Asiantour (Myanmar) Travels and Tours

Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival

Place : Inle Lake in Shan state

Time : 1st Waxing day to 3rd Wanning day of Thadingyut / 28^th September 2011 - 15^th of October 2011
(Recommended to recheck the final occasion time with us.)

Duration : 18 Days

Description : The PHAUNG DAW OO Festival is the biggest and most important occasion in the SHAN State. The PHAUNG DAW OO Pagoda, one of the holiest sites of the SHAN State, houses five statues. Three of the statues are allegedly Buddha images and the other two Buddha disciples. All five have lost any recognizable shape after being encrusted with accumulated gold leaf over the centuries. But their fame and holiness is undisputed and pilgrims rub red strips of cloth over the Statues and tie the cloth to their bikes, cars and trucks to ward off evil spirits. During the 18-day festival period, four of the five images are carried around the lake by ceremonial barge to bless the village monasteries. The barge is pushed forward by the unique leg-rowers of the INLE Lake. The fifth Buddha image stays to guard the monastery. Legend has it that when the five were paraded around the lake, the barge suddenly capsized, only four statues were recovered but the fifth mysteriously reappeared at the pagoda draped in lake reeds and has remained there since. It’s a magnificent sight; hundreds of boats follow the slow procession around the lake and thousands of people flock to the lakeshores to celebrate the occasion. The atmosphere is carnival type. The annual boat races also take place at this time, which adds further excitement and entertainment to the occasion.

How to get there : Flying from YANGON/BAGAN/MANDALAY to HEHO airport and 1 hour drive to NYAUNG SHWE and take the boat to INLE Lake.

Accommodation : widely available and choose your favorite in Hotels Page.

Program : One or two days of this occasion program should be combined with your choice of tour including Inle Region.

Schedule of Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival 2011 (28.9.2011 - 15.10.2011)

Date	Day	Departure from Monastery		Haunt of Monastery
28-Sep-11	1	Phung Daw Oo Monastery	4:00 AM	Opening Ceremony ( on Karaweik Phaung )
	1	Phung Daw Oo Monastery	7:00 AM	Indein Kyay Paw Khom Mon;	Night stop
29-Sep-11	2	Kyay Paw Khom Monastery	8:30 AM	Indein Sa Monastery	Offer Lunch
	2	Indein Monastery	2:30 Noon	Heyar Village Monastery	Night stop
30-Sep-11	3	Heyar Saing Monastery		Heyar Village Monastery	Night stop
1-Oct-11	4	Heyar Village Monastery	7:00 AM	Nga Hpe Chaung Monastery	Night stop
2-Oct-11	5	Nga Hpe Chaung Monastery	7:00 AM	Kyay Sar Monastery	Night stop
3-Oct-11	6	Kyay Sar Monastery	7:00 AM	Poe Sar Gone Monastery	Offer Lunch
	6	Poe Sar Gone Monastery	1:00 Noon	lim Kin Monastery	Night stop
4-Oct-11	7	lim Kin Monastery	7:00 AM	Nyaung Shwe Monastery	Night stop
5-Oct-11	8	Nyaung Shwe (Saing)		Nyaung Shwe Monastery	Night stop
6-Oct-11	9	Nyung Shwe (Saing)		Nyaung Shwe Monastery	Night stop
7-Oct-11	10	Nuung Shwe Monastery	7:00 AM	Nanthe Monastery	Offer Lunch
	10	Nanthe Monastery	1:00 Noon	MineThauk Monastery	Night stop
8-Oct-11	11	MineThauk Monastery	7:00 AM	Thale U Monastery	Night stop
9-Oct-11	12	Thale U Monastery	7:00 AM	Kay lar Monastery	Offer Lunch
	12	Kaylar Monastery	2:30 Noon	Sa Yar Kyi Monastery	Night stop
10-Oct-11	13	Sa Yar Kyi Monastery	7:00 AM	Alodaw Pauk Monastery	Offer Lunch
	13	Alodaw Pauk Monastery	2:30 Noon	Nan Pan Monastery	Night stop
11-Oct-11	14	Nan Pan Monastery	7:00 AM	Ma Gyi Zeak Monastery	Offer Lunch
	14	Ma Gyi Zeak Monastery	2:00 Noon	Chaing Kham Monastery	Night stop
12-Oct-11	15	Chaing Kham Monastery	7:00 AM	Maing Pyoe Monastery	Night stop
13-Oct-11	16	Maing Pyoe Monastery	7:00 AM	Nyan Thaw Monastery	Night stop
14-Oct-11	17	Nyan Thaw Monastery	7:00 AM	Inn Paw Gone Monastery	Offer Lunch
	17	Inn Paw Gone Monastery	2:30 Noon	Ye Thar Monastery	Night stop
15-Oct-11	18	Ye Thar Monastery	8:00 AM	**PhaungDawOo Monastery - Boat Race

** Boat Race
Remarks : Estimate with Myanmar calendar

EVENTS & FESTIVALS TOURS