Why not to experience Myanmar Festivals ?
Myanmar, known as the “Land of Festivals,” celebrates vibrant events throughout the year, making it a perfect destination for Myanmar Festivals and Photo Tours. Every month host at least one festival, with the most renowned being Thingyan (New Year Water Festival), Thadingyut, Tazaungdaing, and Waso. The Thadingyut Festival, also called the Lighting Festival of Myanmar, is a significant cultural event held on the full moon day of Thadingyut, marking the end of Buddhist Lent.
Thadingyut spans three days: the day before the full moon, the full moon day (when Buddha descends from heaven after preaching the Abhidhamma to his reborn mother), and the day after. This traditional festival features people lighting candles and decorations nationwide to welcome Buddha’s descent.
In smaller towns, earthen saucers with sesame oil and cotton wicks illuminate homes, while cities come alive with electric lights adorning buildings, parks, and streets. One of the most famous street fairs, or “Pwe Zay,” takes place in Yay Kyaw, Pazundaung Township, Yangon. The fair features numerous stalls offering traditional Myanmar food, toys, and household items, along with free street performances. Visitors can enjoy sightseeing, photography, and authentic cultural experiences with family and friends.
Myanmar’s festivals provide an unparalleled opportunity for cultural immersion and capturing incredible moments on your Myanmar Photo Tour.
Experience the vibrant culture of Myanmar during the Full Moon Day of Thadingyut, a highlight among Myanmar Festivals and Photo Tours in Myanmar. This festival features charity fundraising, musical performances, street dancing, and community celebrations. Activities like playing with firecrackers and releasing hot air balloons add excitement to the event. Thadingyut is not only about enjoyment but also about paying homage to Buddhist monks, teachers, parents, and elders.
Younger generations show respect by offering food and seeking forgiveness for their past wrongdoings, while elders bless them with good wishes and often give pocket money. The Shwedagon Pagoda and downtown Yangon are bustling hubs during the Lighting Festival, where Buddhists offer candles, flowers, and incense to the Buddha and engage in acts of merit. In Mandalay, the festival coincides with the Kyauk Taw Gyi Pagoda Festival, attracting devotees and visitors alike.
Thadingyut also marks the end of Buddhist Lent, a time when marriages resume after a long fasting period. With three days of public holidays, many families take the opportunity to relax and travel, making it a perfect time to immerse yourself in Myanmar’s rich cultural heritage and capture stunning photographs during this festive season.
On Full Moon Day of Thadingyut, there are fundraising drives for charities, musical performances, street dancing, and all activities of entertainment in communities. Some people like to play with firecrackers and hot air balloons. Thadingyut Festival is held not only for pleasure but also paying homage to Buddhist monks, teachers, parents and elder people. Groups of young people and children usually pay respect and offer foods to elders. Buddhists go to the pagodas and monasteries to pay respect to the monks and offer foods. Some Buddhists usually keep fast on the full moon day. By paying homage, younger people ask for forgiveness from the wrong-doings they have committed upon their parents and the elderly relatives throughout the year.
Traditionally the elders tell them that they forgive any of their wrong-doings and continue to bless them with good luck and best wishes. Elder people give them some big notes as pocket money in return.
The busiest places for Lighting festival are Shwedagon Pagoda and downtown area in Yangon. Buddhists offer candles, flowers, incense sticks to the Lord Buddha and do other good deeds on the full moon day. Festival is held in Mandalay around Kyauk Taw Gyi Pagoda because it coincides with the Pagoda Festival.
Marriages are usually forbidden during the Buddhist lent, perhaps this custom is a bit conservative. Thadingyut is also a period on which many couples get married after the long Lenten period. Moreover, the public holidays come on the full moon of Thadingyut for three days. Some workers usually travel with their friends and families to take relax and stay for a while free from duties and responsibilities.
Thadingyut is not only stuffed with festivals but also an auspicious custom of remembering gratitude. And also it is the happiest time for all people, particularly workers and students for three public holidays and Buddhists for doing good deeds during the Thadingyut Festival. Another well-known festival is the Tazaungdaing Festival, which is also known as the Festival of Lights. The festival is held on the full moon day of Tazaungmon, the eighth month of the Myanmar calendar, is celebrated as a national holiday and marks the end of the rainy season.
Robe-weaving competitions to weave special yellow monk robes (Matho thingan) are also held throughout the country, particularly in Shwedagon Pagoda. During these competitions, contestants work continuously from night until dawn to weave these garments. The tradition commemorates a widely known story of the Buddha’s life. The Buddha’s mother (Maya) who had been reborn in the heaven, spent the entire night weaving yellow monk robes for him. Buddha’s aunt (Gotami) continued this tradition and offered new robes annually.
In Myanmar, the celebration of Tazaungdaing, one of the country’s most renowned festivals, brings vibrant traditions to life, making it a highlight of Myanmar Festivals and Photo Tours in Myanmar. Across various regions, hot air balloons illuminated with candles are released to honor the Sulamani Zeti in heaven or to ward off evil spirits. Among these celebrations, the Taunggyi Hot-Air Balloon and Fireworks Competition stands out as the most prominent festival. Held annually in November during the full moon of Tazaungmone, this event attracts thousands of locals and international visitors to Taunggyi, the capital of Shan State, to witness majestic giant paper animals and balloons soaring into the sky.
The festival features competitions both during the day, showcasing pagoda- and animal-shaped balloons like elephants, dragons, and ducks, and at night, when rugby ball-shaped balloons and glowing lanterns light up the sky. Alongside these festivities, alms-giving, charity events, and satuditha feasts bring communities together to earn merit. In smaller towns, unique customs like “kyimano pwe,” involving playful tricks among neighbors, add to the festive spirit. Many Buddhists also honor elders with gifts and visit pagodas during this time.
Tazaungdaing is the second most celebrated festival in Myanmar after Thadingyut, with both religious and secular highlights. The Taunggyi Hot-Air Balloon Competition is a must-see, captivating both locals and tourists alike. If you’re dreaming of capturing authentic, colorful photographs of Myanmar’s traditional festivals, we are here to make your dream a reality. For private photography tours in Myanmar, explore our signature tour packages. Feel free to contact us for more information and assistance!
