Myanmar's festivals
On a national scale, the festivals of Myanmar (Burma) are almost exclusively Buddhist and take place according to the lunar calendar.
The largest and most important of Myanmar's national festivals is Thingyan, the Theravada Buddhist New Year celebration during which everyone throws water at each other in a traditional purification ritual. Pagoda festivals also play an important part in the festival calendar of each locality, commemorating important events in a temple's history and usually celebrated during the dry season.
You will find that festival celebrations are most evident in villages and smaller rural towns, where the local festivals provide a fascinating insight into Burmese culture. These celebrations mix mainstream Buddhist practices with nat-worship, the veneration of indigenous Burmese spirits.
Click the links below to find out more about some of Myanmar's most captivating festivities.
Thingyan Water Festival
Prepare for a soaking! Join the locals in the Burmese calendar's most boisterous event - the annual water-splashing festival.
Taunggyi Balloon Festival
Not far from Inle Lake is the site one of Myanmar's most celebrated annual events: the spectacular Taunggyi Balloon Festival.
Kyaukse Elephant Dance Festival
Each year in October the small town of Kyaukse, a short drive south of Mandalay, comes alive as it celebrates its unique Elephant Dance Festival.
Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival
The Phaung Daw Oo Festival offers a fantastic introduction to the cultural and scenic delights of Shan State.