lonely-planet-myanmar-burma-11-edition

258NORTHERN MYANMAR MANDALAY TO LASHIOTREKKING FROM KYAUKMETypical walking destinations have anunspoilt charm that challenges eventhose around Hsipaw. But Kyaukmeitself is pretty spread out so mosttreks start with a motorcycle ride to asuitable trailhead. This is typically includedin guide-fees, which cost aroundK25,000 for a couple plus K15,000 peradditional walker. For longer motorbiketrails you’ll need to add K10,000 perday for bike rental plus petrol.Naing-Naing (%09 4730 7622;naingninenine@gmail.com), nicknamed‘9-9’, is Kyaukme’s best-known guide.He has a fascinating background andan extensive knowledge of the entirearea. The guesthouse has copies of hishand-drawn hiking and biking schematicregional map. Thura (%09 47308497; www.thuratrips.tl) has also beenrecommended.Eastbound Departs 1.50pm for Hsipaw (ordinary/upperclass $2/4, two hours)Westbound Departs 11.25am for Mandalay($3/6, 10½ hours) via Gokteik Viaduct (2½hours) and Pyin Oo Lwin ($3/6, five hours).HsipawoIep:%082 / POP C54,000 / ELEV APPROX 700MThe trickle of foreigners who make it to Hsipaw(‘see-paw’ or ‘tee-bor’), mostly arrive forhill-tribe treks that are easy to organise andhandily short yet ‘unspoilt’ in a way you’llrarely find around Kalaw or anywhere innorthern Thailand. Hsipaw itself is smalleryet more historic than Lashio or Kyaukme. Ithas just enough tourist infrastructure to beconvenient yet it still feels thoroughly genuine.Though architectural remnants are fairlylimited, this was once a Shan royal city. Localhistorians claim that 19th-century princeSao So Chae was knighted by Queen Victoriawhile the last sawba (Shan prince), Sao KyaSeng, became the tragic hero of a book by hisAustrian wife (see boxed text, p 259 ).1Sights & ActivitiesThe present town centre, Tyaung Myo, onlydates back to the early 20th century. Themain monasteries, stupas and former palacelie on higher ground around a mile furthernorth in Myauk Myo.Central RiverfrontNEIGHBOURHOODHsipaw’s riverside produce market(h4.30am-1pm) is most interesting beforedawn when the road outside is jammedwith hill-villagers (Shan, Palaung, Lisu) sellingtheir wares: all will have cleared awayby 7am. Between here and the large centralmarket (h8am-5pm) are four column-fronted19th-century godowns (warehouses, onenow used as a schoolroom) and a banyantree worshipped by locals as a nat (spirit)shrine, though reverence doesn’t preventthe nearby riverbank being used as a smellyrubbish tip.Mahamyatmuni PayaBUDDHIST TEMPLE(Namtu Rd) South of the central area, MahamyatmuniPaya is the biggest and grandestpagoda in the main town. The large brassfacedbuddha image here was inspired bythe famous Mahamuni buddha (p 208 ) inMandalay. He’s now backed by an acid-triphalo of pulsating coloured lights that wouldseem better suited to a casino.Myauk MyoNEIGHBOURHOODTowards the northern edge of town, Hsipaw’soldest section today has a village-like atmosphereand two delightful old teak monasteries.The multifaceted wooden MadahyaMonastery looks particularly impressivewhen viewed across the palm-shaded pondof the Bamboo Buddha Monastery (MahaNanda Kantha), whose 150-year-old lacqueredbuddha is made from bamboo strips(now hidden beneath layers of gold). Aroundand behind lie a few clumps of ancient brickstupas, some being overwhelmed by vegetationin vaguely Angkor Wat style. The nicknamefor this area, Little Bagan, blatantlyoverplays the size and extent of the sites butthe area is undoubtedly charming.To get here cross the big bridge on NamtuSt heading north. Turn first left at the policestation, then first right and fork left. Takethis lane across the railway track then followthe main track as it wiggles.To return by an alternative route, takethe unpaved track east behind the BambooBuddha monastery, rapidly passing EissaPaya (where one stupa has a tree growingout of it). You’ll emerge near Sao Pu SaoNai, a colourful shrine dedicated to theguardian nat of Hsipaw. Rather than turningleft into the shrine, turn right and you’llreach Namtu Rd a little north of the railway.