Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Withitsdrippingjungles,ice-boundmountains,fiercelyindependenthilltribesandfab-
ulousnaturalresources,northernMyanmarfuelstheimaginationlikefewotherplaces.
This fascinating land has been criss-crossed by armies and explorers for centuries, and
yet it remains one of the least-known places in Asia. Overland travel is controlled in
much of the region, but it is currently possible to travel on most of the major rail and
river routes without permits.
The most accessible part of
northern Myanmar
lies in the hills east of Mandalay between
balmy
Pyin Oo Lwin
and the modern town of
Lashio
. Once summer capital of British
Burma,PyinOoLwinisstillredolentoftheRaj,withcolonial pilesdottingitsleafysuburbs.
Further east, train enthusiasts and those with a head for heights will appreciate the creaky
GokteikViaduct
,constructed in1901andmadefamousbyPaulTherouxin
The Great Rail-
way Bazaar.
Further along the old
Burma Road
are
Kyaukme
and
Hsipaw
, both excellent
bases from which to trek into tea-growing hills and explore the villages of northern Shan
State.
In northern Myanmar, as elsewhere in the country, the
AyeyarwadyRiver
is a major trans-
port artery. At the time of writing, it was possible for foreigners to travel upstream as far as
Bhamo
, a pleasant riverside town with a long history as a trading post. Downstream from
Bhamo,thereareinterestingstopstobemadein
Shwegu
withitsranksofovergrown,island-
bound pagodas, and
Katha
, the inspiration for “Kyauktada” in George Orwell's must-read
novel,
Burmese Days
. Further south again the river flows through Sagaing Region past the
riverside potteries of
Kyaukmyaung
, not far from the remains of the ancient city of
Hanlin
,
today the site of a major archeological dig, and the town of
Shwebo
, a one-time Burmese
capital.
In the far north, the modern town of
Myitkyina
is a springboard into the wilds of northern
Kachin State
. The bumpy journey to
Indawgyi Lake
is a great permit-free way to experi-
ence the region's incredible natural environment and to see one of northern Myanmar's few
important pagodas,
Shwe Myitzu
. However, for a true wilderness experience, you'll need to
get as far as
Putao
and the national parks that line Myanmar's Himalayan border, for which
you'll need to sign up to a tour.
Much of vast
Sagaing Region
is closed to foreign travellers without permits - particularly
along the Indian border in the state's mountainous northwest. Further south, it's possible to
cruise along the
Chindwin River
north to Kalewa, with occasional boats all the way up to
Khamti, and the southeast of the state - between Sagaing and Shwebo - is completely open.
