Page 323 - The Rough Guide to Myanmar (Burma)

KyauKme and around NortherN MyaNMar 321
La Vie Art Gallery Central Market, just around the Pacific World Curios Off Mandalay–Lashio Rd. Owned
corner from Gandamar Land T09 402 628 735, by the manager of the Bravo hotel just around the corner,
Efriendly.mi@gmail.com. This gallery, open since 1984, this well-signposted shop sells mostly Palaung and Shan
displays works by award-winning local artist Muu Muu. artefacts. Daily 9am–7pm.
Prices range from $50 to $700; his ink on mulberry paper Purcell Tower Gift Shop Under the Purcell Tower
drawings of the views of Pyin Oo Lwin make extravagant Epurcelltowersouvenirs@gmail.com. If you absolutely
souvenirs. Occasionally flexible hours. Daily 9am–5pm. must have an “I heart Pyin Oo Lwin” keyring, this tiny shop
Liqueur Corner Zaygyi St. There’s no shortage of shops is your best bet. The shop next door with sewing machines
selling local fruit wines – this one is centrally located and on display is also useful if you need to get your bag fixed.
has a well-presented selection. Daily 8.30am–8pm. Daily 9am–6pm.
DIreCtory
Banks Most banks have ATMs and exchange facilities, further at this altitude. No jeans or T-shirts allowed.
including KBZ Bank, opposite the Purcell Tower, and CB Green fees $10, caddy $5, club and shoe rental also
Bank, further down Mandalay–Lashio Rd. available.
Golf Once the site of a colonial-era polo field, the Internet Access costs K400/hr at Green on Zaygyi St (daily
eighteen-hole Pyin Oo Lwin Golf Club on Sanda Rd 8am–8pm), directly across from the Purcell Tower, and
(daily 6am–6pm; T085 22382) is one of Myanmar’s K300/hr at Friends Net Game & Internet near the Central
more popular courses – perhaps because the ball flies Market (daily 24hr; T09 4319 5387).

Kyaukme and around
8
A major tea- and gem-dealing town for many years, KYAUKME is today a relatively
wealthy little place. The government selected it to be the local administrative centre
in preference to nearby Hsipaw, and as a result it’s grown both larger and livelier.
The surrounding countryside where the tea is grown sees far fewer foreigners than
Hsipaw, and offers plenty of opportunities to trek and ride motorbikes to secluded

HIKING AROUND KYAUKME
although Hsipaw is better known, Kyaukme is the more rewarding centre for treks and
motorbike tours. Far less busy and with some quite exceptional local guides, the area offers
the chance to see unspoiled Shan and Palaung villages set amid beautiful landscapes, whose
friendly inhabitants are as interested as you to encounter another culture. on top of this, there
are hot springs, temples and even a ruined hilltop palace. Treks can last one day or up to a
week or more, and the pace will be adjusted to suit – typically you might be walking four to
five hours a day to cover around 15km.
Keep in mind that conflict occasionally breaks out in the area, so if you want to go off the
beaten track it’s strongly recommended that you take a local guide, who will have
up-to-the-minute information and will know where it’s safe to go. Kyaukme guides charge a
sliding scale depending on the size of the group. For two people, a typical guide would charge
around K30,000 per person per day, all-inclusive. motorbike tours cost K13,000 extra for each
bike on the trip, including the guide’s.
LOCAL GUIDES
Naing Naing T09 4730 7622, Enaingninenine the English name Joy, has been a guide in Kyaukme for
@gmail.com. An ethnic Palaung who speaks excellent ten years. He works with a group of friends who all
self-taught English, Naing Naing takes groups on speak preposterously good English. Joy’s speciality is
adventurous treks deep into the hills. His daughter, Han motorbike tours – he’ll take you on the back of his bike
Ni Soe, also works as a guide and speaks fluent English. or rent you a bike to ride, and his colleagues also lead
Sai Kyaw Hlaing T09 403 706 076, Wshanprinces walking treks. Joy’s website is worth checking out even
.webs.com. This young English graduate, who goes by if you’re just passing through Kyaukme.

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