Taunggyi Hot Air Balloon Festival
Hot Air Balloon Festival (Taunggyi - Shan State)
15 – 21 Novemember 2010
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On the occasion people enjoy fun and merriment by holding firework-launching competitions. The firework is in the form of rockets. There is also hot balloons competitions on the day and night occasions. Day balloons are usually in the form of Pagodas, and animals such as elephant, dragon or ducks while the night balloons usually in the shape of rugby ball, huge elongated paper balls with small lighted multicolored paper lanterns hung around their sides and balloons would sting along fireworks and fire sticks which are set off mid-air fireworks.
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Itinerary
19 - 22 Nov 2010 (4-Day/3-Night)
Yangon – Taunggyi – Yangon
Day 01: 19 Nov Yangon – Heho (by a.m flight) Taunggyi
Pick-up from hotel and transfer to airport for flight to Heho. Arrival and drive to Taunggyi (approx. 1 hr drive), the capital of Shan State. Visit Taunggyi market. Transfer to hotel. Car use in Taunggyi to visit day and Night sightseeing for balloons festival. Overnight at hotel.
Day 02: 20 Nov Taunggyi balloons festival/Day execusion Inle Lake (B)
Breakfat at hotel. Drive to Inle lake and visit local 5-day markets (on market day only). By visiting 5-day markets, you will get insight into the life-style of the ethnic Pa-O, Danu and Intha inhabitants
who came to these markets to sell their goods. See the lake's unique “leg rowers” – the Intha people row standing up with one leg wrapped around an oar. Pass endless floating gardens, where fruit and vegetables are grown. Visit Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda – most famous pagoda in this region and Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery, one of the oldest monasteries on the lake to see ancient Buddha images. Photostop to Padaung long neck local fabric shop, silversmith & blacksmith workshop. Back to Taunggyi. See day and Night balloons festival. Overnight at hotel.
Day 02: 21 Nov Taunggyi balloons festival*** (B)
Breakfat at hotel. Today is Price giving day of balloons festival. Today is Fullmoon day of Tazaungmone, so you can see the local people offering new robes to monks. A month earlier, every household buys some soap, washcloths and robes for the monks. Brand New note of money is folded in the shape of peacocks, pigeons or the lotus flower. The gifts are decoratively hung on “pendals” made of wood or bamboo. On this fullmoon day people carry the pendals on their shoulders (or on cars nowadays). They proceed through town and gather in the city monastery and offer to the monks. Overnight at hotel.
Day 03: 22 Nov Taunggyi–Heho Yangon (by a.m flight) (B)
Breakfat at hotel. Transfer to Heho and take flight back to Yangon.