Page 274 - The Rough Guide to Myanmar (Burma)

272 INLE LAKE AND THE EAST KENGTUNG

VISITING THE VILLAGES AROUND KENGTUNG
For most, the main reason to visit Kengtung is to take advantage of the trekking
opportunities in the hills around town. Clutches of Akha, Eng, Lahu, Loi, Padaung and Shan
live 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 authorities.
The most common target is the Pin Tau area 16km north of town, in which it’s possible to
6 visit several villages on a loop trek. It’s an easy walk, though the area’s popularity with foreign
visitors means that you may encounter begging or over-persistent vendors. Alternatively, the
lofty Ho Kyim area is 16km south of town; the journey up is rather beautiful, 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 lunchtime noodles) and a clutch of
colonial structures dating back to the area’s time as a minor hill station. Farther afield, nestled
into a small valley on the way out towards Mong La (see box, p.274), are the Loi villages of
Wan Sen and Wan Nyek; here, people still live in communal longhouses, 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.
PRACTICALITIES
Most people hit one or more of these areas as part of a day-long tour; most hotels will be able
to organize these for you. This generally costs around $25 for the guide (which you’ll need in
order to be able to find most villages), plus $40 for a car or minibus, all split between the
group. You’ll be able to hit the Pin Tau and Ho Kyim areas in one day; if you want to head
further out to the Wan Sen and Wan Nyek villages, figure on an extra $20–30 for the vehicle.
Trips to Pin Tau or Ho Kyim involve a bit of walking – the going isn’t too tricky on any of these
trails, but it’s sensible to wear decent footwear and take a bottle of water.
A cheaper option is to head to the shared taxi rank behind the Golden Banyan
restaurant, where you should be able to find a motorbike driver to take you to Loi Mwe and
back for around $20. This is the best area to head for if you don’t want to pay for a
guide-plus-car, since most of its villages and sights are directly accessible by road and
reachable without a guide.

town’s many, many religious sites. It’s certainly worth the walk up for the fine views
both inside and out. The interior has stencilled gold markings on a burgundy
background, giving it a somewhat Vietnamese feel, along with a panoply of golden
statues, no two of which are identical. From the pavilion to the rear of the complex
you can see the lake, the standing Buddha statue (see below) and the mountains
muscling away beyond.

West of the centre
There are a few sights located in a small huddle just west of the town centre. From
the market or lake, head down the busy Taunggyi–Tachileik Road and make the
steep plod west. Once over the ridge, you’ll see the Immaculate Heart Cathedral on
your left, whose attached school has been educating and assisting local orphans
since the days of empire. Accessible from the rear gate of the complex, and visible
from all over town, is a Standing Buddha statue some 18m in height. Near its foot
is the local Cultural Museum (Tues–Sun 10am–6pm; K2000), which is barely worth
the modest entrance fee (and is often locked during official opening hours, in any