Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
work then other alternatives (such as
Western Union and MoneyGram, which
started to operate during 2013) are
expensive and inconvenient.
Shwedagon Festival Feb/March. The country's biggest
paya pwèh (temple festival) takes place at Shwedagon
Paya in Yangon.
Thingyan April 13-16. The water festival is the most
popular in the calendar, marking New Year with a good
soaking as temperatures soar. It also has a spiritual side, as
it's when the nat king visits the human world to record good
and bad deeds. Hotels and transport are often booked solid.
Balloon Festival Nov. Daytime parades at this three-day
event in Taunggyi, east of Inle Lake, include impressive
animal-shaped hot-air balloons. At night, balloons are
released with huge gondolas full of fireworks strapped
underneath them, sometimes with predictably explosive
results.
Shan New Year Dec. Keep an eye open for the different
ethnic groups' new year celebrations around Dec and Jan.
This one rotates between different Shan towns, and includes
live bands, traditional dancing and - on Shan New Year's Eve
itself - fireworks and an inclusive party atmosphere.
Ananda Pahto festival Dec/Jan. The paya pwèh at Ananda
Pahto is the biggest in Bagan, running for the fortnight
leading up to the full moon of Pyatho. For the last three days,
hundreds of monks chant scriptures day and night.
OPENING HOURS AND HOLIDAYS
Standard business hours are Monday to
Friday 9am to 5pm, with shops staying
open a little later (and normally opening
on Saturdays). Post o ce opening times
vary but are generally Monday to Friday
9.30am to 4.30pm, with some opening
on Saturday mornings. Banks typically
open Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm,
although some close earlier and currency
exchange counters may not open until
11am. Museums operated by the
government are open from Wednesday to
Sunday 10am to 4pm. Some major
pagodas are open 24 hours a day, while
others tend to open from early morning
until late in the evening. Restaurants are
typically open daily from around 9am to
9pm, while many teahouses open much
earlier for breakfast, and places aimed at
tourists might close at 10pm.
7
Yangon
hough no longer the capital, YANGON
remains Myanmar's commercial heart and
also the core of its spiritual life, thanks to
the glorious Shwedagon Paya (Pagoda),
while its colonial-era buildings give the
downtown area a historical charm which
new capital Nay Pyi Taw - and Mandalay
for that matter - will never possess.
Whether you get lost in the city's
animated markets , seek out beer and
barbecue in Chinatown , visit Hindu
temples or take an eye-opening ride on
a commuter train, Yangon provides an
engaging introduction to the country.
here is a long history of settlement
in this part of the delta, but the Mon
village of Dagon only grew in size and
importance - and was renamed Yangon
- after the area was conquered by King
Alaungpaya in 1755. In 1852 it was
seriously damaged by the invading
British, who called the city Rangoon and
rebuilt it to their own plans; in 1885 the
British made Rangoon their capital.
he city was occupied by the Japanese
during World War II, but bomb damage
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
Several holidays are based upon the
lunar calendar and therefore change date
each year.
January 4 Independence Day
February 12 Union Day
March 2 Peasants' Day
March/April Tabaung full moon
March 27 Armed Forces Day
April 13-16 Thingyan (water festival)
April 17 New Year
May 1 Labour Day
July 19 Martyrs' Day
July Waso full moon (beginning of Buddhist “Lent”)
October Thadingyut full moon (end of Buddhist “Lent”)
November Tazaungmone full moon
December 8 National Day
December 25 Christmas
FESTIVALS
Most festivals in Myanmar are based on
the lunar calendar; check the o cial
Ministry of Hotels & Tourism site for a
more extensive list ( W myanmartourism
.org/festivals.htm).
 
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