Burma Local Customs

  sometimes it is not only the dress...
by DennyP
 
  • sometimes it is not only the dress code!!
      sometimes it is not only the dress...
    by DennyP
  • so many Temples ..can be very dark inside
      so many Temples ..can be very dark...
    by DennyP
  • Amarapura pagoda Amarapura
      Amarapura pagoda Amarapura
    by DennyP
  • Golden pagoda Mandalay.
      Golden pagoda Mandalay.
    by DennyP
  • The Gold pagoda in Bagan
      The Gold pagoda in Bagan
    by DennyP
 
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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

VISITING TEMPLES?? DRESS APPROPRIATELY

by DennyP

BURMA There are just so many Temples and Chedis etc.to visit in Burma...They don't call it the land of a million pagodas for nothing..One thing though that is frowned upon by locals and that is "skimpy" dressing when visiting their temples...Guys make sure that your shorts are below your knees and preferably you are wearing long sleeves. Girls make sure that you have on appropiately dress also ..no short shorts or mini skirts..Always remember to take off your shoes when entering a temple or pagoda etc. A lot of people for this reason wear slip on sandals or flip flops which is fine for the city ...but if you are out and about with flip flops on ...BEWARE of snakes..There are many venomous snakes in Myanmar especially in dark cool places out of the heat....like Temples and pagodas..Always carry a small torch with you at all times here..Watch where you are walking...

Tip Photo
Golden owls and "eggmen".

by planxty

The photograph shows a selection of papier mache golden owls and figures which I christened "eggmen" for sale in Yangon. You will see these all over the country and apparently they are supposed to bring good luck .The principle of the "eggmen" is that they are weighted in the bottom so you can knock them over but they always right themselves - a bit like the Weebles toys I remember as a kid. For those of you who are wondering what exactly Weebles are, try the link provided.

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Marionette show.

by A2002

Myanmar puppetry is the string type. The stage provides the performance area, as well as the shelter for the marionette masters and musicians and their belongings. The performance area has a bamboo bar at which the marionette masters stand to manipulate the figures. The excellence of a marionette master is judged by his skill in singing and manipulating the figures. "The standard total number of marionette figures in the show is twenty eight, namely two nat votaresses, one horse, one monkey, one parakeet, two ogres, one necromancer, one dragon, one garuda, (mythical bird), one deva (deity), four ministers (two red gowned and two green gowned), one king, one queen, one prince, one princess, two prince regents, one astrologer, one hermit, one old woman, and two court jesters. They are the regular characters who appear in the marionette show, because the themes and plots are invariably...

Tip Photo
Thanaka

by Mique

This must be my favorite sunblock of all time. I do have rather sensitive skin and the sun and i have been on rather shaky terms during most of my life. And here in Burma, the sun is something that is quite difficult to ignore. But Thanaka is the Burmese answer to my plight. Whenever i wear Thanaka (and i do so often, almost every day actually), i never have sunburn. Unfortunately it is impossible to swim with but i've braved the plain of Bagan in mid-april (summertime with a soaring 40-something degrees celsius) on a bicycle and no bodily harm has befallen me. If i do forget to put it on, i use it to cool my skin. And i have given it to people with sunburn who claim it helps enormously. Then again, i do also use it on occasion when my skin feels tired, badly taken care of, dry whatever. It is as much a conditioner as it is a sunblock. And it smells wonderful. I always used the Thanaka...

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Shan National Day.

by planxty

I was lucky enough to be in Myanmar (Burma) on 07/02/2006, which is Shan National Day. Although I was later to visit, and greatly enjoy, Shan State, I was actually still in Yangon at the time. I was doubly lucky to be invited by some Shan people to attend a festival held at the monastery situated at 9 1/2 miles on the Pyay Road.When we got there, the place was abolutely crowded for what was essentially a music festival held in the grounds of the monastery. There was a wide selection of musical styles, and I was told some of the performers are national stars. As well as the usual light pop covers, there were a few Burmese "hip hop" acts (like the two girls pictured) as well as traditional dancing and music. Obviously, being Myanmar, there were food stalls everywhere as well as a number of souvenir stalls set up. What I found slightly surreal was the fact that a good proportion of the...

Tip Photo
Respect the monks

by Mique

I write this tip since i've seen it happen here in Burma once (but also once in Thailand where the same thing goes like in all buddhist countries). Women aren't allowed to touch monks! So you can't go and sit next to them in a bus, train or anywhere else. Also, and this is not only for the women, you can't sit higher than a monk. Monks are revered all throughout Burma and parents have to pay respect to their sons. Even if that son is only a 7 year old novice!. Usually monks sit higher than everybody else but if they can't, then at least pay attention and don't point your feet towards them. You should not do this towards anybody but it especially goes for monks.

Free maps

by Mique

At the MTT office (at least in Yangon) you can get free maps of Myanmar, Yangon, Mandalay and Bagan (that i know of). The website offers more maps but i haven't tried printing them yet (though i had a look at a few of them) . Handy for if you want to get around. Or if you find the maps in your LP not very useful. I use the 2 Yangon maps a lot. There is a normal Yangon map and a more detailed Yangon map.

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Pickled tea salad

by Mique

One of my favorite things in Burma is pickled tea salad. It is the prepared version of what you see on the picture. The salad can usually be ordered as a side-dish in restaurants and such (be careful if you don't like fish and/or fish paste since some places have the habit of putting this into the salad. Order it without then. Many (good) places to eat will put the 'salad-box' on the table after you've finished eating. It is like a dessert. You can either spoon some tea and extras into your mouth (without touching your lips) or you can use a small bowl, your hand or anything that is left on the table to mix your own spoonful. Usually you can find the following around the pickled tea: dried shrimp, sesame seed, peanuts, dried beans and garlic or something like that.

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Burmese Smoke

by inuit

Many of the local men and women in Burma like smoking the local cigars. Very common to see old ladies sit and gossip or doing daily job while they smoke those big cigars with a big smile.I took this pohot of smoking ladies in Inle lake. They looked happy. You can find small shops who sell the local cigars and try it your self.

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Compliments

by Mique

Probably one of the things that is most strange (and usually not so much appreciated) to our western ears is the burmese complement of 'wa-de' ('fat' but it also means 'satisfied'). In Burma if someone tells you you look thin or asks you if you have lost weight it is actually that they try to tell you that you look less good. If someone tells you you look nice & fat it means that they think that you look very good. Healthy. So don't take offense if someone says 'la-de' (beautiful) followed by 'wa-de'. It means they think you look great. The other day i passed the Trader Hotel and there is even a conference about how to GAIN weight. Of course i couldn't resist taking a picture of one of the posters that was outside. After all, how many conferences about gaining weight are there?

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Local traditions and culture in Burma

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Local Customs: Cities in Burma
  1. Rangoon Local Customs
  2. Bagan Local Customs
  3. Mandalay Local Customs
  4. Inle Lake Local Customs
  5. Hsipaw Local Customs
  6. Tachilek Local Customs
  7. Nyaungshwe Local Customs
  8. Kyaiktiyo Local Customs
  9. Bago Local Customs
  10. Kalaw Local Customs
  11. Chaungtha Local Customs
  12. Amarapura Local Customs
  13. Prome Local Customs
  14. Pagan Local Customs
  15. Indein Local Customs
  16. Kyaukpadaung Local Customs
  17. Inwa Local Customs
  18. Myitkyina Local Customs
  19. Sagaing Local Customs
  20. Nampan Local Customs

More Cities in Burma

 

Popular Regions in Burma

Yangon Division Local Customs  Mandalay Division Local Customs  Shan State Local Customs  Rakhine State Local Customs  Bago Division Local Customs  Sagaing Division Local Customs  Mon State Local Customs  Tanintharyi Division Local Customs  Kachin State Local Customs  Ayeyarwady Division Local Customs 

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Questions and Answers

stevemt profile photo

Q:  I have just had a wonderful week in Yangon and Mandalay. Whilst I was there I noticed something that I was hesitant about... 

Fluffy_bunny profile photo

A: Tanaka is the name you are looking for. It is made from the pulp of a tree. It serves 2 purposes, one as a sun block and two as a general skin cream (exfoliator,... 

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