'Exclusive Travel Experience with Myanmar Tourism Services'

WELCOME BACK TO MYANMAR

News Release By UMTA (29-5-08)

 

Myanmar is famous in the world because of its golden pagodas and the golden-hearted people. But the country suffered at the hands of the dark clouds of Cyclone Nargis that battered the Ayeyarwady deltaic regions and the former capital Yangon on May 2, 2008. With winds that exceeded 180 kph the cyclone wreaked havoc. The huge storm surge that accompanied at some places was over 5 metres. It swept away everything in its path, human settlements, livestock, people and all infrastructure: roads, bridges, communication and electrical facilities. According to reports more than 100000 dead and missing and approximately 2million people were displaced. Even Yangon International Airport was closed down temporarily due to safety concerns and all riverine traffic also halted. In Yangon huge trees, some more than 100 years old, were uprooted.

But now the dark clouds have passed. The airport is now fully operational. Flights and trains are running on schedule. All services like Immigration, Customs and baggage handling are now functional as before for both the domestic and international travellers. All major hotels, except for some local guesthouses and inns, are offering full service to their clients as before. The city has been cleaned up and fallen trees and all debris cleared. Electricity has also been restored to almost all households in the city. The golden Shwedagon Pagoda still shines brightly as well as all other tour sites in and around Yangon. What is more interesting is that the cyclone did not effect the Myanmar beaches at Ngwe Saung, Chaung Tha and Ngapli despite the fact that they were near the storm's path.
Mandalay, Bagan, Inle Lake and other tourist sites are also not effected. Life continues as normal at these places.

The Union of Myanmar Travel Association (UMTA) and Myanmar Marketing Committee (MMC) are deeply involved in the relief work for the cyclone victims. A joint taskforce "Tourism Volunteers for Nargis Victims Relief " has been formed to manage the relief efforts. As a 1st phase, cash donation to the amount of USD 10,000 was handed over by UMTA to the relief fund plus essential items like food, clothing and medicine were distributed directly to victims together with other items contributed by MMC. Up to date the relief work is still on-going with the forward operation team heading out to the worsted effected villages on daily basis. UMTA has also formed 5 teams: forward operation team, fund raising team, info and P.R team, admin team and tourism recovery team to effectively and speedily despatch of necessary aid supplies to the effected areas. The forward operation team is stationed at Pyapon, one of the worst effected towns, and headed by Executive Committee members of both UMTA and MMC on rotation.

We would like to invite all of you to come and visit Myanmar at this time and see for your self how the people of Myanmar are valiantly coping with the disaster and also invite your help to rebuild our devastated regions with the tourist dollars contributed by you.

Thank You

CURFEW LIFTED

News Release (22.10.07)

 

The authorities had announced that the curfew restrictions imposed in Yangon and Mandalay has been lifted effective 20-10-07 (Saturday). This is the result of improved security situation in both cities and the return to normalcy in the whole country.

Thadingyut (Festival of Lights)

Lord Buddha spent the whole Buddhist Lent in Tavatimsa(Abode of the Celestials)and came down to the Abode of Humans on the Fullmoon Day of Thadingyut(October). Legend says when He returned to the Abode of Humans, surrounded by Celestial Beings, the people greeted him by lighting up their homes. This tradition is still being carried on to this day. The whole country, from big cosmopolitan cities to remote villages are lit up. People hang brightly coloured lights on their homes. Pagodas are lit up with countless candles. The monks are offered soon (food) by the lay people to gain merit. Young children visit their elders to pay homage with cakes and fruits. This is indeed a joyous time for the Myanmar people. And we invite you all to celebrate this auspicious occasion together with the Myanmar people.

Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival at Inle Lake

News Release (19.10.07)

 

The Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival is one of the most famous pagoda festival in Myanmar and well known all over the world. The festival is held every year during the month of October and lasts for more than 20 days as the 4 Buddha Images are taken around the lake in a gilded barge pulled by hundrerds of leg-rowers in long canoes in front.These images sometimes stay over night at some villages and sometimes just stop over for a short while. Rowing competitions are also held. Pilgrims from all over the country come to this festival to pay homage to the Buddha Images. Many are from the plains, some from the mountains, while others are from small remote villages but everybody is here to gain merit and enjoy the festive air of the event. Foreign tourists are also fascinated not only by the religiouness of the festival goers but also with the generosity of the pilgrims as they pray in front of the Images and offer tissue thin gold leaves to put on the Images. This sense of true generosity and the religiousness of the people is evidenced by the Images itself for after decades of being gilded by countless number of gold foils they had become huge globes of gold.

This year's festival had also begun. The Phaung Daw Oo Images arrived yesterday at Nyaung Shwe and will stay there for three nights. After that they will continue their tour around the lake. As usual the welcoming ceremony at Nyaung Shwe was thronged with local pilgrims and foreign tourists alike. Everybody is invited to come visit the festival and see the real nature of the Myanmar people.

Coming Festivals

Myanmar is a land of festivals. Every month there is a pagoda festival, even during the monsoon season. But with the cessation of the monsoon rains the country comes alive with pagoda festivals, religious festivals etc.
On the Full-moon day of November there are some notable pagoda and religious festivals coming up.
-Kekku Pagoda Festival(Shan)
-Taunggyi Hot-air Balloon Competition
-Taunggyi Kahtein(Offering of Holy Robes to the Monks) Ceremony.
-Taunggyi Parade of Lights Festival
RUSH AND CONTACT YOUR TRAVEL AGENT NOW!!!!!!

Yangon and Mandalay returns to normalcy

News Release (10.10.07)

 

Residents of Yangon and Mandalay report that life had returned to normalcy and people are going about their daily life in safe and secure conditions. No other major tourist sites were effected by the recent events also.

Curfew hours relaxed

With the situation improving day by day the authorities had relaxed the duration of the curfew hours imposed in both Yangon and Mandalay.
The present curfew hours are now from 11 pm to 3 am only.

Emergency assistance during curfew hours

The authorities had initiated a series of measures to permit people and vehicle movement during curfew hours for emergency medical conditions etc.
Residents should approach the ward Peace and Development Councils with the request and the ward Peace and Development Councils will issue permits in such cases.

Important Tourist Sites are open

All important tourist sites such as the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon etc. are open and all international visitors are welcomed.