Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
A land of rolling mountains, idyllic lakes and umpteen minority peoples, Shan State is
by far the largest in the country, and deservedly one of the most popular with foreign
travellers. In a giant place with only three major cities, it's perhaps inevitable that
the primary attractions are of the natural variety - Inle Lake is a swoon-worthy post-
card picture come to life, and many of the independent travellers who visit do so at
the end of a multi-day hike through fields and across gentle hills. Throw in a collec-
tionofsuperbcave-templesandsomehotspringaction,andyou'vearecipeforatleast
a week of travel. The
Shan
are the most prominent of the area's many ethnic groups,
but you'll find Pa-O and Danu villages around Kalaw; Intha and (occasionally) long-
necked Padaung living in stilt-houses on and around Inle Lake; and Akha, Lahu and
longhouse-loving Loi way out east around Kengtung.
The area's main attractions are all located in a tight area (though some awful public transport
can make it feel very large) to the southwest corner of the state. Furthest west is
Kalaw
, a
smalltownbelovedbycolonialistsforitsaltitudeandaccordinglycoolclimate.It'sapleasant
placetoholeupforafewdays,thoughmostheadoffassoonasthey'vebeenabletoorganize
a
hikingtrip
toInleLake-thisisoneofthemoststupendousexperiencesthatMyanmarcan
throw at you, and also one of the best opportunities you'll have to delve into local minority
culture. North of Kalaw is
Pindaya
, an even smaller town set around a pretty lake; the main
attraction here is the fantastic Shwe Oo Min Cave, filled with thousands upon thousands of
golden Buddhas. To the east is the delightful town of
Nyaungshwe
, which functions as the
main base for
InleLake
-the most popular attraction in Shan State byfar,and one ofMyan-
mar's foremost highlights. The overwhelming majority of those who visit go on a boat tour
of some description, but other drawcards include a charming winery, a soothing hot spring
resort and scores of great restaurants. East again is the state capital,
Taunggyi
, rarely visited
byforeigntravellersyethometooneofMyanmar'smostspectacularfestivals.Foreignersare
not allowed to take overland transport east to
Kengtung
, but this town and its surrounding
hill tribes may justify the cost of a plane ticket, especially if you're heading to or from Chi-
ang Mai and other destinations in northern Thailand.
Note that Pyin OoLwin, Hsipaw,Lashio and other parts ofnorthern Shan State are featured
in the Northern Myanmar chapter.
