April is one of the exciting months for all of Myanmar people. Thingyan Festival hold in every mid-April can make your heart skip a beat. The whole country celebrating Thingyan, so don’t be afraid of getting wet if you want to go on a trip in this month. Thingyan Holidays is like December Holidays for Myanmar. This year Thingyan Holidays are five days, confusing to plan a trip.
Playing water in Yangon
Yangon, City of Myanmar, is the best place to celebrate Thingyan. Rave with mainstream EDM artists in Mandat or get wet with cars or walk around and pour water to people. If you love to join with Yangon Splash Walk team during Thingyan, it is the best choice to meet with local traditional ways of enjoying Water Festival in previous time. This year, it will happen on 16 April. Many to choose, your choice?
Meet traditional Myanmar Thingyan in Mandalay
Second crowded Tihingyan festival is celebrated in Mandalay but can get different experience of Thingyan. Not only Myanmar Traditional Thingyan but also nowadays Thingyan celebrations are mixing there. Since last year, the authority of Mandalay team tried to have more traditional Thingyan for sake of Mandalay. This year, you can also enjoy Village Thingyan walkaway in Mandalay and there will be special places and performance for tourists as well. Don’t forget to taste Thingyan traditional foods.
Myanmar New Day in Pyin Oo Lwin
As usual, local goes up to Pyin Oo Lwin at the Myanmar New Year Day from Mandalay to play water more there. Normally all the people are playing water in Mandalay so that people from Mandalay – Pyin Oo Lwin Road, they don’t feel like they are playing water enough. That’s the reason the play water to people when they go back or go trip to Pyin Oo Lwin from Mandalay on Myanmar New Year Day,
Enjoying Thingyan Rice in Mawlamyine
In April, Mon people from Mon State are cooking special rice for donating and treating neighborhoods. It’s called Thingyan Rice which has a candle light smell and serve with water and spicy dried meat or fish. You can try it in Mawlamyine while enjoying Thingyan here in Mawlamyine one more day than other region because people play water in Myanmar New Day as well in here. Also you can visit pagodas, beaches and waterfalls nearby Mawlamyine.
Never Say No to Beach (Chaung Thar, Ngwe Saung, Ngapali)
There are three most famous beaches in Myanmar: Chaung Thar, Ngwe Saung and Ngapali. Al these beaches are good to chill or have fun during Thingyan. If you’d like to play water with crowd, then choose Chaung Thar. If you prefer more to chill, choose Ngwe Saung or Ngapali.
Trip to Chin State
Chin State is a good place to hide from getting wet. Can take trekking to NatMa Mountain or Mount Victoria (also known as Khaw Nu Sone). Don’t miss to visit celebration in Bone Talar Waterfall, Observe Southern Chin Ethnics tradition and their nature. Or visit Heartshaped Rih Lake and observe Northern Chin Ethnic.
Trip to Kalaw – Pindaya
Best time to have a vacation at hill towns to avoid summer. Go around Ywar-ngan and Pindaya while staying in Kalaw, one of the hill town in the Southern Shan State. Experience Myanmar Tradition of villagers from rural come with carts to celebrate Pagoda festival, which is becoming extinct due to changes of era. Go around Myatabeik Yay Pyar Aine and Main Ma Ye Thakhin Ma Mountain. As this also is mountain area, people from here don’t play water much during Water Festival.
Kawthaung
Feel the sea breezes while avoiding Thingyan in Kawthaung (actually you can’t avoid it while you are in Kawthaung downtown or Ranong, Thailand border), most southern part of Myanmar. Join Kawthaung Thingyan celebration and Ranong Thingyan celebration if you want to or chill at Ma Li Wan hot stream. Enjoying the life by lying down in sands after studying around Bayintnaung cliff. Don’t miss snorkeling while visiting islands in Andaman Sea.