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 Trekking
The countryside and mountains; Inlay Lake in Shan State
and Putao in Kachin State have many interesting walking tours.
Sports
Yangon, Mandalay, and Bagan all have golf courses. Ngapali Beach offers a
range of watersports. Entertainment
Myanmar's traditional popular theatre, known as pwe (show) is an excellent example
of local folk art. There are regular performances of Nat Pwe, which pays homage
to the spirit world, and Yok-Thei Pwe (marionette theatre), using puppets
up to a metre high. Expert puppeteers are deeply respected. Meditation
There are several centres for the study and practice of Theravada Buddhism.
The most famous of these is the Mahasi Meditation Centre in Yangon, founded in
1947 by Mahasi Sayadaw, one of Myanmar's greatest meditation teachers. Visitors
wishing to participate in Buddhist retreats need to obtain a special, long-stay
entry visa, allowing stays of up to 12 weeks. However, it should be noted that
the application would require arrangement and following of certain procedures.
Wildlife
A number of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries offer trekking and safaris,
and Myanmar Travels & Tours is eager to encourage ecotourism. Parks worth visiting:
Alaungdaw Kathapa National Park located northwest of Monywa; Hlawga National Park
near Yangon, which is reportedly good for birdwatching; Popa Mountain Park - a
forested extinct volcano in the desert area of central Myanmar; Lampi Island off
Myeik Archipelago, which can be reached by boat from Myeik and Kawthaung;
Shwesettaw Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Minbu. Eating
Main dishes such as fish, chicken and pork are usually served with vegetables
mixed with onion, peppers, ginger and garlic, and are usually hot and spicy. Rice
or noodles act as a base and are often complemented with curried dishes and raw
vegetable salad. To enhance flavour, a fermented shrimp paste known as ngapi is
added to most meals. Local dishes include the spicy rice salad, lethok son;
a fish soup with noodles called mohinga; and oh-no khauk swe, a
blend of noodles, chicken and coconut milk.
Outside the hotels, food
tends to be sold only at roadside stalls, while most restaurants are either Chinese
or Indian. There are also teashops serving pastries and cakes. Drinking
Chinese tea, served at most restaurants, is a safer alternative to 'purified'
water. Purified, bottled water is available everywhere.
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