South East Asian Trips

Myanmar has a number of festivals and public holidays, many of them Buddhist religious days, which call for great celebration and revelry. Most festivals stretch over quite a few days, and are occasions for music, dancing, processions, feasting and other forms of celebration. Among the most interesting festivals are the Water Festival (Thingyan), which heralds the start of the Burmese New Year, and is celebrated by dousing all and sundry with cold water- quite a relief, actually, because this is the hottest part of the year.

Apart from the major public holidays, some of the Buddhist Events which include the Thingyan Water Festival in mid April, the beginning of Buddhist Lent (end of July) and the Full Moon Festival of Lights (mid October)- (one of the loveliest festivals, when cities are lit up with fore balloons and paper lanterns in celebration of the Buddha's return to heaven) are celebrated and are holidays in Myanmar.

Date 2005	Occasion
January 1	New Year's Day
January 4	Independence Day
January 21	Eid al Adha
February 12	Union Day
March 2	Peasant's Day
March 27	Day of the Army
April 13 - 16	Maha Thingyan or Water Festival
April 17	Myanmar New Year
May 1	Labour Day
May 21	Full Moon of Waso (Buddhist Lent begins)
July 19	Martyr's Day
October 10	Full Moon of Thadingyut (End of Buddhist Lent)
November 1	Deepawali/Dipabali
November 14	Tazaungmon Full Moon Day
December 6	National Day
December 23	Kayin Day
December 25	Christmas Day

Buddhist Events

April	Thingyan Water festival
April	Myanmar New Year
May	Full moon day of Kason, Birth & 1st Sermon of Buddha
July	Buddhist Fast begins
October	Buddhist Fast ends (Light festival)
November	Tazaungdaing, Full moon, (Light festival, Cloth weaving competition)
November	National Holiday
December\January	Kayin New Year