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Festivals and unique activities – best time to visit Burma
The festival calendar in Burma is full of fun and exciting celebrations that are often colourful and vibrant. Everything is celebrated here, from food and drink through to water and the new year, and many come from all over the world to enjoy the larger festivals.
Thingyan Festival or Myanmar New Year Water Festival: going off every year in April, the new year celebrations are similar to those in Thailand at Songkran where water is used in abundance to wet everything in sight. This has been going on for hundreds of years and is one of the most popular festivals in the country.
Thadingyut: the Festival of Lights at the end of Buddhist Lent is another hugely popular festival and takes place on the last full moon of the rainy season. It is a time for giving to family and friends as well as making a range of lights from candles and lanterns through to colourful balloons and lamps.
Regatta Festival: held in late September, the Regatta Festival is a sight to behold as many parades and brightly coloured and intricately decorated floats take to Kandawgyi Lake.
Tazaungdine Festival: this festival takes place in October and many of the large cities and towns take part in the celebrations. Monks’ robes are handed out and balloons shaped as oxen, water buffaloes, horses, fish, owls, birds and pigs are sent off into the sky to pay homage to the Buddha’s mother.
The weather in Burma can be stifling in some parts so when attending festivals, it is important to take water with you. The main festival is the new year celebrations in April and these should only be attended by those who don’t mind getting wet for three days straight! In general, the wet months are from June to October, and at this time the country is at its greenest and the cloud cover prevents the harsh sunlight. Cool weather offers a pleasant respite at the end of the year, but it becomes terribly hot and dry from March to May. Not surprisingly, the European winter months are the most popular for visitors, but the country never becomes crowded at its tourist centres.
