Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
KAYAH STATE
Located south of the Inle Lake area, and populated by tribal groups including Padaung,
Kayin and Karenni, tiny
Kayah State
is one of Myanmar's least-visited divisions. One
reason for this is the fact that the area has only recently been opened to foreign travellers -
intheory,independenttravellerscanvisitthestatecapital,
Loikaw
,theonlyplaceinKayah
with accommodation licensed to accept foreigners, and take day-trips into the surrounding
area. In practice, however, an abundance of red tape means that it's still very tough both to
arrive here and to get around, and for now you're still advised to join a
tour
.
Loikawitselfisalikeableenoughplace,thoughthere'slittletoseebarthecolourful
Thiri
Mingalar
tribal market and the pretty view from the stupas on
Taung Kwe
, a craggy hil-
lock overlooking the town. Those staying on could try tracking down
Christ the King
Church
, the oldest Catholic place of worship in Kayah; it contains a small cultural mu-
seum featuring minority dress and the like, though nothing is signed in English.
Day-tripoptionsfromthecityinclude
ChikaeVillage
,notablefortraditionalKayahflag-
poles knownas
kay htoe poe
;
DorSorBee
,home to a series ofKayah animist shrines; and
“
Seven Steps Lake
”, a series of pools surrounded by delightfully unspoiled countryside.
Those on a tour can also try the easy (and mostly flat) half- or full-day trek to the Padaung
village of
Panpet
- a far less touristy “giraffe lady” experience than that available on
Inle
Tours
are best organized in Yangon, although the majority actually start from Inle Lake;
mostbeginwithaboatridefromNyaungshwetoLoikaw,andsomefinishwithanoverland
journey to Kalaw. They don't come cheap - figure on at least $300 for a two-night trip.
With the Kayah tourist scene still in its infancy, it's worth keeping your ear to the ground -
at the time of writing,
Exotissimo
were in the process of piecing together an exciting cyc-
ling tour around parts of the state.
Kengtung
The third-largest settlement in Shan State after Taunggyi and Lashio,
KENGTUNG
(also
known as Kyaingtong, and in either case pronounced “Chengtong”) is a love-it-or-loathe-it
sort of place. Adherents delight in its unhurried, untouristed vibe; its profusion of Buddhist
placesofworship;thecharminglakeatitscentre;andtheopportunitiesfor
trekking
and
hill-
tribe
visitsonitsperiphery.Detractors findthattheplacesimplyisn'tworththeoccasionally
considerable expense of getting here. Foreigners are still barred from taking overland trans-
porttoorfromareaswest(ie,almostallofMyanmar),meaningthatyou'llfaceasteepfeeto
fly in, out, or both. In addition, it's a dusty place that somehow contrives to feel windswept,
