Page 139 - The Rough Guide to Myanmar (Burma)

Chin State The DelTa anD wesTern MyanMar 137
HIKING BETWEEN MOUNT VICTORIA AND MRAUK U
there aren’t many parts of Southeast asia where the line between tourist and fully fledged
explorer can be crossed, but Chin State is one such place. if you really want to go where few
– or, if the rumours are to be believed, no – Western visitors have been before, then this
week-long trip on foot and by boat covering the breadth of the Chin State should do the trick.
it has only been attempted a handful of times so far, and it’s certainly not the easiest trip to
make. the route generally begins from Mount Victoria, and finishes among the temples of
Mrauk U. along the way, the trail crawls up and down steep forested slopes and along the 2
floors of remote valleys for around five days, and after this you’ll need to hop onto a long-tailed
boat for a two-day river ride to Mrauk U. along the way, you can expect to stay overnight in
villages that have never before hosted a Western tourist, and you’ll probably get to meet quite
a few tattooed ladies, too.
needless to say, an experienced local guide is an absolute must. two companies who can
help to organize this groundbreaking but expensive trek are Yangon-based Pegu travels
(T01 371937, Wpegutravels.com) and the highly regarded Kathmandu-based Kamzang
Journeys (T+977 9 8034 14745, Wkamzang.com).

likely to see churches than golden pagodas piercing the skies, and if you’re in town on
a Sunday it’s well worth popping into one of them for a service. Otherwise, attractions
here are limited to the interesting market (selling warm clothing and all sorts of
delicious-looking fruits and vegetables) and the mountain peak that looms above the
town, which offers a nice viewpoint – you can reach it with a long walk or short taxi
ride (around K3000) from the centre.
aCCOMMODaTIOn
Cherry Guest House 112 Bogyoke Rd T09 3350 2511. find anywhere in Myanmar – and you’ll shortly find out
Based close to the clocktower in the centre of town, this why. Rooms are plain, and the communal bathrooms have
very simple guesthouse is about as cheap a place as you’ll cold water only. Breakfast is not included. K15,000

Falam

Spread along a soaring mountain ridge with memorable vistas over wave after wave of
steep-sided valleys and peaks, there’s something of a Himalayan hill-station atmosphere
to FALAM. Dominated by the double spires of its Baptist church, it’s a far more
attractive and enticing destination than Hakha, its neighbour to the south, and you’ll
find it easy to spend a few days walking along the surrounding ridges and sitting in the
teashops around the market, getting to know the local Chin people.
aCCOMMODaTIOn
Holy Guest House B-215 Bogyoke Rd T09 400 305 rooms and shared cold-water bathrooms. Breakfast is not
703. A guesthouse in the centre of town with small, grungy included in the room rate. $10

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