Page 241 - The Rough Guide to Myanmar (Burma)

KALAW AND AROUND INLE LAKE AND THE EAST 239
TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS
The main closed-off area in this chapter is the wide swathe of land between Taunggyi
and Kengtung. Foreigners are not permitted to visit this area, but can take flights between
the two towns. In addition, to get anywhere at all from Kengtung, you’ll need government
permission, though this is free and fairly simple to arrange. Much of Kayah State remains off
limits, although the state capital Loikaw and nearby villages are now freely open to
independent travellers (see p.266).
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There’s still a distinct hint of an old-school subcontinental hill station about the place,
both in the numerous (albeit dilapidated) colonial buildings which dot the centre, and
in the sizeable local population of Nepalis and Indians, who first arrived as road- and
rail-builders during British times and whose descendants remain in Kalaw to this day.
The gorgeously green and craggy pine-studded hills which ring the town in every
direction have a certain foothills-of-the-Himalayas feel too, as does the invigorating
climate, pleasantly mild and sunny by day but often surprisingly chilly by night,
especially during the winter months – this is one of the few places in Myanmar you’ll
appreciate a decent coat and woolly hat.
Most visitors to Kalaw come to trek (see p.243) – either following the well-beaten
trails down to Inle Lake or, increasingly, to hike amid the stunning countryside around
town or down to Pindaya. In town itself, a clutch of low-key sights – most notably the
fine Shwe Oo Min Paya Buddha caves – can easily fill a day, or possibly two, perhaps
combined with shorter rambles into the hills around town.

Aung Chan Tha Zedi
• Khone Thae St • Daily 4am–9pm • Free
Poking up from the very centre of town is the impossible-to-miss stupa of the Aung
Chan Tha Zedi, covered from tip to toe in tessellated mirrors which glint magically
during sunrise and sunset. All this said, there’s no real need to step inside the rusty
gates guarding the complex – the views from around the market or the Morning Star
teahouse (see p.244) are good enough.

Kalaw market
• Entrances on Union Highway and Khone Thae St • Daily 6am–5pm
Right next to the Aung Chan Tha Zedi, Kalaw’s market is particularly lively when
Inle Lake’s peripatetic market (see box, p.241) lands here every fifth day, with stalls
spilling out onto neighbouring streets. Even when the travelling market’s not in
town it’s still worth a browse, with ramshackle tarpaulin-covered stalls stacked up
with piles of tea, spices and bits of dried fish pounded into little circular wafers.
There are also a few stalls selling traditional Burmese antiques and collectibles
including opium pipes, metal tattoo sticks, Shan-style jewellery, puppets,
lacquerware and palm-leaf books.

Thein Taung Kyaung
• Accessed from Union Highway • Daily 24hr; museum open on request • Free
North of the market, it’s worth dragging yourself up the 270-odd steps of the
covered staircase leading to the small Thein Taung Kyaung monastery, perched on
a ridgetop high above town. There’s not much to see once you’ve made the ascent
bar a huge bo tree wrapped in flowering epiphytes and a small but eye-catching
golden stupa designed in emulation of the Mahabodhi Paya in Bagan (see p.211).
The views, however, are predictably good, with sweeping vistas over town and into