Where to Get the Best Sticky Rice in Myanmar

Where to get the Best Sticky Rice in Myanmar

Myanmar is famous for its native delicacies. One of the most popular food that Burmese offer to their visitors is sticky rice, also called "kao hnyin". The kai hnyin is a form of sweet and waxy rice that is cultivated in Asian countries like Indonesia, Vietnam, China, Japan, Bangladesh, Thailand, Taiwan, Cambodia and Myanmar. It is probably more popular in Myanmar, and they even celebrate their own Htamane festival or the Sticky Rice festival. The celebration is held throughout the country between February and March of each year.

Cooking Myanmar rice is not that easy. It has to be soaked overnight and then the small pieces of coconuts are fried the next day together with the other ingredients. The rice is then cooked by two strong men who will stir the sticky rice until cooked. It is not a delicacy that the local women can do, especially if they are going to cook in large quantities. However despite its complicated cooking, the sticky rice is still loved not only by the locals, but the tourists as well.

Sticky rice can be found all over Myanmar. Restaurants serving native dishes have the kao hnyin in their menu. The rice is cooked in many varieties, mostly for desserts.

Here are some of the best restaurants in Myanmar that serve sticky rice:

Green Elephant Restaurant- This restaurant is found along Augustine Road in Yangon. It is a classy restaurant that serves an array of all-Burmese delicacies from beef, fish, and duck, as well as chicken and pork recipes. They also serve the rice with mangoes as a delicious dessert. They also have another branch in Mandalay.

Feel Myanmar Food- This restaurant serves mostly Burmese cuisine. They also have different types of sticky rice dishes in their menu.

Yar Pyi Vegetarian Restaurant- This is a family run restaurant located in Bagan, Myanmar. They serve vegetarian delicacies as well as rice meals.

The Strand Grill- Another restaurant found in Yangon, the Strand Grill has excellent food selections including sticky rice desserts. Tourists love this place because of its classy setting.

Aung Thukha- If you are looking for a restaurant that serves entirely Burmese cuisine, then you should try the Aung Thukha restaurant. It is located in Yangon where you can try the real Burmese dishes.

Mr. Bar BQ- If you happen to visit Mandalay, you can try out the Mr. Bar BQ restaurant which serves all-Burmese cuisines.

All of the local restaurants in Myanmar serve sticky rice dishes. Western, European and Italian restaurants may not serve sticky rice, but all the others found in the country will have something that is made from kao hnyin.

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Advantages Of An Air Charter For Business and Leisure

On the face of it, air charter seems to be a luxury that high-flying corporate executives get as perks of the job. But look at it a little deeper, and turns out it's actually a money-saver. The thing is that a top level executive's time is very valuable, and each minute spent in an airport lounge is a lost minute for the company.

With each day and month, the situation at the airports is getting worse. Flight delays, airport security, missed connections and the exhausting experience of boarding a commercial flight all combine to wring the enthusiasm out of business travelers. An executive who turns up at an important meeting after such an experience can hardly be expected to be very effective.

The point here is that all that time spent is company time being wasted. So it's safe to assume that it's profitable for a company to allow the cream of its top level executives to hop around in private jets. But this doesn't mean the company has to shell out big dollars to buy planes.

One of the more popular arrangements is called a fractional ownership system, where a person or company is one of many owners of the plane (usually between 2 to 8). The whole thing is managed by a fractional ownership company, which will have many planes of the same make and model. So when a company wants to use a plane, it just has to pay for the flight costs, including the fuel.

Other than the cost-savings of shared ownership, there are many more benefits. For example, passengers on commercial carriers can only fly to and from a limited number of big airports. An air charter, however, can fly to thousands of big and small airports, many of which are private.

This further reduces local transportation needs, and the time spent traveling. Plus, there are no delays for boarding or exiting. It is possible to drive right up to the plane and have the baggage loaded up right then and there. Pets, if any, can travel in the cabin.

Executives can travel in absolute comfort and get some good sleep. Or they can put in a few hours' work with a laptop, wi-fi internet, videoconferencing, satellite phones and other tools. Some commercial carriers do offer some of these tools, but they cannot be used on account of a lack of privacy.

For personal use, it's hard to justify air charter as a cost-saver, but there are situations where it can be a life-saver instead. Medical travel, for instance, is one such area where the patient might not want to ensure the agony of commercial flights. Elderly people and tourists unsure of being able to catch connecting flights may want to make their holiday experience more memorable and safe by taking a private jet instead.

It's important to note here that prices for an air charter are not that high anymore, and it's a lot closer to what's considered acceptable spending while on vacation, similar to staying in a luxury hotel. Before booking a commercial flight ticket, just find out how much it would just for the same trip on a private jet. Most people are likely to end up surprised at how much cheaper it is than they thought it would be.

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Tourist Tips

If you're planning an overseas trip, there's more than just the weather and weather-appropriate clothing that you have to prepare. You have to get yourself and your mindset ready. Yes, it can be a totally new experience being in a different land where people will have with different customs and ideals. You may find them entertaining or disgusting depending on your own set of customs and ideals, but in any case, you will have to try to get along with them for as long as you're staying in their country.

You'll always want to take care of yourself in a place where you don't know many things and people. So to keep yourself safe, know what you need to know and act accordingly. For starters, you must be aware of the most basic aspects of the country's culture and this you can do by researching about it on the Internet. A basic example would be Indians treating cows as sacred. This means don't ever ask the waiter if they have beef on their menu.

Another important thing you'd like to know about a country you're visiting is its crime situation. As a basic precaution, avoid wearing items that are going to attract the attention of criminals such as flashy clothing or heavy jewelry. And leave the cash in your bank and just carry a safe amount while making use of your credit card for big purchases. Each time a stranger approaches you, assume immediately that the person will be a threat. This means not giving them any information about yourself or your itinerary and politely making your exit the soonest.

Even in a foreign land, it's nice to have fun at bars while you socialize and have some drinks. But do limit your drinking because you'll never know what will happen to you, especially when you're in a country where people speak a language you don't understand. Having a travel companion won't help much either because, chances are, he won't understand that language, either. This can be a recipe for disaster, so to avoid being in it, avoid too much alcohol and go straight to your hotel room after you've had a few rounds.

Lastly, be aware of the laws of the country you're visiting. There's nothing more embarrassing than Figuring in a legal skirmish and you don't even know what you've done. The worst picture would be deportation, and while you've always planned on returning back home, you don't want to waste that opportunity to get away from work and reward yourself. You probably won't get a leave-of-absence anytime within the same year, so you'll always want to take advantage of the time you have.

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Chinese New Year 2011

Like any other year, in 2011 also, the Chinese New Year is expected to be celebrated with same vigor and enthusiasm in many parts of the world. The date of this festival varies every year. The New Year, according to the Chinese calendar, starts with the Spring festival and ends with Lantern festival. In 2011, the New Year will begin on 3rd February and festivity will continue till February 17.

Chinese New Year Celebrations

It is celebrated in different parts of the world. Here we provide you brief description how it is celebrated in various parts of the world.

New York

Significant Chinese population reside in Flushing in New York. The Chinese people celebrate the occasion here with traditions and modernity. Parades are held on this occasion. Other features include fireworks, steel drummers and dragon dancers.

Honolulu's Chinatown

The festival in Chinatown of Honolulu is observed with a religious fervor. The festivities include dragon boat races, lion dance and lantern festival. It is expected that this year also in Honolulu this festival is celebrated with same vigor.

Vancouver

This festive occasion in Vancouver is marked with Spring parade. Every year, this is held on the first Sunday of the Lunar New Year. Other features of this festive celebrations are lion dance and the cultural fairs.

China

This is perhaps the biggest festival in China. The festival in the mainland is obverted in a very religious way with orthodox customs, rituals and superstitions. Other features of the festival are fireworks, family reunions, many funny & entertaining events, dinner and presenting gifts to the children. The same kind of festivities and celebrations will be witnessed in China this year too.

Singapore

In this city state, also this festival is celebrated in a big way. Celebrations include dazzling fireworks and night parades. Celebrations of the past years have seen a variety of live performances, events, acrobats and cultural shows. It will not be any different in 2011 also.

Hope the above information on chinese new year help you in understanding chinese culture more clearly.All these holiday destinations would make your festival more memorable.

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Thailand's Top Beaches

Since it became much cheaper to travel by air over the last decade, people have seen Thailand as more of a two-week break holiday destination, rather than merely as a luxury location or a country to travel in the long term. If you're looking for a holiday to Thailand, then take a look at Dialaflight.

Few countries have a coastline as naturally stunning as Thailand's. Both the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand boast some incredible tropical waters, rolling onto some of the world's top beaches. Here are some of the top locations:

Patong Beach, Phuket

Phuket has long been held as a luxury escape, and there are some serious property developments and exceedingly expensive pampering retreats if you've got top dollar. For those of us who aren't seriously rich, then it's also home to Patong Beach ? one of Thailand's most sinful bar resorts.

Apart from the vast majority of people being Thai rather than European, Patong Beach wouldn't look too out of place in the Mediterranean. It's got the same sort of bar scene, with Irish pubs and other expat bars, along with a long stretch of beach. If you're visiting, make sure you go to the colossal Tiger complex ? it's possibly the craziest watering hole in Thailand!

Ko Phi Phi Don, Krabi Province

Huge limestone cliffs soar out of the sea and are adjoined by a lowland of beaches that create the living space of Ko Phi Phi Don. Beach resorts really don't get more idyllic than this sea paradise, and the surrounding area is so perfect that one of the islands was used as the setting of The Beach, starring Leonardo Di Caprio.

Phi Phi is a small island, and although you will be amazed by the cliffs and surrounding islands, you probably won't want to spend longer than three or so days here. Just make sure you take a boat tour and check out the beaches, along with partying hard at night at one of the many beach bars.

Ko Phangan, Surat Thani Province

Ko Phangan is the hedonists dream, and home to the world famous Full Moon Party. The island itself is actually pretty big, with 10,000 inhabitants, so if you want to go to the party, you'll need to head down to the southern tip of the island at Haad Rin Beach.

Unless you book in advance, it can often be difficult to get accommodation in Haad Rin around the Full Moon Party date. However, as the island is quite big, there are plenty of idyllic resorts dotted around, many of which are actually more picturesque than tourist focused Haad Rin.

Get on the phone to DialAFlight to secure your flight to Thailand today. Travel to Thailand with confidence and luxury with an award winning flight service.

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10 Things You May Need For Your Next Holiday

If you're planning a holiday over the coming months, you may need to get a few things sorted before you go. Here are 10 things that you may need to get.

1. Airport parking - If you want to have the convenience of driving to the airport yourself and having your car waiting for you when you return, you may want to consider in airport parking.

2. Airport hotels - If you have an early morning flight and don't want the hassle of battling through traffic, you may see the benefit in a hotel stay. Likewise, if your return flight arrives in the early hours, an airport hotel could offer convenience.

3. Taxis - If, however, you prefer to leave your car at home, you may want to book taxis to take and collect you,.

4. Travel insurance - This is a must, but you have a number of options with regards to where you buy it from.

5. Transfers - Unless you're hiring a car, chances are you'll require a transfer from the destination airport to your hotel. You could ask the hotel to hire a taxi on your behalf, otherwise you may want to order a transfer as part of the package.

6. New suitcase - If your suitcase has seen better days or you've traditionally borrowed someone else's, you may want to shop for a new one. Consider tying coloured string to the handle to help identify it on the conveyor belt.

7. New clothes - If you're going somewhere sunny and your summer wardrobe is lacking, you may want to buy some new items for the beach or poolside. Likewise, for cold destinations, you may need some warm-wearing items.

8. New passport - Before you book, it's a good idea to check that your passport is in date. If not, you may need to move quickly for a replacement.

9. Foreign currency - Depending on where you're going on holiday, you may need to exchange money for some foreign currency.

10. Plug adapters - If you're travelling overseas, particularly to Europe or the US, you may need a few plug adapters to ensure all your electrical products can be used.

If you are planning on flying from Sheffield, then Sheffield airport hotels or parking could be worth researching.

Why not visit RobinHoodAirport.com today to book your holiday, including extras like Sheffield airport parking, transfers, insurance and hotels?

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Six Benefits of Booking Coach/Bus Ticket Online Travelling Between Malaysia and Singapore

There are thousands of people travelling between Malaysia (like Kuala Lumpur, Malacca) and Singapore every day. How are these people buy their express bus ticket? Most of the current practice is they will go to the bus companies counter and purchase their ticket. During peak season, most of the tickets are sold out within hours and for those who miss this period, will likely to end up with no ticket.

Most of the counters in Singapore is located at Golden Mile Complex, while in Malaysia for example in the state of Kuala Lumpur, most of the counters will be located at temporary bus station at Bukit Jalil Sports Complex. However, nowadays, most of the customer prefer to purchase the ticket online rather than going down to the counters and purchase their ticket. Hence, many coach/bus companies has started selling their coach/bus ticket online because of this trend of customer buying their tickets online has already started to increase in recent years. Below are the six benefits to the customer who buy their ticket online.

1. Saving your time of travelling to the counter twice (to avoid the traffic jam especially in the city like Kuala Lumpur)
2. Saving your money (transportation cost) from travelling to the counter twice
3. Real time booking where you can choose the seat that you want on the spot. (where you can avoid being assigned to sit on the last row of the bus)
4. No queue for buying bus ticket
5. Convenient of using credit card
6. Buy your ticket now, pay your ticket money later by using credit card

These six benefits listed above has actually gained a lot of recognition from the customer. So, for all travellers who wish to go to the counter and purchase ticket, you are encouraged to read this article and think twice before you go down to the counter to buy your ticket. With this, I wish all the travellers between Singapore and Malaysia taking express buses to have an enjoyable trip.

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Cutting The Cost Of Your Trip To Pattaya

Pattaya is a popular tourist destination in Eastern Thailand. 150 km south of Bangkok, it is a popular destination for those travelling from the capital too. Although a renowned party spot, with plenty of bars and nightclubs, in recent years efforts have been made to create a more family-friendly atmosphere.

When planning a holiday to Pattaya, it is your flight costs that will make up the bulk of your travel expenses. As it entails a long haul flight, your plane travel will never be incredibly cheap but there are good deals available throughout the year, especially if you use comparison sites to search for special offers.

Airfare rates vary from day-to-day, so if you keep an open travel schedule and are wiling to fly out a day or so before or after your ideal travel date, then you could pick up a far cheaper flight. Use comparison sites with flexible date search options to spot which days the cheapest flights land on.

Look out for package deals to Pattaya, which can offer great value. You pay for your accommodation, flights and transfers in one, and sometimes car hire and day trips are included in the package price too. These are great for saving money on family trips, and if you keep an eye out for last minute package deals you can often find incredible bargains too.

During the high season, holidays to Pattaya are in high demand and as a result flights and accommodation during this period are at their highest. If you can avoid travelling in high season, you can make big savings. The year round warm weather in Pattaya means you can have an enjoyable holiday here at any time of year, and travelling outwith high season means you avoid the often-stifling high temperatures too.

When it comes to your Pattaya holiday costs, the main expense really is your airfare. Once you land you will find everything else here incredibly affordable, from accommodation to clothing, food to entertainment. The abundance of street markets make things even cheaper too, and you can pick up bargains on food, crafts, clothing and more here.

Instead of opting for hotel accommodation, renting an apartment for the duration of your stay can be far cheaper. Renting an apartment for a month can often be far cheaper than hotel costs for a week, so have a look online for self-catering apartments and you can make big savings.

Our guide to cutting the cost of your holiday to Pattaya was written by Lenita Carpinello, an experienced travel guide. They recommend checking the Octopus Travel website for the latest Pattaya hotels and accommodation deals all year round.

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