Page 314 - The Rough Guide to Myanmar (Burma)

312 NortherN MyaNMar
Northern Myanmar

With its dense jungles, ice-capped mountains, fiercely independent
people and outstanding natural resources, northern Myanmar fuels the
imagination like few other places. This fascinating land has been crisscrossed
by armies and explorers for centuries, yet it remains one of the least-known
places in Asia. Overland travel is still controlled across 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 the summer capital
of British Burma, Pyin Oo Lwin is still redolent of the Raj, with colonial piles dotting
its leafy suburbs. To the east, train enthusiasts and those with a head for heights will
appreciate the monumental Gokteik Viaduct, constructed in 1901 and made famous by
Paul Theroux in The Great Railway Bazaar. Further on, Kyaukme and Hsipaw are both
excellent bases from which to trek into the tea-swathed hills and explore the villages of
northern Shan State.
In northern Myanmar, as elsewhere in the country, the Ayeyarwady River is a major
8 transport artery. It’s possible for foreigners to travel upstream as far as Bhamo, a
pleasant riverside town with a long history as a trading post. Downstream, there are
interesting stops at Shwegu with its overgrown, island-bound pagodas, and Katha, the
inspiration for “Kyauktada” in George Orwell’s must-read novel, Burmese Days. Further
south, the river flows through the Sagaing Region past the riverside potteries of
Kyaukmyaung, not far from Shwebo, a one-time Burmese capital, and the remains of
ancient Hanlin, today a major archeological site. Further into Sagaing Region on the
bank of the Chindwin River, Myanmar’s little-visited fourth city of Monywa is a base
for visiting unusual temples and the world’s tallest Buddha statue.
In the far north, the modern town of Myitkyina is a springboard into the wilds of
northern Kachin State. The journey to Indawgyi Lake is a permit-free way to experience
the region’s serene natural environment. However, to find true wilderness, try to get as
far as Putao and the national parks that line Myanmar’s Himalayan border, for which
you’ll need to sign up for 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 (see box, p.345) 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.

Travel restrictions p.315 Chindwin River trips p.345
The Mandalay–Lashio railway p.320 Festivals in Myitkyina p.348
Hiking around Kyaukme p.321 Dam nation: the Myitsone
Plate of tea, vicar? p.324 Dam project p.349
Hiking around Hsipaw p.327 Kachin cuisine p.350
The Burma Road p.330 Jungle fever p.351
Muse and the Chinese border p.331 Hpakant: Myanmar’s wild
Ayeyarwady River trips p.334 northwest p.352
George Orwell in Burma p.337 Trekking from Putao p.354
Irrawaddy dolphins p.340

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