The people and culture of Myanmar are the result of centuries of influences from various ethnic minorities and outside foreign influences. Ancient Burmese culture has been heavily influenced by neighboring Buddhist Thailand and China, but also is a product of British colonial rule, Indian cultural influences, and a heritage passed down from the Mon people. The language likewise reflects a mix of origin from various ethnic minorities and outside influences, and the education system has largely been crafted after the British system.
Religion
More than 80% of the Myanmar culture follows Theravada Buddhism. Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon is largest and most famous. Many local people take turns to bathe the Buddha and pray here. Kanbawzathardi Palace and the Museum in Bago are also important cultural destinations dating from the 16th century. Other religious beliefs found inMyanamr include Hindu and indigenous animism. Island, while it is present in smaller pockets, has not really taken hold (largely due to political and military oppression experienced during the 20th century).
Dress and Music
Traditional garments worn are the Longyi, which is a sarong type garment worn by both men and women. For Business occasions, men where a Manchu Chinese jacket over an English collared shirt. Many people in the larger cities where more modern ‘western’ clothing.
The musical traditions in Myanmar are one of pride for the Myanmar people. Traditional music typically includes an orchestra (or hsaing waing) and the Mahagita, which is a collection of songs. Pop music also dominates the current music scene. Dance in Myanmar consists of dramatic, folk, and village dances. Dance is heavily influenced by the styles in Thailand, though they do have unique components such as fast-paced and energetic movements with an emphasis on poses. Myanmar literature is heavily influenced y Buddhism, with a main classic being the Jataka Tales.
Cuisine
Myanmar cuisine is heavily influenced by Indian, Chinese and Thai cuisines. Mildly spicy in taste, the Myanmar people use limited amounts of spices. Typical meals are commonly composed of meats and curries, complimented with soups, steamed rice, fermented fish sauce, and vegetables for dipping. Unique ‘sides’ include Indian style pickles and pickled vegetables. Fish sauce and shrimp paste are commonly used in dishes along with chickpeas, lentils, and tamarind sauce. Ethnic cuisines are also prominent, such as Shan cuisine, and Indian and Chinese cuisines are readily available in urban areas. A popular national dish is mohinga, composed of rice noodles in a fish soup. Salad made of pickled tea leaves is also popular. Most people in Myanmar eat with their fingers, although the use of Western utensils and chopsticks is becoming more widespread. Indian breads like paratha, naan, and rice noodles are also common additions along with or instead of rice.
The holiday of a lifetime. The company is Alaksa-owned and thhat makes a big difference to the experineces you get i.e. meet genuine First Nations tribes people. The amount of wildlife was beyond my expectation, and seeing everything on sucha small, intimate boat made it even more spoecial and unique.
Liz O
2 days ago
Adventure Life covered all the details in planning our trip to Ireland. Any questions we had were answered immediately. Any trip glitches, which always happen when traveling, were resolved immediately. There were no worries, just fun!
Kathleen Weller
2 days ago
It was an outstanding, up-close, educational vacation of nature, culture, history, animals and geology! It was everything they promised! Binoculars were plentiful on the boat, but I'm glad I brought my own. Food was excellent. Rooms had black-out shades. Pack/wear multiple layers of clothing (I carried a small backpack when off the ship). Crew were delightful and very accommodating! Remember to jump FEET FIRST first when taking the optional polar plunge! Spend as much time outdoors as you are able and ENJOY!!!
Janet Dutton
1 week ago
Excellent travel advice and service
This is my second experience working with Adventure Life. I’m sold. Jess Heuermann is an experienced traveler and provides a lot of useful information when planning a trip. These are the questions I like to ask at the outset - What’s it like to go here, there, what would you suggest, what do people report, can we add any additional side trips? Jess took the time to answer my questions and seek additional information to share with me. Petchie Colina is outstanding in helping with travel logistics and final preparations. Adventure Life has excellent guides and offers private guides and small group adventures. We enjoyed the opportunity to talk with the guides and drivers to learn more about their countries, cultures and histories. A highlight was having the guides pick local restaurants where we could share meals together. Highly recommend.
Claire Cordon
1 week ago
Our six-day tour in Iceland went smoothly with one exception. We had asked for two rooms each night. Somehow we were booked with one room with three beds. It could not be fixed at the first hotel in Reykjavik because the hotel was fully booked. Once informed of the problem, however, Adventure Life rebooked for two rooms for the remainder of the trip. As an 85-year-old traveler, I appreciated that one could participate at different physical levels at many of the stops. Iceland is a great place to visit but on the expensive side.