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The national game is Chinglone; played in teams of six, the object of the game is to keep a cane ball in the air for as long as possible using any part
of the body except the hands.
Burmese boxing is another popular sport; it can appear extremely vicious to the uninitiated spectator. Many Western sports
are also played.
A large number of Buddhist festivals are held annually in Myanmar and provide an interesting way for visitors to experience local traditions and culture (see
also Special Events in the Social Profile section). For serious practitioners, there are several centres for the study and practice of Theravada Buddhism, the most
famous of which is the Mahasi Meditation Centre in Yangon. The centre was 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). The application procedure takes up to
10 weeks. For further details about the necessary application requirements, contact the Embassy or Consular section at the
Embassy (see Contact Addresses section).
Visitors can also attend performances of Myanmar’s traditional popular theatre, known as pwe (show). Performances take place in a variety of contexts, including religious festivals, weddings, sporting events or even
funerals, and sometimes last for an entire night. Of further interest are performances of traditional dance forms (nat pwes), which pay homage to the spirit world, or marionette theatre (yok-thei pwe), widely practised during the late 18th century in Mandalay and one of the most characteristic forms of national cultural
expression.
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Overview 
