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 Trekking
The countryside and mountains; Inlay Lake
in Shan State and Putao in Kachin State
have many interesting walking tours.
Sports
Yangon, Mandalay, and Bagan all have golf courses. Ngapali
Beach offers a range of watersports.
Entertainment
Myanmar's traditional popular theatre, known as pwe (show)
is an excellent example of local folk art. There are regular
performances of Nat Pwe, which pays homage to the spirit world,
and Yok-Thei Pwe (marionette theatre), using puppets
up to a metre high. Expert puppeteers are deeply respected.
Meditation
There are several centres for the study and practice of Theravada
Buddhism. The most famous of these is the Mahasi Meditation
Centre in Yangon, founded in 1947 by Mahasi Sayadaw, one of
Myanmar's greatest meditation teachers. Visitors wishing to
participate in Buddhist retreats need to obtain a special,
long-stay entry visa, allowing stays of up to 12 weeks. However,
it should be noted that the application would require arrangement
and following of certain procedures.
Wildlife
A number of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries offer
trekking and safaris, and Myanmar Travels & Tours is eager
to encourage ecotourism. Parks worth visiting: Alaungdaw Kathapa
National Park located northwest of Monywa; Hlawga National
Park near Yangon, which is reportedly good for birdwatching;
Popa Mountain Park - a forested extinct volcano in the desert
area of central Myanmar; Lampi Island off Myeik Archipelago,
which can be reached by boat from Myeik and Kawthaung;
Shwesettaw Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Minbu.
Eating
Main dishes such as fish, chicken and pork are usually served
with vegetables mixed with onion, peppers, ginger and garlic,
and are usually hot and spicy. Rice or noodles act as a base
and are often complemented with curried dishes and raw vegetable
salad. To enhance flavour, a fermented shrimp paste known
as ngapi is added to most meals. Local dishes include the
spicy rice salad, lethok son; a fish soup with noodles
called mohinga; and oh-no khauk swe, a blend
of noodles, chicken and coconut milk.
Outside the hotels, food tends to be sold only at roadside
stalls, while most restaurants are either Chinese or Indian.
There are also teashops serving pastries and cakes.
Drinking
Chinese tea, served at most restaurants, is a safer alternative
to 'purified' water. Purified, bottled water is available
everywhere.
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