Asia Travel || Myanmar

HOTELS RESORTS TRAVEL LEISURE TOURS MYANMAR Myanmar Country and Travel Information Map of Myanmar Nationalities of Myanmar || Historical and Cultural Heritage || Arts and Crafts Highlights on Scenic Beauty || Special events IN GENERAL Myanmar is one of the largest country in South East Asia, stretching over 2,000 km from North to South. It is twice the size of Vietnam, over a quarter larger than Thailand, and Myanmar is bigger than England and France combined. Ethnically diverse, Myanmar is a nation of many races - some 130 ethnic groups make up its population of nearly 45 million. The majority of Myanmar's people are Bamars (from which the British coined the name Burma), but the Shan, Kachin, Kayin, Mon, Rakhine and others are also prominent throughout the country. Myanmar's climate is tropical: during the cool season from late November through February, temperatures are pleasantly mild ranging from 21C to 28 C; the hot season from March to April can see the mercury reach as high as 45 C; and during the months of the rainy season, from May to October short rainstorms are frequent in the late afternoons. The Nationalities of Myanmar Myanmar's ethnically diverse population is a result of three major migrations from Tibet and Central Asia, the cradle of humanity. The people of Myanmar are descendants of three main branches: The Mon-Khmer, the Tibeto-Burman, and the Thai-Chinese. The Kaya, Mon, Wa, La, Palaung, Pale, Yao, Riang, Padaung, Ylnbaw, Zayein, and others originated from the Mon-Khmer group, while the Shan, Kayin and Taungthu, etc., find their roots in the Thai-Chinese community. The Bamar, Chin, Kachin, Lolo, Rahkine, Kadu, Hpon, Maru, Lashi, Rawang, Azi, Nung, Daru, Yaw, Mro, Inthat, Naga, Gauri, Lisu, Lahu, among others, evolved from the Tibeto-Burman group. Historical and Cultural Heritage Kuthodaw Pagoda, in Mandalay, which houses the entire Buddhist scriptures carved onto 729 marble slabs is "The world's largest book". Built by King Mindon, it is indeed a rare and splendid sight. Myanmar's unique historical and cultural heritage dates back over 5,000 years. Evidence confirming the existence of stone age people has been found throughout the country. Early Myanmars were said to be Mons, and the first politically important inhabitants were the Pyu who date back to the early period of the Christian era. It was Bagan, however, which was founded in the 11th century, that gave rise to the dominant culture and civilization in Myanmar's history. Arts and Crafts of Myanmar Myanmar is an enchanting country with a rich history in arts and crafts. Mandalay, the ancient capital and the glory of Myanmar Kings, represents the largest repository of Myanmar arts and crafts. Visitors can observe carvers of ivory, wood and stone, in addition to makers fo gold leaf, silk weavers, silversmiths and bronze-casters, as they ply their respective trades according to the time-honored traditions of their forefathers. The pagodas, religious monuments, and major Buddhist sculptures seen all over Myanmar are authentic examples of the rich tradition of Bagan arts andcrafts and of prior eras of craftmanship so evident throughout Myanmar's history. Highlights on Scenic Beauty Myanmar is blessed with natural scenic beauty making for landscapes that are incredibly picturesque. The country's great lakes, snowcapped mountains and unspoiled beaches are undoubtedly some of the most stunning, idyllic, and mystical places to be found anywhere on earth. Myanmar's physical beauty is enhanced by the spectacular pagodas and temples that can be found all over the country. These venues for contemplation and prayer radiate the obvious spirituality of the people. Special Events Around The Year Myanmar is popularly known as The Land of Festivals because of the countless religious and cultural festivals that take place all ycar round. Some are nation-wide festivities while others are popular solely around the city of Yangon or in the District Areas. JANUARY On January 4th, Independence Day of the Union of Myanmar is celebrated across the country. Countless parades and fairs mark this important day and everyone joins in the festivities. The Myanmar Traditional Equestrian Festival or Myin-Khin-Thabin is a national festival which is held annually in Yangon In ancient times, this festival provided the Myanmar Kings with the opportunity to demonstrate their military might, but today its main purpose is for the perpetuation of Myanmar patriotism. It is a fantastic occasion and tourists are warmly welcomed to participate in the many celebrations. FEBRUARY Traditionally, this is the month of the Harvest Festival when people rejoice in the feast of Htamane. No one should miss this opportunity to sample a delicious Myanmar delicacy consisting of glutinour rice freckle with coconut, sesamum seeds, peanuts, ginger, and oil, which is specially prepared for the feast. The Thingyan festival don't wear your Sunday best! The anniversary of the Union Day falls on February 12. Representatives and cultural troupes of the seven States and seven Divisions of the Union of Myanmar dressed in colourful, traditional costumes gather at venues across the country. Traditional entertainment highlights the beauty of the different ethnic groups found within the Union. MARCH March is the most colorful month of the year as Pagoda Festivals arc in full swing. The Shwedagon Pagoda Festival is held on the day of the full moon of Tabaung and is one of the month s biggest events. During this festival, visitors can get a feel for the spirituality of the people of Myanmar by participating in events at temple fairs or by observing the rituals of the holiday. APRIL Thingyan or the Water Festival is held throughout the country for three days in the month of April. It simultaneously marks the end of the old year and beginning of the new. Young people gather together to sing and dance, and to playfully throw water on each other. Throughout the Thingyan Carnivals decorative floats and water throwing pandals are seen everywhere in both towns and cities alike. If you are not afraid of getting wet, this high spirited festival is one that you won't want to miss! MAY The Kason Festival of watering the Sacred Banyan Tree symbolises the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha. It is an important Buddhist holiday and many processions are held at temple grounds throughout the country. JUNE AND JULY The onset of monsoon season makes June and July relatively quiet months in Myanmar. There are, however, various smaller Buddhist festivals to be enjoyed. AUGUST Taungpyone Nat or Spirit Festival is a popular five day festival held in Taungpyone near Mandalay. According to tradition, Nats are spirits that must be appeased or they will wreak havoc in people's lives. The two Nat Brothers honoured during Taungpyone Nat belong to the 37 well-known Myanmar Nats. The story of the two Nat Brothers originated during the rule of King Anawrahta, when it was the duty of every person in the kingdom to contribute a brick and a handful of sand for the construction of a Pagoda. The brothers failed to contribute their share and orders came from the King for them to be mildly punished. Unfortunately, the Nat Brothers were accidentally killed. The King was remorseful and built a big Nat (spirit) shrine by the side of the Pagoda honoring the two brothers. The homage-paying festival is now held annually to appease the spirits as it is believed that the Nat Brothers can fulfill your wishes, protect you from ill-fate and danger, and bring good luck, prosperity and progress. SEPTEMBER The famous Phaung-Daw-Oo Pagoda Festival is held at Inle Lake once a year. The procession of the Inle leg-rowers in full pageantry and ceremonial splendour is a sight not to be missed by anyone visiting Myanmar. OCTOBER & NOVEMBER The opening ceremony of Visit Myanmar Year 1 1996 will be kicked off on a grand scale. The celebration will be a gloriously festive occasion. The Thadingyut or Light Festival, which ends the Buddhist I Lent, is also one of the most prominent festivals of the year. Another celebration of light is the Tazaungdine festival held in November. Pagodas, houses, buildings, parks, and monuments arc all illuminated and there are various kinds of activities for everyone to enjoy. The other important festival outside Yangon is the exotic Elephant Dance held in Kyaukse, a small town not far from Mandalay. A huge elephant figure is made from bamboo and paper Men take their places inside the figure and dance around the town to the accompaniment of Dobat and Drums. The elephant dancers circle three times at the foot of the hill to pay homage to the Shwe Tha Lyaung Pagoda. It is a dance that requires precise rhythm and timing in order for the elephant dancers to maintain unity inside the elephant figure. DECEMBER The traditional Boat Regatta Festival is held at Kandawgyi Lake to remind the younger generations of the glory, sovereignty, patriotism and national spirit of Myanmar. Asia Travel || Myanmar Page || Top

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FTyourmoney | Travel Insurance Finder Your money / Travel insurance finder Compare travel insurance Use our Travel Insurance tool to compare insurance policies and buy the cheapest, best buy policy for your needs online. Do you require cover for: Annual multi trip Single trip Add Winter Sports cover? Please select your destination Europe inc UK Worldwide AbuDhabi Afghanistan Alaska Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Anguilla Antartic Antigua Argentina Armenia Aruba Ascension Islands Australia Austria Azerbaijan Azores Bahamas Bahrain Balearics Bali Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bonaire(Antilles) Bosnia-Herzegovina Botswana Brazil British Dependent Ter British Virgin Isles Brunei Daussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burma Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Canary Islands Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Rep Chad Chile China Colombia Comoro Islands Congo Cook Islands Corfu Corsica Costa Rica Cote D'Ivoire Crete Croatia Cuba Curacao Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt Eire El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Gabon Galapagos Islands Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Hawaii Holland Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Ibiza Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Ivory Coast Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakstan Kenya Kiribati Korea Kos (Greek Island) Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lanzarote Laos Latvia Lebanon Leeward Islands Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau Macedonia Madagascar Madeira Majorca Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Midway Island Minorca Moldavia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Monserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles Nevis Island New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Northern Ireland Northern Marianas Norway Oman Pakistan Palua Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Phillippines Pitcain Islands Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Reunion Rhodes Rodriguez Island Romania Russia Rwanda Saipan Samoa (Western) San Marino Sao Tone & Principle Sarawak Sardinia Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somali Republic South Africa Spain Sri Lanka St Helena St Kitts & Nevis St Lucia St Martin St Pierre & Miquelon St Vincent and The Grenadines Sudan Suriname Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Tenerife Thailand Togo Tonga Trinidad & Tobago Tristan Da Cunha Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks & Caicos Isles Tuvalu UAE Uganda Ukraine United Kingdom Uruguay USA Uzbekistan Vanuatu Vatican City Venezuela Vietnam Virgin Isles (UK) Virgin Isles (US) Wake Island Wallis & Futuna Yemen Yugoslavia (Former) Zaire Zambia Zanzibar Zimbabwe Please confirm start date / / Please confirm end date / / Legal & privacy notice This site is hosted by Moneysupermarket Ltd, who are regulated by the Financial Services Authority to undertake insurance related activities. FT.com makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness or any other aspect of the information contained on or any service referred to in Moneysupermarket's web site. FT.com shall not be responsible or liable for any loss or damage arising from your reliance upon such information or service or for any agreements, transactions and/or other arrangement entered into by you with Moneysupermarket or any other third party named on (or linked to from) FT.com as a result of your use of their website. All information provided to Moneysupermarket shall be provided by you and FT.com will not assist in the provision of that information.

Germany Travel

Travel news for Germany -Discover Germany with German News --- --- --- --- German News online travel magazine The german travel magazine Welcome to the travel magazine Your editor for travel questions Gerd Bruckner Our travel magazine comes monthly and brings you interesting german travel news on your screen. Discover "Germany" with German News and find out some themes around Germany. You will find interesting travel roads, cities with actual events and of course special offers for a very cheap prices. If you can read a little bit german please have also a look to the german articles. Articles in english has a small icon. All other articel are in german. --- Hint for your navigation: Articles are in german and english language. If you want to see only english sites please use the internal search engine on the left side and use the appendix "english". On the right side are some options for a selection. Please feel free to click your favourite holiday area and make your selection. News with the icon offers an online ticket service for events in this town or area. News with the icon offers local hotels for your vacation in this town or area. Have fun with the German News travel magazine. PS: If you want to write a comment to an article or you want to send an article please make a registration first and than write your story. Free travel catalogues are availaible for order at travel catalogue service Nachrichten Archiv www.german-news.de www.german-news.de/news backend.php July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004

European Vacation - Make

Customize Your European Vacation - Make Your Own Independent Tours  You are here: About > Travel > Europe for Visitors > What to do In Europe > Customize Your European Vacation - Make Your Own Independent Tours Travel Go Europe Essentials European Vacation Planning Map Europe Travel 101 - Before you Go European Distances The Best of Europe European Photo Gallery Articles & Resources Europe Travel Planning What to do In Europe Lodging - Hotels and More European Travel Maps Sex and Nudism Travel Photography Transportation Benelux Countries France Germany Austria Switzerland Greece Italy and Malta Travel Info Scandinavian Travel Spain and Portugal United Kingdom and Ireland Buyer's Guide Before You Buy Top Picks Italy Travel Guidebooks Europe Travel Guidebooks German Travel Guidebooks Product Reviews Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Europe for Visitors newsletter! See Online Courses   Search Europe for Visitors Stay up to date! Email to a friend Print this page European Travel Planning Information Europe Travel Planning Directory Europe Travel 101 - Before You Go Off-Season Travel Tips Europoean Destinations Europe's Best Cities Tips on Choosing a European Destination Off The Beaten Track Destinations Recent Discussions Need Help Planning a Trip Accomodation in london Mediteranean Feries Most Popular Europe Map - Distances Between Cities in Western Europe Europe's Best Nudist Beaches Europe Picture Galleries Italy Pictures Europe Travel 101 - Before You Travel to Europe for the Firs... What's Hot Power Adapters Noord-Holland - Delights of North Holland Travel Visiting Pompeii Italy Guidebooks Naples - Getting There Related Topics France for Visitors Greece for Visitors United Kingdom / Ireland for Visitors Eastern Europe for Visitors Italy for Visitors Customize Your European Vacation - Make Your Own Independent Tours Guided Tour Tip From James Martin , Your Guide to Europe for Visitors . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Interested in a private or off beat tour? Here's how to customize your vacation A recent press trip to northern Europe changed my perception of local tourism offices. I, like most folks, make a quick stop at the local tourism office when I arrive at a city, ask for a map and grab whatever other materials look interesting. But Offices of Tourism have changed from the days a single volunteer could pass out maps and phone local hotels for you.Did you know that most Tourism offices have a list of the best, authorized guides of the area? Did you know that you can make arrangements to hire one of these guides to take just your family around to local attractions--and you can specify just the ones you want? Tourism Offices on the Web You can search for the city you're looking for from the search box on this site, and look for the tourism office in the list of links for that European city. If it's not listed, a search on your favorite search engine using the terms "[city] office tourism" will usually narrow the category. From there, look for a link to guided tours. Most tourist offices also offer their own guided tours of a city starting out from the tourist office. If not, find a general email address or telephone number and inquire about hiring a private guide, stating your planned itinerary. You may say something like, "I'll be in your city from July 5-7, and I would like a guided tour for 6 people that centers on art history of the area." This will give the office a good indication of the type of guide you're looking for. It's not likely that every small tourism office will be able to help you on any single request. Guides can be busy, or hard to find. They are likely to be expensive for a smaller number of people. Still, why waste your time seeing things you don't have an interest in? Private Tours and Tour Guides on Europe for Visitors For general tours for specific interests, see our Specialty Travel and Tours Directory where you'll find interesting barge, bike, and walking tours, as well as information on taking a language course or vounteering on a project like an archaeolgical dig or a building renovation. We've also included a small listing of selected custom tours and private guides in Europe , if you're looking for more than a city walking tour. You can book custom tours or hire a private guide from these listings.        Topic Index | Email to a Friend Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | Help User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy ©2005 About, Inc., A part of the New York Times Company . All rights reserved. Around About New Video iPod - Review POLL: Must-Have Gadgets VIDEO: Portable Gaming VIDEO: Choosing a TV Hugh Hefner's Life What's Hot Power Adapters Noord-Holland - Delights of North Holland Travel Visiting Pompeii Italy Guidebooks Naples - Getting There

Japan Travel Individual Travel

Japan Study - Faculty Development - Individual Japan Travel Grants Study Abroad in Japan Study Abroad in the U.S. Faculty Development Grants East Asian Studies Resources Contact Us Home Faculty and Curriculum Development Grants Individual Japan Travel Individual Travel to a Consortial Campus Group Japan Travel Campus or Curricular Enhancement Performances, Art Exhibitions, Guest Speakers Other Grants Sample Budget; Flight and Hotel Information Grant Guidelines Follow-Up Report Individual Japan Travel Deadlines: February 1, June 1, October 1 Japan Study supports travel to Japan or within Japan. Prior experience in Japanese Studies is not necessary. Preference is given to projects that: Allow for at least ten days in Japan Include activities that can only be carried out in Japan, e.g., meetings, museum and library visits, etc. Are new initiatives Are integrated into other campus activities Result in new courses on Japan or enhanced Japan content in existing courses Secure matching funds from the home campus Are from faculty members who have not recently received a grant from Japan Study Grants in this category provide up to $2,500 for travel, lodging, and meals. Sample Grants Travel to Japan to set up a three-week geology course that took students to Japan Travel to Japan to set up a two-week “J-Term” trip for students interested in Japanese business Travel to Japan to take video images to use in a course on Japanese religion Travel within Japan for a faculty member already spending his sabbatical in Japan to take photographs to use in a studio art course Travel to Japan to participate in a Japanese dance workshop Travel to Japan to conduct research Travel to Japan to present a paper at a conference Proposals should indicate benefits to the home campus and/or consortial campuses, e.g., course enhancements, lectures, performances, exhibits, etc. Grant Guidelines Home | Study Abroad in Japan | Study Abroad in the U.S. Faculty Development Grants | East Asian Studies Resources | Contact Us