Myanmar calendar 2009 - festivals, holidays, full moon days

Thailand
1 Jan = New year day holiday
10 Jan = Full moon day

Myanmar
1 Jan = New year day
4 Jan = Independence day
10 Jan = Fullmoon day (Pyar Tho)

Generally the weather is cool in the country side, in the hills, forested lands and cold in the higher mountains, with light rains in some areas. High tourist season. Rivers still hold good water and currents. Hilltribe regions of many mountains throughout Laos; eastern, western and northern Myanmar, western and northern Thailand are cold and very beautiful with wild flowers, puffs of cooking smokes from the villages and morning fog amids rolling hills.

Thailand
9 February = Full moon day, Makha Bucha day

Myanmar
9 Feb = Fullmoon day (Dhapohdwe)
12 Feb = Union day

In Myanmar people celebrate traditional harvesting period with festival of "Hta-Ma-Ne", a kind of cooked sticky rice (glutinous rice) crushed in oil with addition of ingredents such as ground nuts, sesamum seeds, ginger and coconut slices.

The hot wave comes into most of the plain lowland areas. Yangon, Mandalay and Bagan plain (Myanmar); Vientiane and southern Laos along the Mekong river; greater central and north-eastern Thailand as well as valley areas will be hot to quite hot during day time.

On the full moon day there are Buddhist festival arrangements in the towns and cities as well as in the quiet temples in the country side.

Thailand
10 March = Full moon day

Myanmar
2 Mar = Peasant day (Farmers' day)
10 March = Fullmoon day (Dha Paung)
27 March = Armed Forces day

March is the start of the official hot season in the region with temperature shooting up. In the plain areas it can be as hot as or even hotter than 40º C during day time. Visit of ancient Bagan temples should be done in the morning and evening time. Catch the sunset from the top of a temple. Good time to go to the hills in Myanmar (for example, Inle lake), Thailand and Laos. Sea beaches and islands may be still crowded since the weather there is still bearable and cool and windy in the evening and night time.

The Ayeyarwaddy river in Myanmar will have lower water and there may be more sand banks. If the cruise boats' arrival times will be late. There will be more sand banks and more white rapids in the Mekong river.

In many pagodas, especially in Myanmar, there will be festivals with stage shows, traditional dance, magic show, puppet, dramas, food stalls, and shops selling comsumers' products.

Thailand
06 April = Chakri Memorial day
9 April = Full moon day
13, 14, 15 April = Songkran new year holidays water festival

Myanmar
9 April = Fullmoon day (Dhaku)
13, 14, 15, 16 April = Thin Kyan newyear holidays water throwing festival

Chakri day commemorates the Chakri dynasty. The current Thai King is the ninth Khing of this dynasty.

On the full moon day evening people in Myanmar, Thailand, Laos visit the temples to make merit for the lunar new year. This is more appealing in a quiet village temple in the hills.

One of the hottest months. Sometimes light rain is received. Lunar new year is celebrated in Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia. Water throwing is the strongest in Myanmar. People who do not want to get wet should to stay indoors till 6 PM. Travel during the holidays will be very difficult. Booking of flights, train and hotels must be done well ahead. All the tourist destinations in Thailand are crowded.

Thailand
1 May = May day or Labour day holiday
05 May = Coronation day
8 May = Full moon day (Visakha Bucha day)

Myanmar
1 May = Labor day
8 May = Fullmoon day (Kasong)

Visakabucha day is one of the most important days for Buddhists. On this day three events happened: birth of Lord Buddha, his enlightenment and death. Public sermon during the day, and candle lit procession to pay the respect to the Lord Buddha at night.

On full moon day In Myanmar people pour water at the root of sacred "Bo" tree or "Bodhi" tree under which the Buddha attained his enlightenment.

Hot month in the region. Day time will sometimes be unbearable in the low land and valley areas with little trees. It is also the start of the low tourist season with hotel prices falling. Hills, sea sides, and islands are the places to take refuge. Paddy farmers prepare for plantation of new rice crop. Occasional light rains are expected during the month. Going for forested hills will need a light rain coat.

Thailand
7 June = Full moon day

Myanmar
7 June = Fullmoon day (Nayong)

Start of the rainy seaon, but it is still hot to very hot in the plains with the outside day time temperatures well above 33º C. Good time to stay in rural areas, and villages in the hills securing the scenic views of nature under the clouds. But the ground can be wet and there may be leeches in some parts of rain forest. Green rice fields are everywhere in the countryside; a busy month for the farmers. Forests recover with new young leaves and plants, and rivers and waterfalls start filling up.

Thunder storms will occasionally come to the coastal areas. Traveling to the far away islands in ferry boats may be difficult due to the rough sea.

Thailand
7 July = Full moon day (Asalabucha day or Buddhist lent day)

Myanmar
6 July = Fullmoon day (Waso)

July is the beginning of the Buddhist lent. People offer food, shelter, robes and medicines to the monks who are going into the rains retreat.

The rain is moderate to heavy; most rivers are closer to their content and it is time for the forest and wildlife to re-grow. Tourists still can go to many places and do sightseeing amids clean air under the clouds. However rain coats and or umbrellas are necessary.

In Thailand and Laos white water rafting and canoeing could be done in many rivers. Together with rain leeches appear on the wet ground in some parts of forest.

Thailand
6 August = Full moon day
12 August = H.M. The Queen's birthday

Myanmar
5 August = Fullmoon day (Wa Khaung)

The peak of the rainy season in northenr region. It may rain up to average around 4 hours or more a day. Still many tourists come this time taking the advantage of un-crowded places and probably lower prices. Good time for white water rafting and waterfall visit. The sky patterns in the morning and evening create constantly changing strangely beautiful scenes.

Thailand
4 September = Full moon day

Myanmar
3 September = Fullmoon day (Taw Thalin)

There are boat races on rivers, ponds and lakes in many parts of the country. The rain is still pounding throughout the region, and some places especially the northern hills receive heaviest rain. Most rivers are full and good for white water rafting, canoeing and waterfall visit. Paddy fields are green and the background mountains are also under the green canopy of rain forest.

Keep a piece of rain coat while you are going outdoor.

Thailand
4 October = Full moon day
23 October = Chulalongkorn Memoral day

Myanmar
3 October = Fullmoon day (Thadin Kyut)

The month of end of Buddhist Lent or rains retreat. There are festivals of lights on the full moon day. On the days around the fullmoon day houses, buildings, bridges, streets will be illuminated. Pagodas will be crowded.

On Inle lake, southern Shan state of Myanmar, there will be a festival at Phaung Daw Oo pagoda. Buddha images from Phaung Daw Oo pagoda are places on a decorated barge called "Karaweik" (Mythical bird) and taken around the lake stopping at villages for people to pay homage.

This is the beginning of the high tourist season and prices start going up. Yellow paddy fields can be seen along provincial highway roads and railway lines. Early paddy fields maybe harvested this month. The rain maybe getting lighter.

However the southen parts of Myanmar and Thailand still receive good amount of rains. Other parts of the region are still under occasional rain shower. Good time for white water rafting and canoeing.

Thailand
2 November = Full moon day (Loy Krathong day)

Myanmar
1 November = Fullmoon day (Thasaung Mong)
11 November = National day

In Myanmar lighting festival is on the full moon day, in which the streets and the buildings are illuminated. People offer the monks the robes, writing equipment, accessories, etc. In many places you can visit the events of weaving of monks' robes within a night time. Teams of young women compete in the festival locally known as "Ma-Tho-Thin-Gan". Crowds watch as the ladies start weaving in the evening, through the night till in the early morning to offer the finished robes to the monks.

Some men and boys are ordained to become monks and novices for a week or so period during this month.

The weather is good all over the country. Many tourists arrive and enjoy the sights and scenes of the country. You should have planned your travel in November, December at least a couple of months ahead.

In Thailand people celebrate Loi Krathong festival by floating "Krathongs" (made of coconut, banana leaves, bamboo and wood in the shapes of lotus, swan, mountain and so on) containing flowers, joss sticks and candles on the water. By floating the Krathongs on the rivers and canals people believe that they can expect for the good things to come next. Sukothai is the most popular place for this festival.

Southern parts of Thailand and Myanmar still receive some rains. Paddy harvesting season in many parts of Thailand.

Thailand
2 December = Full moon day
5 December = H.M. The King birth day
10 December = Constitution day
31 December = Full moon day

Myanmar
1 December = Fullmoon day (Nat Taw)
16 December = Kayin (Karen) Newyear day
30 December = Fullmoon day (Pyartho)

One of the busiest tourist months. The weather is fine and mostly cool to cold in the highlands, beautiful, and good hotels and popular spots are crowded. However compare to Thailand, places in Myanmar and Lao still offer their original charms and beauty and thus very enjoyable except for the lack of enough good hotel rooms and transportation.

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