The People

The Shan people known as the Dai or Tai Yai, are a Tai ethnic group of Southeast Asia. The Shan are the biggest minority of Myanmar and primarily live in the Shan State of this country, but also inhabit parts of Mandalay Region, Kachin State, and Kayin State, and in adjacent regions of China (Dai people), Laos, Assam (Ahom people) and Thailand.

The traditional dance, The Kainnari and Kainnara is performed during traditional festivals in Shan. Kainnari and Kainnara are also associated with Buddhist heritage. Shan people believe that when Buddha returned to the human world after preaching his knowledge to his mother in heaven, humans celebrated his arrival with an abundance of food and flowers and humans danced with various mythical creatures, including Kainnari and Kainnara.

In the past history Shan is the nationality that often evacuate because of invasion by nearby nationalities. They sometime defeat and sometime lose up to the ability of the leader when they are lost they have to move to set up the new place which make them have to learn and inherit the art of defend continuously. Laew or a sword is the individual weapon of Shan therefore; there is training about using of a sword and sword dance since the ancient time. A sword song has a very attractive dancing style.

Pindaya cave

The Pindaya cave is an important pilgrimage site for Burmese Buddhists and an attractive, unusual sights for tourists. The cave is set in a limestone hill in Central Burma not far from Inle Lake. The hill contains three caves, only one of which is open to the public. This cave that is about 150 meters long contains thousands of Buddha images in various styles and from different eras from the early Konbaung dynasty era to present day. Every small corner and nook of the cave is cramped with Buddha images up to the ceiling. Between the images are also a number of small pagodas as well as stalagmites and stalactites. During the course of several centuries thousands of Buddha images have been put inside the cave. Many statues bear the name of the person who donated it. The number of images is constantly growing since people are still adding more, by now there about 9,000.

Inle Lake

The Inle Lake region is one of Myanmar's most anticipated destinations, and all the hype is justified. Picture a vast, serene lake – 13.5 miles long and 7 miles wide – fringed by marshes and floating gardens, where stilt-house villages and Buddhist temples rise above the water, and Intha fisher folk propel their boats along via their unique technique of leg-rowing. Surrounding the lake are hills that are home to myriad minorities: Shan, Pa-O, Taung Yo, Danu, Kayah and Danaw, who descend from their villages for markets that hopscotch around the towns of the region on a five-day cycle.

Kakku pagoda

The Kakku pagodas is a pagoda complex in the hills overlooking the valley South East of Inle Lake. The remote site, only recently opened to visitors, is located in Pa-Oh territory, a people related to the Karen. Due to its isolated location it takes considerable effort to get there. A scenic ride through the hills over small winding roads with Pa-Oh villages, houses of wood and bamboo and fields with crops as onions and garlic leads to the group of pagodas. Some 2,500 pagodas, most of similar shape and size, are found in long rows closely put together in a square field. At the center is the 40 meters high main stupa, surrounded by mostly well preserved smaller ones. Most still have the hti, a top element shaped like an ornamental umbrella. The centuries old pagodas are made from brick and plastered with stucco, a lot of which has crumbled off. Some of them have trees and bushes growing out of them.

Taunggyi Fire Balloon Festival

One of Myanmar’s most famous yearly gatherings, the Taunggyi Fire Balloon Festival is held for several days around the Full Moon of Tazaungmon, which is a national holiday and marks the end of the rainy season (early November in the Gregorian calendar). The festival features fireworks and a startling array of different balloon designs, with competitions for style and elevation achieved. The daytime hours are focussed around family entertainment, with large animal-shaped balloons – but the revelries go on through the night until the early hours of the following morning, when huge balloons laden with hundreds of fireworks are sent up into the sky. Visitors should note that safety standards are not what they should be, and there have been a number of accidents over the years; you should make certain to maintain a safe distance from the balloons. During the festival, accommodation prices are sharply increased and transport to Taunggyi should be booked well in advance.

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