon day of Kason(falling in April or May)is celebrated as Buddha’sbirthday, the day of his enlightenmentand the day heentered nibbana (nirvana).Watering ceremonies areconducted at banyan treeswithin temple and monasterygrounds.Water Festivalz ( Thingyan)Lasting from three days to aweek, depending on whetherthe holiday falls over aweekend, this celebration