Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
VISITING THE VILLAGES AROUND KENGTUNG
For most, the main reason to visit Kengtung is to take advantage of the
trekking oppor-
tunities
inthehillsaroundtown.ClutchesofAkha,Eng,Lahu,Loi,PadaungandShanlive
hereabouts, amid some splendid scenery. Diverse though these peoples are, most travellers
feel that a single day of village-visiting suffices; things can get samey rather quickly, and
overnight stays are currently forbidden by the Shan State authorities.
Themostcommontargetisthe
PinTau
area16kmnorthoftown,inwhichit'spossibleto
visitseveralvillagesonalooptrek.It'saneasywalk,thoughthearea'spopularitywithfor-
eign visitors means that you may encounter begging or over-persistent vendors. Alternat-
ively,thelofty
HoKyim
areais16kmsouthoftown;thejourneyupisratherbeautiful,and
rewarded with some pleasant Loi and Akha villages. Further south and east, on a separate
mountain range around 32km from Kengtung, is the equally high
Loi Mwe
area; despite
its name, most villages here are Ahka and Lahu, rather than Loi. This has the most to get
one's teeth into of all the village areas around town, and is also easiest to access for single
travellers; the steep, luxuriantly forested drive up is smooth yet quite spectacular (look for
a miniature Golden Rock on the way, opposite the hydroelectric system used to power the
villages), while near the top are a small, pretty lake, a decent little market (great for lunch-
time noodles) and a clutch of colonial structures dating back to the area's time as a minor
the Loi villages of
Wan Saen
and
Wan Nyek
; here, people still live in communal long-
houses, which sometimes play host to more than ten families at a time. Also check out the
gorgeous carved panels and doorways on Wan Nyek's beautiful Wat; it looks like they're
awaiting donations to bring the cheap roof into line.
Most hit one or more of these areas as part of a day-long
tour
; most hotels will be able to
organizetheseforyou.Thisgenerallycosts$25fortheguide(whichyou'llneedtobeable
tofindmostvillages),and$40forthecarorminibus,allsplitbetweenthegroup.You'llbe
able tohitthePinTauandHoKyimareas inoneday;ifyouwanttoheadfurtherouttothe
Wan Saen and Wan Nyek villages, figure on an extra $20-30 for the vehicle. These prices
are too steep for many single travellers, who are instead advised to head to the
shared taxi
rank behind the
Golden Banyan
restaurant. Here you should be able to meet a motorbike
driver; $20 is a fair price for a trip out to Loi Mwe and back. This is the best place to head,
since most of its villages and sights are accessible by road. Trips to Pin Tau or Ho Kyim
involve more walking, and as such you'll likely be charged additional guide-service fees
($20); the going isn't too tricky on any of these trails, but it's prudent to bring along sens-
ible footwear and a bottle of water.
