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Your Sustainable Myanmar DMC

OUR POLICY ON TRAVEL TO MYANMAR IN 2023

Khiri Travel Myanmar, a sustainable Myanmar DMC, offers a refreshing take on travel, showcasing real-life Myanmar and avoiding the ‘pagoda rally’. A success for us is to touch people’s hearts with true Burmese hospitality through thoughtful itineraries encompassing meaningful local interactions. Designing a Signature Experience is to relook at the ordinary, return to the roots and contextualize must-sees for an unforgettable experience. The uncharted excites us and with our extensive network. Our broad range of experience includes film fixing for the BBC, cross-country car rallies, re-creating traditional ceremonies, and trekking to remote regions where we employ villagers to erect tented camps for the night. Travel with us and meet personalities with a story, from former royalty to ex-political prisoners to local artists.

Our team is almost 100 percent local and comprises more than 20 ethnic groups. From our efficient sales teams, who turn competitive quotes around in 24 hours, to our customer care specialists – whose skills lie in turning clients into loyal repeating guests – each team member is a valued and vital part of our operations. Sustainability is at our very core and we are proud to be the first Travelife certified DMC in Myanmar. Developing local family-run enterprises nurtures the industry, and with more than 20 success stories thus far, Khiri Myanmar is leading the way in growing the local sustainable travel market.

Tha Zin Aung

Myanmar Sales

thazinaung@khiri.com

From Our Blog

What Khiri Has Done In
Myanmar

Myanmar is home to many budding, young entrepreneurs with innovative ideas, but sadly, limitations in capital and infrastructure make it difficult to turn worthwhile concepts into reality. In the time that Khiri Travel Myanmar has been present in Yangon, we have supported more than 20 travel-related projects, local NGOs and social enterprises around the country – helping individuals and families to set up their own schemes. Our aim is for these programs to become sustainable, self-reliant and creative outlets that the Burmese people can be proud of.

Myanmar Office

Room 106, 1th Floor, MWEA Tower,
Shwedagon Pagoda Road, Yangon, Myanmar.
+95 9 759924409
sales.myanmar@khiri.com

“Khiri Myanmar is the benchmark of what every DMC should hold themselves against and aspire towards. You are a leader for service, quality, responsiveness, sustainability, and innovation.”

– Agent Partner From Singapore

When to Go and What to Do
in Myanmar

JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC

January

Kachin Manaw Festival
A festival to honor the local spirits which are accompanied with dance performances in traditional costumes of the various Kachin tribes and offering of animals (mostly cows or buffaloes) in front of the Kachin totems poles in the middle of the ceremony field.
Ananda Pagoda
This is a very lively festival attended by families from the area around Bagan who come with their ox cart to buy new clothes, furniture, or kitchenware for this yearly event. It’s amazing to see how traditional this area of Myanmar still is, and foreigners will almost certainly be stared at when walking around this fair. There are usually some performances in the evening (dances, marionettes, slapstick comedy, singing, movies) although nobody ever knows the exact program and timing. Most families attending the festival are camping around the temple. This is fun to visit for an hour or two to see the traditional lifestyle and walk around the market. If you visit Myanmar in January, try to make sure you’re in Bagan during the festival time.

February

Mahamuni Pagoda Festival

Concentrated around the Mahamuni pagoda in Mandalay, this is a large yearly temple festival very similar to the Ananda Festival in Bagan, although it’s more modern. Try the antique Ferry-wheel or the merry-go-round and buy the latest pop music CDs at the market. A traditional “chin lone” (cane football) competition is held during this festival, attracting teams from all over the country. If you happen to be in Mandalay during the festival, it’s worth visiting.

March

Shwe U Min Pagoda Festival
The Shwe Saryan Pagoda Festival is the annual harvest celebration for the Patheingyi Township and the countryside south of Mandalay. The event is part social gathering, part religious ceremony, and part country fair. Farmers file into town from the countryside in ox-drawn carts laden with their harvests. A bustling market erupts as the festival proceeds with traditional toys, locally handcrafted goods, produce, and household items. The vendors will donate a portion of their profits to the Shwe Saryan Pagoda as alms to support the monks who inhabit the area and help with maintenance costs of the ancient Buddhist structure.
Pindaya Shwe U Min Pagoda festival
Pindaya Shwe U Min Cave Pagoda festival is held on and around the full moon day of Tabaung. It starts seven days before the full moon day. During the festival time, thousands of devotees come from villages around the area to the cave. The festival is attended by thousands of people across the Shan state. Shan, Pa O, Palaung, Taung Yoe, Intha & most importantly, Danu tribes residing around Pindaya usually come in with traditional bullock-carts and camp under the shady huge Banyan trees to take part in the festival.

The most unique part of the festival is the colorful procession of pilgrims from different tribes dressed in their most delicate traditional dresses. The procession is also accompanied by modern Shan dances and music, with young girls carrying alms and offerings on their heads to offer to Buddhist monks and Buddha images. You will find hundreds of small stalls selling everything from snacks, local foods, Shan handicrafts, cheroots, and Shan umbrellas to all sorts of household items. Many famous local theatrical troupes from around the region will also come to entertain festival-goers.

April

Thingyan Water Festival
This fun and often wild festival is celebrated all around the country. Especially in Mandalay and Yangon, where everybody throws water onto others for five days (12-16 April) from 10:00 in the morning till 6:00 p.m. Big (and smaller) stages are built around the city with a row of water pipes in the front to hose everybody passing. On stage, people are singing and dancing (mostly pop and rock music) while overloaded cars pass through the water in front of the stage. Bring your water gun and bucket to join the fun or stay at home – there is no way to avoid the water during these four days, so make sure your money and camera are safely wrapped in plastic bags. Thingyan is worth participating in when visiting Myanmar. But you find yourself wanting to avoid it, go to the beach or visit small villages like Bagan or Inle Lake, where it’s a bit quieter.
Shin Pyu (Novitiation ceremony)
A Buddhist man is a monk at least once in his life, and this is often in the period from the beginning of April until the start of the Buddhist Lent (full moon of Waso). The young novice, dressed up like a prince, is driven around the town (on a horse, by car, by boat) while family and friends follow in their best clothes to go to a monastery for the ceremony. First, the boy respects his parents and the head monk, he then receives the monk robes, and his head is shaven before going into monkhood. After the ceremony, guests are invited to enjoy lunch together. If you happen to pass by a noviciation ceremony, it’s no problem to stop and watch from a distance and take pictures. You might even be invited to join the ceremony.

May

Shittaung Pagoda Festival

The Rakhine dynasty, based in Mrauk U, reached its peak during the 15th century. In those days, Mrauk U was a busy trading port that was frequently visited by Dutch, Portuguese, Middle Eastern, and Asian traders. Mrauk U was once called one of the wealthiest cities in Asia, comparable to Amsterdam or London. What’s left at it today is a historical site with 700 temples built in a very different style from the Bagan temples (they look like forts at first sight). The fortress temples were built after an attack from the Portuguese during the reign of King Minbin (1513 – 1553). According to legend, the pagodas have been built by thousands of architects and workmen for a year. The Shittaung Pillar in the northern entrance of the pagoda has been brought in from Vesali in India. During the festival, you will have a chance to see daily boat racing competitions and Rakhine traditional wrestling along with the Rakhine traditional oil lamp dance.

June

Sar Pyan Pwe (Examination in recitation of Buddhist Scriptures)
In June, during the Myanmar month of Na-yon, a big ceremony called Sar Pyan Pwe is held each year. Monks from all over the Shan State and especially from the Inle area come to Nyaung Shwe to take the religious examination called Wina-ayardi Nukgaha, and the people of Nyaung Shwe donate lavish food and other requisites to the monks assembled.
Shinpin Sagyo Pagoda festival
Shinpin Sagyo pagoda is located in Salay (1.5 hrs’ drive from Bagan), and is held 2 times a year. Thousands of pilgrims from the different villages participate in alms offering to the pagoda and monks, and you can visit the market as local vendors selling local snacks, seasonal fruits, and goods. Meditate at the monastery, lead by the head monk, while the guide will assist you for translation. You can meditate here for about half an hour in the evening (between 4-6 pm).

July

Waso Chinlone Festival

Waso Chinlone Festival is a tribute to an ancient royal sports game called Cane Ball. It has been held in Mahamuni Pagoda in Mandalay every year since 1926. It is one of the largest sports events with 1220 Chinlone teams competing, stretched one 48 days of competition. Players from all over the country gather at this event to pay homage to the most revered Shrine and convene in tribute for a game of Chinlone. The game is quite similar to football, but the players have to keep the ball off the ground. The Chinlone contest is played with live music from Myanmar saing-waing (traditional orchestra) and a running commentary.

August

Taung Pyone Nat Festival
The Taungbyone Nat Festival near Mandalay (about 2.5 hours’ drive) lasts about a week, and it is the biggest spirit festival in Myanmar. Mediums and devotees come from all over the country take part and watch nats (spirit-possessed people) dance all night - and consume much alcohol - all night until they reach a state of sub-conscience. This is a strange festival that has a bit of a hippy / Woodstock atmosphere, according to some people.
Lawkananda Pagoda festival
Lawkananda Pagoda festival is held in August of every year and is a wonderful way of watching a traditional boat race in Bagan. Lawkananda translates to “joy of the world” in ancient Pali, and local villages celebrate this festival by participating in an exciting boat racing demonstration as local vendors flock to the banks selling snacks and goods.

Customary food donations are made to about 300 monks of the area, and crowds gather to enjoy traditional dance performances and stage shows at night.

September

Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival
A spectacular festival where boats with up to 50 or 60 leg rowers pull a barge with sacred Buddha images from one village to another on the lake. The exact schedule is often only known a few weeks in advance, and there are always some “resting days.” Try to be in a private boat on the lake and ask the boatman where the procession will be passing, and you can be sure to make some great photographs of this procession. It is a nice festival to visit although it can be a bit crowded. Plan to stay a couple of days in Inle Lake to ensure you don’t miss the procession.
Manuha Pagoda festival
The Manuha Pagoda Festival is held for three days, starting from one day before Full Moon Day of Tawtalin (the dates will vary depending on the Myanmar Calendar). The Myinkaba region dwellers donate rice cakes and pickled winter melon to the visitors during the festival. This traditional practice is said to have descended from the time of King Manuha and can still be seen at the festival today. Monks gather during the festival to receive food offerings in a big alms bowl around the Pagoda. Colorful paper-maché figures competitions take place during the Manuha Pagoda Festival, and you will see a parade of colors around the city in the forms of the Manuha King himself, as well as tigers, cows, elephants, horses, etc.

October

Thadingyut, Festival of Lights
The end of the Buddhist Lent is a time to pay respect to parents, teachers, and the elderly. On the full moon day in October (often the middle of October), houses and pagodas are lit with candles. If you’re in the country on this day, light a candle near your hotel and walk around the city in the evening (or visit the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon if you happen to be there) and be part of the magical atmosphere.
Kyaukse Elephant Dance Festival
Kyaukse is about a 3 hours’ drive from Bagan (the same distance from Mandalay), and is famous for their big paper-mâché elephant costumes. Two men wearing the elephant costume will show acrobatic dancing in the streets of Kyaukse during the festival. This is an excellent festival to see village life in Myanmar.
Please note that there are no real elephants involved in this festival.

November

Taunggyi Balloon Festival
Taunggyi is famous for the Tazaungdine celebrations where huge paper-mâché hot air balloons are launched from a crowded festival field. Once the balloons reach a height of about 20 meters, the fireworks attached to the balloons are launched in all directions. A fun and spectacular festival which you should try to participate in if you’re in Myanmar. Don’t get too close to the launch site of the balloons; hot dripping wax tends to fall on the crowd!
Tazaungdine
This is the time that yellow robes (and many other monks’ accessories) are offered to monks around the country. During the days before the festival, you will see bamboo poles full of donations (including bank notes folded in beautiful shapes) around twons. On the evening of the festival, hot air balloons are launched throughout the country, and most of the temples organize weaving competitions. This is a good time to be in any medium-sized town in Myanmar.
Robe Weaving Contest
The rope weaving contest is held on the evening before the full moon. In this competition, teams of women compete from dusk till dawn for the title of most skilled weaving team of the saffron-colored ‘Ma Tho Thin Gan’ traditional robes. The skill and handicraft of the various teams are a feast for the eyes. The finished robes are presented to the Buddha at daybreak, and a prize is then awarded to the most beautiful robe.

December

Mount Popa Nat Festival

Mount Popa is home to the nats (spirits) in Myanmar, where the spirit statues are displayed and each spirit gets its own name, accessories, and traditional dresses. During the Nat festival, devotees come and pay respect, give donations to the nats, and you can see people dancing wildly as it being possessed by the spirit. This is an interesting time to visit Mount Popa, although it can be crowded and pretty wild. Be careful of the monkeys, on the mountain; don’t feed them, and try to ignore them.