Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Ananda Pahto Festival
Stretching over a couple of weeks in January (but sometimes in December depending on
the Myanmar lunar calendar), this is one of the biggest religious festivals in Bagan.
PAYA PWE
Nearly every active paya(Buddhist temple) or kyaung(Buddhist monastery) com-
munity hosts occasional celebrations of their own, often called paya pweor 'pa-
goda festivals'. Many occur on full-moon days and nights from January to March,
following the main rice harvest, but the build-up can last for a while. All such fest-
ivals follow the 12-month lunar calendar and so their celebration can shift between
two months from year to year. To check dates of these and other festivals go to the
festival calendar of the Briitaiin-My
-Myanmar So
r Sociiety (
www.shwepla.net/Calendar/
ThinkCal.mv
)
.
February
Still a busy travel season, with the weather getting warmer. If Chinese New
Year happens to fall in this month, watch out for a boost in travel activity.
Irriwaddy Literature Festival
First held in Yangon in 2013, the 2014 festival saw a change of location to Mandalay.
Local writers are joined by celebrated international literary and media figures including
the likes of Jung Chang, Fergal Keane and Tan Twan Eng (
http://irrawaddylitfest.com
)
.
Shwedagon Festival
The lunar month of Tabaung (which can also fall in March) signals the start of the Sh-
wedagon Festival, the largest
paya pwe
in Myanmar.
April
While joining in the water frolics of Thingyan can be fun, it's steaming hot
in Myanmar during this month. Also, with many locals off work and on the
