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Sports |
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Traditional
sports
The national game is Chinglone; the object of the game is
to keep a cane ball in the air for as long as possible using only
feet and knees with teams of six players. Burmese boxing
is also a very popular sport; it can seem extremely brutal to the
uninitiated spectators. Quite a few Western sports are also played.
Many Buddhist festivals are celebrated yearly in the country
and present an attractive way for travellers to experience local
culture and traditions (read also Special Events in the Social
Profile section).
For serious practitioners, some centres offer study and practice
of Theravada Buddhism, the most popular of which is the Mahasi
Meditation Centre in the capital, Yangon. The centre was
established
in 1947
by Mahasi Sayadaw, 1 of Myanmar’s best meditation teachers.
Travellers who
desire
to partake in Buddhist retreats should acquire a special, long-stay entry visa (permitting stays of up to
12 weeks). The application procedure can take as long as 10 weeks.
For additional information about the necessary application requirements,
contact the Embassy or Consular section at the Embassy (see
Contact
section).
Visitors may also attend performances of Myanmar’s traditional
famous theatre, known as pwe (or show). Performances
take place in various contexts, including weddings, sporting events,
religious festivals, or even funerals, and sometimes last all night.
Also of interest are traditional dance forms (nat pwes),
which pay homage to the spirit world, or marionette theatre (yok-thei
pwe), widely practiced in the late-18th century in Mandalay
and is among the most characteristic forms of national cultural
expression.
Ecotourism
This is encouraged by Myanmar Travels and Tours and many
national parks and wildlife sanctuaries also offer safaris and
trekking.
The best parks are:
Alaungdaw Kathapa National Park ( in northwest of Monywa)
Hlawga National Park (near Yangon, great for birdwatching)
Popa Mountain Park (extinct volcano sheltered in forests
located in the isolated area of central Myanmar)
Lampi Island (Myeik Archipelago) (can be accessible by boat
trips from Myeik and Kawthaung)
Shwesettaw Wildlife Sanctuary ( in Minbu)
Other
Swimming and other water sports are
feasible
on the
following beaches:
Kanthaya Beach, located on the Rakhine coast.
Maung-ma-gan Beach, situated on the Taninthayi coast in the south
and accessible from Dawei.
Ngapali Beach, sited on the Rakhine coast.
Chaung-tha Beach, located west of Pathein.
Football
matches can be seen at Aung San Stadium in the capital, Yangon and on
small fields all around the country. |
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