The Tazaungdaing Festival, also known as the Hot Air Balloon Festival, takes place in southern Shan State over a period of three days. Held every November and arguably the most spectacular event of the year, this festival marks the end of the rainy season and hosts thousands of tourists and pilgrims alike to enjoy the amateur and expert balloon competitions and gaze at the illuminating paper balloons floating up into the night sky.

The Salone Festival celebrates the seafaring Salone people, also known as the Moken, that live in the Myeik Archipelago along Myanmar’s southern coastline. The Salone are an isolated group, many of whom live in boats during the dry season and uphold traditions by depending on the sea to sustain themselves and continuing the same fishing practices used by generations before them.

This February celebration promotes tourism with respect to the Salone people, who inhabit the Myeik Archipelago islands and engage in agricultural land practices during monsoon season. Visitors are offered a glimpse into a unique culture and are invited to observe spiritual dances, folk singing and traditional Salone feasts.

Located in Southern Shan State near Inle Lake, the Kakku Pagoda Festival is a three-day yearly harvest celebration in February or March and pays homage to the thousands of pagodas nestled on a hill overlooking the Hopon Valley. During the festival, a market selling all sorts of produce, games, and crafts is set up, and the Pa’O tribe that lives in the hills near the pagodas perform ancient traditional song and dance. This festival provides travelers with a look into Myanmar’s centuries-old traditions. If you would like to participate authentically, take note that the villagers visit the pagodas on the full-moon day at dawn.

Water Festival, or ‘Thingyan’ as it is called in Myanmar, marks the Burmese New Year and falls around mid-April, at the end of the dry season. Lasting five days, this Buddhist festival leads to the New Year, which is the most important holiday in Myanmar. Most businesses shut down to allow employees to take time off and enjoy the festivities.

The main activity during Thingyan is big water fights, and stations (called pandles) are set up, often sponsored by companies, and water is sprayed on everyone from all directions. While this water dousing is done all in good fun, it does have symbolic meaning. To the Myanmar people, the water has the power to cleanse the wrongdoings of the past year and to help everyone start this new year off fresh and anew.