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a sea of rucked-up mountain ridges andplunging ravines. The surrounding slopesare covered by tea plantations that are themainstay of Namhsan’s economy. Two possibleone-day return hikes take you up to superbviewpoints at Taung Yo monastery andatop Loi San (‘Ruby Mountain’). The scenic(if rough) journey to reach Namhsan fromHsipaw is an attraction in itself while trekkingback again to Hsipaw (two nights andthree days) is an ideal way to stay in timelessvillages en route. Hsipaw’s Mr Charles GuestHouse can help suggest guides. Namhsanhas a very simple guesthouse (per personK3000) and in the past, some locals have offeredhomestays.8 Getting There & AwayShared jeeps to Namhsan (K6000) run at leastfi ve times a week from Kyaukme bus stand pickingup passengers in Hsipaw (same price) bypre-arrangement on %09 4730 6067. Ask yourguesthouse to call for you. From Hsipaw, rentingyour own jeep will cost around K60,000.The beautiful but tough motorbike ride takesalmost four hours: the route is signed at a roundabout17 miles towards Namtu from Hsipaw.Maps show a direct Namhsan to Kyaukme secondaryroad. Part of this road is out of bounds toforeigners and you won’t get through the halfwaycheckpoint if you’re heading to Namhsan.However, returning that way you might make it.Ask local advice before trying this.Lashiol;"rúui"%082 / POP C130,000 / ELEV 2805FTLashio (pronounced ‘lar-show’) is a sprawlingmarket town with a significant Chinesepopulation. You’re most likely to come herefor the airport – the nearest to Hsipaw. Or,if you’ve managed to organise the necessarypermits, to meet your guide for the fourhourdrive to the Chinese border at Mu-se(see boxed text, p 267 ). Lashio is a large butunassuming, place that straggles up a gentlysloping valley ringed by dragon-backedridges, abrupt hillocks and terraced vegetableplots. Once the seat of an importantShan sao pha (sky lord), the town played apivotal role in the fight against the Japanesein WWII. It was the starting point ofthe Burma Road, which supplied food andarms to Chiang Kai-Shek’s Kuomintangarmy. Not much evidence of either historicalperiod remains today, and most of thecity’s old wooden homes were destroyed ina disastrous 1988 fire. However, a few interestingpagodas survive amongst the lacklustre20th-century architecture.1Sights & ActivitiesLashio’s sights wouldn’t warrant a significantdetour but there’s plenty to investigateshould you find yourself here for a day.Thatana (Sasana) 2500-Year PayaBUDDHIST STUPALashio’s most evocative sight, this small gildedstupa gleams alluringly among ridge-toptrees above the town centre. It was reportedlybuilt by Sao Hon Phan, the last Shan‘sky king’. Mist-layered after dawn, the townlooks its best from the stupa’s terrace. Walkingup here takes around 20 minutes followingthe second lane that slopes northeastafter the Kachin Baptist Church. The fastestway back down is a long steep stairway passinga large, distinctive concrete ball monumentcalled Khabar Aye.Central LashioNEIGHBOURHOODA few decrepit old wooden buildings andan eye-catching central mosque aren’tquite enough to bring a photogenic qualityto predominantly concrete central Lashio.However, the pre-dawn morning market(Bogyoke Rd; h4.30am-7am) is particularlyendearing when many vegetable sellerslight their wares with flickering candles.Between the large main market and theNannhaewon Amusement Park, is theeye-catching Mahamyatmuni Paya (La MaDaw St), an open-sided pavilion enshrininga dazzle-faced seated Buddha along thelines of Mandalay’s Mahamuni. If you walktowards the Hsipaw bus stand you’ll passthe pretty 1994 Maha Bodayaong temple,whose unrefined seven-storey church-liketower offers decent townscape views –assuming you find a monk who’ll let youclimb it.Quan Yin ShangCHINESE TEMPLEPart way up the wooded ridge at the southernedge of town, this large temple-nunneryis the principal place of worship for Lashio’slarge Chinese community. Squint briefly atthe main buildings and they appear to beolde-worlde Chinese temples with classic tiptiltedtraditional roofs. However, on closerinspection they are somewhat gaudy 20thcenturyversions while the flanking bricknuns’ residences are contrastingly dour. Themain prayer hall contains a trio of buddha-like263MANDALAY NORTHERN MYANMAR TO LASHIO SIGHTS LASHIO& ACTIVITIES