- Let's take a look at the map
- How New Year is celebrated in Myanmar
- Useful information for travelers
Once called Burma, Asian Myanmar is still a mystery to most of its compatriots. The Russian tourist prefers the familiar and understandable Thailand or Cambodia as a vacation destination on the beach, if the soul asks for ancient architectural masterpieces as an addition to a lazy vacation. Their neighbor seems to be a not yet cut diamond, the real value of which has yet to be unraveled upon closer acquaintance. Do you want to become one of the discoverers of the mysterious and multifaceted Myanmar? New Year is a great occasion to get acquainted with the mysterious corner of Southeast Asia and spend time in complete harmony with nature. Those who are looking for oriental exoticism will like the former Burma no less than hermits-naturalists: the main architectural structures here are made in Buddhist style, national clothes make tourists turn around every second after the local beauties, and the menu of cafes and restaurants delights even an advanced connoisseur of spicy Asian cuisine …
Let's take a look at the map
Myanmar is located in the west of Indochina and is washed by the waters of the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean and the Andaman Sea. The climate in this part of the peninsula is mostly tropical, but in the very south of the country it can be classified as subequatorial:
• On the territory of Myanmar, forecasters observe three seasons, and the New Year falls on a period of cool and dry.
• Average daily temperatures in late December and early January range from + 21 ° C in Mandalay to + 24 ° C in Yangon.
• Coastal rains may occur during the dry season, but they are usually short night showers.
Dust storms occur in Myanmar during the winter. The central regions of the country, where the cities of Mandalay and Bagan are located, are especially susceptible to them. When going on an excursion to the ancient capital of Burma, do not forget to pack long-sleeved clothes made from natural fabrics, sunscreen, a hat or kerchief in your bag to help protect your face from dust during the storm. Bagan is located on a dry plateau and frequent winds in winter bring tons of dust and sand to the city of thousands of temples, stupas and pagodas.
How New Year is celebrated in Myanmar
The vast majority of the inhabitants of the former Burma profess Buddhism, and therefore the tradition of celebrating the New Year at the end of December does not exist here. Poorly developed tourist infrastructure also does not contribute to the fact that European traditions take root in the country, even to please foreign travelers. The best way to celebrate the New Year holidays in Myanmar is to take a tour of the sights that this exotic country is rich in.
However, the Burmese themselves love holidays, and therefore do not assume that they do not like to have fun and relax. Just like all other Buddha worshipers on the planet, the people of Myanmar celebrate the New Year in accordance with their own calendar.
New Year in Myanmar is the Tingjan holiday. It is considered the main and most important in the country, it even falls on the onset of school holidays. Tinjan is celebrated in mid-April and the exact date of its occurrence is determined in accordance with the Burmese solar-lunar calendar.
The eve of Tinjan is the time to observe the eight most important commandments - a special diet, making donations to temples, and ablutions. Then comes the night before Tingjan, which is the starting point for long celebrations.
The bamboo stages, called mandates, erected the day before, are used by amateur musicians to perform. Girls put on beautiful skirts and complement the outfit with garlands of fresh flowers called Padauk. This plant blooms during Tingjan and serves as a symbol of the New Year for the people of Myanmar.
Tinjan's main attribute is water. A huge amount of it is spilled these days on the streets, people, cars and animals. Water symbolizes cleansing from the old and the onset of a new happy life. The water festival is called E-kya-nei, and its beginning is given by the priests-brahmanas. In order to wash away the sins of the past year, Burmese use everything that comes to hand - from silver bowls and garden hoses to water pistols and syringes. The water bacchanalia lasts four days, during which it is customary to treat yourself to balls of glutinous rice cooked with cane sugar and coconut milk. Be careful! Local pranksters often put chili peppers in rice instead of sugar.
In the first days of the new year, it is customary to visit old people and, as a sign of respect, help them wash their hair with special shampoos. And the inhabitants of Myanmar, in honor of the New Year, release fish into the lakes, taking it first from drying up rivers and streams.
Useful information for travelers
It is not yet possible to get from Moscow to Yangon directly, but several foreign carriers will help you to be on New Year's Eve in Myanmar with transfers:
• The cheapest tickets come from Qatar Airways. Via Doha, you can get to Burma in just 11 hours without connecting, paying about 700 euros for a round-trip ticket.
• It is possible to get to Myanmar through Bangkok. Emirates, Etihad, Aeroflot or Thai airlines will take you to the Thai capital. In the sky, excluding transfers, you will have to spend about 12 hours. The cost of round-trip tickets depends on the airline and starts from 650-700 euros.
By booking well in advance, you can significantly reduce your flight costs. The most pleasant prices for air tickets can be found 5-7 months before the start of the planned trip. To keep abreast of the news of air carriers and learn about special discounts in time, submit an email newsletter on their official websites.
Hotel service in the country is still only developing and the discrepancy between the hotel and the declared star rating is more the rule than the exception.
• Carefully study the reviews of previous guests before booking a hotel.
When exchanging currency in Myanmar, do not use the services of street money changers. They often deceive tourists or run away altogether, having received bills in their hands.
• The most favorable exchange rate for large banknotes.
In the exchange offices of the country, they find fault with the state of bills. Try to bring new banknotes into the country and, if possible, not even bend them during storage.
