CULTURE TIPS

Myanmar is a country deeply respectful of their religious and cultural traditions.
Visitors will not cause offense if they note a few things:

Please remove shoes and socks before entering religious buildings and compounds. Some monasteries allow footwear in the compound but make sure first. It is also polite to remove shoes before entering a private home but socks may be left on.

When you wear Myanmar dress which is sold ready to wear, make sure you do not wear it carelessly such as with legs showing or unbutton or, in the case of women, without underwear. Going braless is definitely not an ‘in’ thing to do in Myanmar. Make sure not to be wearing shorts or skimpy tops when you visit pagodas.

Apart from the beach and hotel swimming pools, do not wear swimsuits in other places such as lakes, ponds or rivers. Make sure you have on proper clothing and not swimsuits or briefs when walking among crowds of locals or around villages near the beach. Topless sunbathing on the beach is not allowed.

When handing someone money or a gift use the right hand or both hands, with the exception of paying the bill in a teashop or restaurant. Then it is a more casual transaction.

Women should not ride on the roof of buses or boats because it is offensive to the men or elderly sitting underneath. Women should not touch a monk’s robes or body of monk. In most pagodas women are not allowed to go up a higher level; these are religious traditions. Myanmar is a highly matriarchal society where women play a strong role in the family or business but with graciousness and dignity.

The Myanmar people are neither confrontational nor aggressive. As anger is a sin (or defilement) according to Buddhism, showing anger or aggression in public or towards strangers is considered extremely rude, shameful and undignified.

The people are friendly and glad to help without any expectation of reward. They are courteous and generous with strangers, since foreign travelers are seen as guests to their country, and should therefore be treated with hospitality.