Musical traditions in remote Chin State

Remote and mountainous Chin state has a complex history that tells a great tale. According to locals in Falam, the history of the twelve clans that surrounded the old capital has always been retained orally, through songs. In a feat of human memory, each clan had singers that would retain up to five hundred years of village history in just one song! I don’t know how long that song is, but the average person can’t remember the lyrics to their favorite three minute pop song. Such skills show an impressive song writing or listening ability.

Fire in the sky – the Taunggyi balloon festival

If your idea of fun involves a blurry riot of colour and explosions, look no further than the Taunngyi Fire Balloon Festival in Myanmar tours, which takes place in the culturally diverse capital of Shan State over several days every November. This celebration is held around the Full Moon of Tazaungmon, a Myanmar national holiday that marks the end of rainy season and is also known as the Tazaungdaing Festival of Lights.



Although the releasing of balloons is nominally an offering to the heavens to ward away evil spirits, and the national holiday is rooted in Buddhist and Hindu cosomology (it is also celebrated in Thailand, where it is known as Loi Krathong), the tradition of hot air balloon competition in Taunggyi was actually begun by the British in the late 19th century.

TOP 10 PLACES TO VISIT IN BURMA (MYANMAR)

Mandalay, the Irrawaddy River, the temples of Bagan, Rangoon… echoes of a bygone era steeped in colonialism, immortalised in the works of Kipling and Orwell. This is Burma (Myanmar Tours) – a magical land of golden pagodas, hill stations, tribal villages, rivers, mountain ranges and stunning beaches. Here are our Top 10 places to visit:

1.  RANGOON (YANGON)

Shwedagon Pagoda, Rangoon, Burma

Wander idly through the vibrant and bustling tree-lined avenues of downtown Rangoon and the decaying elegance of British colonial buildings, then visit the spectacular Shwedagon Pagoda, a huge golden Buddhist stupa that dominates the Rangoon skyline.

Interesting Places in Myanmar

Yangon

Yangon, the capital city, is the main gateway to Myanmar Tours. Evergreen and cool with lush tropical trees, shady parks and beautiful lakes, Yangon has earned the name of "The Garden City of the East". Yangon was founded by King Alaungpaya on the site of a small settlement called Dagon when he conquered Lower Myanmar in 1755. The name Yangon means "End

THE CYCLO - A GIFT OF HANOI

For several years, the cyclo is favorite transportation of foreign tourist who travel in Hanoi. It was the soul of Hanoi's old quarter, and if one day, the cyclo in Hanoi disappears, the people who live in the Old Quarter will feel like missing something. Between the crowded streets, the cyclo walks slowly and lazily, you will feel the tranquility in your soul.

TOP INDOCHINA DESTINATIONS

In additiona to best places in Vietnam, we craft the top 5 Indochina destinations for our visitors not missing out the must-seen places

Come to My Tho for tasting Hu Tieu

Hu Tieu (My Tho noodle soup) is a traditional dish, so specific to Vietnam tours. As a Chinese long-aged dish, this food was reciped to taste My Tho delta people to become well-known nationwide.

My Tho seafood noodle soup is different from Chinese noodle soup, Nam Vang soup, as well as Hue beef noodle soup. The intersting thing is its secret recipe. In stead of herbs and lettuce, you will be tried the flavour of soy bean, lemon, chili, and soy sauce.Back in the 1960s, a shop in My Tho, 70 km from Ho Chi Minh City started serving this dish. Ever since then, its reputation has grown to become a very well known meal in Vietnam tours. It is said that the most delicious noodle soup is made with Co Cat rice, from the most famous rice growing area of My Phong village, a suburb of My Tho City.

10 of the most beautiful places to visit in Myanmar

Even before the days of British colonialism and the ‘exotic east’ writings of luminaries like Rudyard Kipling, Somerset Maugham and George Orwell, Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) had long been a place of mystery and allure. With its legendary kingdoms, gorgeous landscapes, diverse people and fine examples of architectural and archaeological marvels, how could it not? These days, having re-joined the global community after 50 years of infamy at the hands of a ruling military junta, the Golden Land finds itself jumping onto an ever increasing number of traveler’s bucket lists. Given this, we were pleased to hear from Myanmar travel insider Bennett Stevens of Luminous Journeys. If this still largely untravelled destination doesn’t intrigue you already, what follows may well change that…

14 THINGS YOU’LL LEARN AS A FIRST-TIME TRAVELER TO SOUTHEAST ASIA

Photo: Siim Teller

1. Your “VIP Minibus” ride won’t make you feel very important.

When you’re offered a “VIP Minibus” ride to the Thailand border, what you’re actually getting is a 6-hour, overnight, high-speed, 12-passenger van ride manned by a driver who’s likely using some sort of stimulant. The ride will be cramped and the passengers will be terrified as the vehicle hits 130km/h while passing cars on dark and winding roads.

10 Best Places to Visit in Vietnam

A long, narrow country squeezed in between the South China Sea and the Laos and Cambodia borders, Vietnam is a land of striking landscapes that range from the lush rice terraces and forested mountains in the north to the picturesque valleys of the Central Highlands and the fertile delta and beautiful beaches of the south. Included in the mix are booming modern cities, colonial towns, traditional villages, archaeological sites and otherworldly islands. An overview of the best places to visit in Vietnam.

10Dalat

flickr/TrainDriverYoda

Son Dong, the world's largest cave

Son Dong, a cave belongs to the Phong Nha-Ke Bang grotto system in central Quang Binh Province, has been discovered to be the biggest in the world.

Thailand’s best island escapes

From raucous clubs in Phuket to beachfront bungalows in Kho Phangan

By Derek Adams. Additional reporting by Sim Greenaway and Esther Jackson.

Thailand’s islands are some of the most visited places on planet tourism, but you can still go wrong. Time Out’s resident Thailand addict Derek Adams gives us his informed guide to what to see, where to stay and what to avoid.

7 best things to do in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Been there, done Bangkok? Looking for a city escape with colonial charm and all the sights, sounds and smells of Southeast Asia? Consider a trip to the 'Paris of the East', Phnom Penh. Here are seven must-sees and dos in Cambodia's crazy capital.

 

Top 10 Things to Do in Indochina Region

The Indochina region is known for its diversity and there are so many amazing things to see and do that you might need to choose. Here are just top ten of them which I personally think are most worth checking out on your Indochina tour.

1. Cruise the Halong Bay (Kayaking, Caving, Swimming), Vietnam