ACTIVITIES
Myanmar is great for bird watching, there are lots of rare and endangered species, so don’t forget to bring your binoculars and a good camera. For Scuba Diving, Myanmar's unspoiled Mergui (Myeik) Archipelago promises to be the adventure of a lifetime. For over 50 years the Mergui Archipelago has been left largely untouched. Only recently has this vast and mysterious area been open to tourists, presenting hundreds of exiting new dive sites. Waters are teeming with majestic manta rays and sharks while sea eagles circle overhead.
Visitors can go on elephant rides at the Hlawgar Zoological Park, in Yangon. Gliding is becoming a popular activity here and Taunggyi is the place to go to take part in the action. Golf is very popular in Myanmar and some of the best golf courses worldwide are available here. These are the best known courses: Yangon City Golf Resort, Myanmar Golf Association, National Golf Range, Okkalar Golf Resort, Tatmadaw Golf Club, Yangon Golf Club, Punhlaing Golf Resort, Bagan Golf Resort, and in Taunggyi the Aye Tharyar Golf Resort.
Trekking and Walking is permitted in parts of the Shan state around the Inlay Lake and you can hire guides in Kalaw and Nyaungshwe to show you the way. Visitors can take day-hikes to minority villages around Kalaw and Pindaya or explore the jungles on the island of Lampi Kyun and Mt Kyaikto. Kachin state also has many interesting walking tours.
Horseback riding can be done near the horse race track in Kyaikasan, Yangon as well as at numerous other centres around the country such as at Inle Lake and near Taunggyi. There are several centers for the study and practice of Theravada Buddhist meditation. The most famous of these is the Mahasi Meditation Center 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.
Mt. Kakaborazee is the highest mountain in Southeast Asia and at (5881 meters) 19,296 feet it’s popular with climbers. Only very few surfing spots exist along Myanmar’s coast. Bring your own board if you can and do not expect a lifeguard service. Water-sports are available at Ngapali Beach and a few other coastal areas.
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 meter high. Expert puppeteers are deeply respected.
There are a number of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries offer trekking and safaris and Myanmar is eager to encourage eco-tourism. Parks worth visiting are include, Alaungdaw Kathapa National Park located northwest of Monywa; Hlawga National Park near Yangon, which is reportedly good for bird watching. 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, and lastly the Shwesettaw Wildlife Sanctuary which is located in Minbu.