Kandawgyi Garden or Kandawgyi Nature Park is a popular recreation centre of the capital of Yangon. The area of the Garden is 110 acres, water areas is 150 acres, which makes it a total of 260 acres. You can find a variety of beautiful flowers, the natural scene of the lake water and large shady trees. There are also an orchid garden, the children play-ground, Mini Zoo, the souvenir shops and many restaurants. The playgrounds and picnic areas are favourite spots for children and teenagers. The beauty of Karaweik Hall also shows a unique work of art to be explored in the heart of Kandawgyi Lake. Kandawgyi meaning "the great lake" in Myanmar is a well-known place in Yangon.

The view at the Shwedagon Pagoda and Karaweik Hall from Kandawgyi Nature's Park.

The walkway around the Kandawgyi Lake

Mini Zoo in the Kandawgyi Garden

Water fountains coming out from the Kandawgyi lake.

Restaurants and recreation centres in the Garden.

Although court culture has been extinguished, popular street-level culture is vibrant and thriving. Drama is the mainstay of this culture, and just about any celebration is a good excuse for a pwe (show). Performances may recount Buddhist legends, or be more light-hearted entertainments involving slapstick comedy, dance, ensemble singing or giant puppets. Myanmar music is an integral part of a pwe; it originates from Thai and emphasises rhythm and melody. Instruments are predominantly percussive and include drums, boat-shaped harps, gongs and bamboo flutes. Over 85% of the Myanmar population is Theravada Buddhist. In the Rakhine region, towards Bangladesh, there are many Muslims. Christian missionaries have had some success among hill tribes but many remain staunch animists.The toys of Myanmar are not only for the children but also famous in the world, known as the Marionettes (or) Puppets of Myanmar. Its a combination of Myanmar Art and Culture, together to show the inner expressions of the Myanmar people. Myanmar also have festivals all around the year, at least one in each month of the year. The most famous festival of Myanmar is the Thingyan Water Festival, which is held from 13 April to 16 April every year.

Festivals

• Kachin Manaw Festival
• Kachin is one of the states which has a delightful festival known as Manaw. Kachin, the hill people or the Scots of Myanmar, celebrate Manaw festival.

• Ananda Pagoda Festival
• Symbolizing the limitless wisdom of Buddha, there is a month long sanctified festival for the temple Ananda, the most beautiful one out of 2000 holy monuments in Bagan, Myanmar.

• Naga New Year Festival
• Numerous Naga tribes spread throughout the north-western hills of Myanmar. Most of the Naga are from the Chin State. But the festival place falls in the Sagaing Division, next to the Chin State.

• Htamane (Sticky Rice) Festival
• Htamane festival is held between February and March, throughout the whole country. It is made of sticky rice and sesame seeds. One large pan requires 4 small baskets of sticky rice...

• Maha Myat Muni Pagoda Festival
• This festival falls on the full moon day of Thabodwe. This festival usually lasts for 2 days. Glutinous rice (which is a delicacy) contests are also held on the pagoda's platform.

• Salone Festival
• Salone festival is usually held during the month of February. The festival is at Majungalet Village on Bocho Island near Lampi Island in Myeik, Tanintharyi Division.

• Shwedagon Pagoda Festival
• The festival of the Shwedagon Pagoda is celebrated on the fullmoon day of Tauaung (March) every year. Many people in the country contributes funds for the repairing and a great number of people pay homage every day.

• Kakku Pagoda Festival
• On the full moon day of Tabaung (March) which is the last month of the Myanmar lunar calendar, Kakku Pagoda festival takes place.

• Shwe UMin Pagoda Festival
• Pindaya Shwe Oo Min cave Pagoda festival is held on and around fullmoon day of Tabaung as well. It starts seven days before the full moon day.

• Mann Shwe Settaw Pagoda Festival
• Mann Shwe Settaw Pagoda Festival is one of the most significant Pagoda festival in Upper Myanmar. It is 36 miles from Magwe...

• Thingyan Water Festival
• It is believed that water festival washes away sins and welcomes the New Year. The water festival represents the most popular, raucous...

• Thanakha Grinding Festival
• Thanakha is a cream or make up obtained by grinding Thanakha tree's bark. Females use it as a protection against heat as well as a decoration.

• Kason Watering Festival
• It is the season water in all ponds, lakes and creeks reduces to its lowest level. During the month of Kason the length of the day is longer and the night is shorter.

• Taungpyone Nat (Pwe) Festival
• The Nats are believed to be super natural powerful beings, stated between the gods and the spiritual beings. Most of the Myanmar people worship the Nats as a religious belief.

• Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival
• One of the famous principal shrines in Myanmar, this pagoda houses five small Buddha images. Once a year, in end Sept-early Oct...

• Thadingyut Lighting Festival
• Thadingyut is a seven-month of Myanmar calendar and the end of lent. Three days of lights festival, namely the day before full moon, the full moon day and the days after.

• Elephant Dance Festival
• Dancing Elephant Festival is also another famous festival in Myanmar. It is held in Kyaukse, near Mandalay. It is a marvellous performance of two men together to dance in rhythm.

• Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda Festival
• The Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda Festival is a special festival of lights celebration. On the Full Moon Day of Thadingyut, locals offer the lighting of 9000 candles and 9000 flowers to the Biuddha.

• Matho Thingan (Yellow Robe) Weaving Festival
• This festival of Tazaungmone is an auspicious time for offering of yellow robes to the monks. The Buddha’s mother, reincarnated as a god in Tavatimsa...

• Hot Air Balloon Festival
• On this occasion people enjoy fun and merriment by holding firework-launching competitions. The firework is in the form of rockets.

Religion & Beliefs

• Buddhism
• Freedom of religion is practiced in Myanmar, although a majority (some 89.1%) are Buddhists in Myanmar. But Myanmar seems democratic that Buddhism is not defined as the official religion of the country, like most Islamic countries does. Faith and religion are a little hard to differentiate or divide, and they are often very much inter-related or confused.

• History of Buddhism
• In Union of Myanmar majority of the population are Buddhist, Theravada Buddhism is professed widely. Religious intolerance or discrimination on grounds of religion is non-existence in the Union of Myanmar throughout it's long history.

• Pagoda
• A pagoda, in Southeast Asia, is cone-shaped monumental structure built in memory of Buddha. But in the Far East, a pagoda is a tower-like, multi-storeyed structure of stone, brick, or wood, usually associated with a Buddhist temple complex.

• Mythical Creatures
• It's not just in the Greeks mythology where animals were combined into a single form. Myanmars also have quite a few number of combined form of mythical creatures.

• Shin Pyu
• The Shin Pyu ceremony is a common event, as a family earns great merit when a son forsakes his childhood life and dons the robe of the monk. Henceforth, he will have no possessions, save the bowl with which he begs his meals.

• Phone Gyi Pyan
• The incumbent of a Kyaung (monastery) dies the body is embalmed, so as to allow the devotion of several months to the preparations for the funeral. The corpse is swathed like a mummy and laid in a solid dug-out coffin of hard wood. (much less pomp is displayed at the funeral of a sojourner).

• Meditation
• There are many meditation centres in Myanmar, practising healthful mind for people of the world. Although theses centres may differ in the kind of practices, all of the results from those methods lead to peacefulness and to way to Nirvana.

• Benevolent Prince
• To the people of Myanmar Lawkanat is the symbol of peace and prosperity and his figures are displayed prominently in our art, culture and the Theravada religion.

• Man Lion
• A Man Lion is a symbol that represents the guardian of a precious place. Such as the Sphinx of the Egypt, in Myanmar theses guardians are called as Manussiha (or) the Man Lion.

• Worshipping of Nats
• Bark Painting has been a new generation of wood designing. The manufacturers of Bark Paintings usually use the bark from large trees and old trees.

• Superstition
• Myanmar is rich in forestry and nature. There are many palm trees and coconut trees. Palm Portraits are made from the products of local toddy palm trees.

• Buddha Mudras
• A mudra is a symbolic gesture usually made with the hand or fingers. Along with asanas (seated postures), they are employed in the yoga meditation practice of Hinduism. Each mudra has a specific quality that is said to be imparted to the practitioner, and they are a central part of Hindu iconography. With the onset of Buddhism, many mudra practices were absorbed into the culture.

• The 28 Buddhas
• The Pali names of the 28 Buddhas believed to have been in this world

Myanmar Museums

• National Museum
• A museum is a repository where the heritage of ancient civilizations are put on exhibit for the benefit of people living in the present. It is an archive of man's past achievements.

• Bagan Archaeological Museum
• The Bagan Archaeological Museum is located in north of Bagan, in the Old Bagan region. A museum was built in the northern part of Bagan, by U Sein Kho, who was the stone tablets specialist from the Myanmar stones tablets department.

• Mrauk U Museum
• A new Mrauk U museum is located near the palace site. It displays some old artefacts of Vesali, Launggret and Mrauk U periods. The bronze Buddha icons of Rakhine are equistic in design.

Cultural Events

• The Equestrian Festival
• Culture is the measure by which the progress of a nation or country is rated. Although material prosperity is the basic essential factor in all-round national development it is in culture that all modes of progress co nsummate; while the standard of living attests material prosperity cultural achievement epitomizes all human refinements.

• Myanmar Traditional Regatta Festival
• The royal Naval Expedition of A.D. 1841 via the brimful Ayeyawaddy River and also by land as recorded in the Great Royal Chronicle of the Konbaung Dynasty Vol. III was a grand flotilla and parade combined with 15,000 men, 320 war elephants, some 500 steeds and over 1,000 boats, barges, and water crafts of all sizes and kinds.

• Myanmar's Cultural Spree
• One of the cultural highlights in October was the holding of the Fourth Myanmar Traditional Performing Arts Competitions at Yangon From 3 to 20 of the month.

• Thin-bok Swoon, a Rakhine Buddhist Festival
• Myanmar is a land of festivals which are usually connected with Buddhism, but although they are religious occasions there is also colourful dancing, lively music and songs. Often there are processions where the local people dress up in all their finest clothes and go to a pagoda to make offerings.

• The Elegant and Sacred Lotus Robe
• In the Union of Myanmar, where Theravada Buddhism flourishes, yellow robes have been offered to the Lord Buddha in different seasons for many hundreds of years.

Ananda Pagoda also known as Ananda Pahto, is estimated to be a monument of the early 12th Century. It is one of the finest, largest, best preserved and most revered of the Bagan Pagodas. This pagoda was donated and built by King Kyansitthar in the early Bagan Period.

The central square measures 53 metres along each side while the superstructure rises in terraces to a decorative 51 metres above the ground.

Ananda Pagoda

The base and the terraces are decorated with 554 glazed tiles showing jataka scenes (life stories of the Buddha) thought to be derived from Mon texts. Huge carved teak doors separate interior halls from cross passages on all four sides.

There are four entrance to the Pagoda. On each side, facing outward from the centre of the cube, there are four standing Buddhas represent the four Buddhas who have attained nibbana. Each standing Buddha Image has a height of approximately 9.5-metre and covered with gold.

Grace that is Ananda

Only the Bagan-style images facing north and south are original; both display the dhammachakka mudra, a hand position symbolising the Buddha's first sermon. Theses two original images have great architectural inspirations. The other two images are replacements for figures destroyed by fires. All four have bodies of solid teak, though guides may claim the southern image is made of a bronze alloy. Both arms hang at the image's sides with hands outstretched, a mudra unknown to traditional Buddhist sculpture outside this temple. The west-facing Buddha features the abhaya mudra with the hands outstretched in the gesture of 'no fear'.

In the western sanctum, there are two life-size lacquer statues said to represent King Kyanzittha and Shin Arahan, at the feet of the standing Buddha. Shin Arahan was the first monk who initiated the king of Bagan into Theravada Buddhism.

Ananda Pagoda festival is held yearly around January. Locals come with bull carts, horse carts and stay there as long as the festival goes on. Many visitors are attracted to this yearly event.

Kakusanda Buddha Image inside Ananda Pagoda

Another standing Buddha Image

A stone relief depicting Buddha's life

Ananda Pagoda and Thatbyinnyu Pagoda at night

History of Bagan

Bagan dates back almost to the beginning of the Christian Era. It lies on the bend of the Ayeyarwaddy River. Bagan can be marked to have started with King Anawrahta. He ascended the throne of Bagan in 1044. At that time, the kingdom was under the Mahayana religion. After Shin Arahan's arrival to Bagan, it converted to Theravada Buddhism. It was said to be that each and every household was able to donate an enshrined Pagoda, because of their faith in Buddhism believe and also because of their wealth.

The great Shwezigon was one of King Anawrahta's donation during his time.

Bagan Plains

Getting Around

Horse carts are popular ways travelling around Bagan. Visitors can also hire bicycles at some hotels and guest houses to roam around. The charges are taken per hour service. Ferry boats can also be hired to flow in the Ayeyarwaddy. The ferry stand is near the Bu Pagoda. The views from the Ayeyarwaddy is also an interesting way to explore Bagan.

Bus and Express
There are Daily Expresses from Yangon and other major cities. Night buses from Yangon leave in the afternoon and arrive early in the morning.

Car
One can hire a car from a car rental agency or from a travel agent. Different types of cars, coach seaters are available.

Train
Overnight trains run daily from Yangon, departing at about 4:00 pm and arriving in Bagan at about 9:00 am the following day. There is a direct train service running from Mandalay to Bagan with two departures daily. Tickets are available directly at the railway station. The journey takes about seven hours.

Air
There are daily flights from Air Bagan, Yangon Airways, Air Mandalay and Myanmar Airways to Nyaung U Airport, Bagan. The flight schedules may change from time to time depending on the weather. But this is the fastest way to explore Bagan. From the airport to New Bagan, it takes about 15-20 minutes by car.

Boat
A daily "express" ferry service runs down the Ayeyarwaddy from Mandalay to Bagan taking about 9 hours.

Shopping in Bagan

Bagan lacquer ware is the famous things to buy. Cloth paintings, T-shirts and other handicrafts are also available at shops near pagodas.

Food in Bagan

There are many places to eat in Bagan serving the traditional Myanmar dishes. Some of the buffets are excellent and you will get dozens of different traditional dishes.

General Information

The Bagan Archaeological Zone, defined as the 13 x 8 km area centered around Old Bagan, consisting of Nyaung Oo in the north and New Bagan in the south, lies on the eastern bank of the Ayeyarwaddy river in upper Myanmar. It is located 180 miles southwest of Mandalay and 430 miles north of Yangon. Bagan lies in the middle of the "dry zone" of Myanmar. The average temperatures at Bagan exceed 30°C year round, and over 35°C in summer months of late February to mid May.

The best footwear to bring is a pair of slippers. It is easy to take off at temples and pagodas. A wide brimmed hat and sun lotion are recommended. One can take a hot air balloon ride at sunrise through a company called Balloons Over Bagan.

Bogyoke Aung San Market (Scott Market)

Bogyoke Aung San Market is situated in the heart of Yangon, on Bogyoke Aung San Road. The market was first built and inaugurated on the present premises in 1926. It was named Scott Market after Mr. C. Scott, the then Municipal Commissioner. Nowadays, it is called Bogyoke Aung San Market in honor of our national leader General Aung San.

It is known for its colonial architecture and inner cobblestone streets. The Bogyoke Zay, as it is commonly known, is the most popular tourist destination for shopping in Yangon. It has the largest selection of Myanmar souvenirs you can find under one roof. You can buy a variety of interesting Myanmar lacquerware, gems and jewellery at this market.

Bogyoke Aung San Market which is the main tourist destination in Yangon.

Inside the market, there are many lines of shops selling gifts, souvenirs, gems and jewelleries, and many more.

Inside car park and lane of Bogyoke Market

One of the Jades & Jewelleries Shops in the market

Tourists love to buy Myanmar Traditional dresses

Chaung Thar Beach

Chaung Thar Beach is one of the popular beaches in Myanmar. Located just 6 hours drive from Yangon. An alternative route is an overnight steamer trip from Yangon, along Twante canal up to Pathein and then a one and a half hour drive by coach to Chaung Thar Beach. This beach is also very popular and famous beach in Myanmar. The highway to Chaung Thar is through the mountain ranges, going up and down. But as soon as you arrive to the plain, then you will be very pleased with the sea view.

Chaung Thar is a little muddy compared to Ngwe Saung, but there are a lot of other advantages. You can have plenty of sea food with very reasonable prices, all the hotels are in a row, next to each other. The room rates are also very fair too.

Sunset at Chaung Thar Beach

The Sandy sea shore of the Chaung Thar Beach

Beautiful swimming pool at one of the hotels in Chaung Thar Beach

Bicycles for rent

Fishermen boats at Chaung Thar Village