Festival Informations

KACHIN MANAW FESTIVAL (January)

Kachin is one of the states which has a delightful festival known as Manaw. Kachin, the mountain people or the Scots of Myanmar, celebrate Manaw Festival. It is the celebration of the New Year, Victory in battles, reunion of the tribes etc. The festival is held in Myitkyina and Putao in Kachin State in January of every year. Please contact your travel consultant for actual date and more details.

NA GA NEW YEAR FESTIVAL (January)

Na Ga Traditional New Year Festival is one of the most popular festivals in Myanmar and held in the middle of January every year. Naga tribes are spread throughout the remote north-western mountains of Myanmar and most of the Naga are from the Chin state. The festival place falls in the Sagaing Division, next to the Chin State.

On New Year day they have a competition of traditional sports, and gathering of subtribes of Naga, once fierce warriors in their bright and exotic dresses, celebrate with rice wine roasted meat and tribal dances performed with loud beating of drums. They pray for abundant crops and domestic animals and to have good weather by scarifying the animals.

WATER FESTIVAL (MAHA THINGYAN)

Maha Thingyan is one of the largest annual event in Myanmar and commonly referred to as the Burmese New Year Water Festival. It’s a Buddhist festival celebrated over a period of four to five days culminating in the New Year and usually falls around mid-April.

The dates of the festival are calculated according to the Burmese Lunar Calendar and are observed as public holidays throughout Myanmar. Water throwing or dousing one another from any shape or form of vessel or device that delivers water is the distinguishing feature of this festivals.

Almost the whole population in Myanmar whether young or old are in the most joyous mood, roam around the city in cars or on foot to throwing and splashing water one another.

If you love water fights, we are sure that you don’t want to miss the Thingyan Festival in Myanmar.

PHAUNG DAW OO PAGODA FESTIVAL (September & October)

Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda is the most famous pagoda in Inle Lake region (Shan State) and the festival is Myanmar’s biggest festival and it’s celebrated over 18 days in September and October of each year. It is held with the date according to the Myanmar Lunar Calendar and it begins on the first day of the waxing moon, continuing to the 3rd day after the full moon of Thadingyut. Four out of Five Buddha images are carried on royal barge and conveyed around 14 villages on the Lake. The decorated royal barge is accompanied by many other boats with Inle leg rowers. The most interesting point of the festival is on the day when the images arrive at the main town of Nyaung Shwe, where most pilgrims from the surrounding regions come to pay homage to gain merit.

THADINGYUT FESTIVAL (October)

Thadingyut Festival is also known as Lighting Festival, is held on the full moon day of the Burmese Lunar month of Thadingyut (normally falls in the 3rd week of October). It’s the second largest religious festivals after Thingyan (New Year Water Festival) and is one of the most adorable and meaningful festivals in Myanmar. It celebrates the descent of Buddha from heaven after he preached the Abidhama to his mother reborn in heaven and people light up to welcome back Buddha. Young people pay homage to elders during this season and ask for forgiveness if they have committed any and in return, the elders give them back love, forgiveness and wish them best for upcoming days and the most important thing is pocket money like Chinese New Year.

HOT AIR BALLOONS FESTIVAL (November)

The famous hot-air balloon compeititons of the Taunggyi Tazaungdaing festival is held with the date according to Myanmar Lunar Calendar and usually celebrate at the Awaiya hot-air balloon square in Taunggyi, southern Shan State.The balloons are of various shapes, designs, patterns and colors. You will also see the fireworks and firecrackers of hot air-balloon at night time.