237MYITKYINA & THE UPPER AYEYARWADYSLEEPINGNORTHERN MYANMARSLEEPINGNORTHERN MYANMARMYITKYINAState and Xishuangbanna (China) in a very
colourful, if comfortably slow-moving fair.
The event is entirely untouristy, unless you
count the many costumed Lisu villagers
snapping photos of one another – varied
regional Lisu costumes being markedly dif-
ferent. Highlights include barefoot climb-
ing of a knife tower and have-a-go stalls to
try out your prowess on a traditional cross-
bow. Held before the February full moon.
Manao Festival CULTURAL
Originally a way to propitiate the local
nat, this is now a nationally important
gathering of the six Kachin tribes for
feasting and costumed dances, performed
in Manao park (north of centre) where the
large Native American–style totem poles
remain in place year round. Accommoda-
tion will be stretched at this time. Observ-
ers get into the festival mood by drinking
copious quantities of rice beer. Held on
and around 10 January, Kachin State Day.
4 Sleeping
In Myitkyina, nowhere named ‘Guesthouse’
takes foreigners and the town’s two riverside
hotels can’t be recommended: the Nanthida is
run down and slated for conversion into offi c-
es while the potentially lovely Sumpra is also
in need of some TLC and likely to be rebuilt
in 2012 (it’s also inconveniently far north of
town towards the Ayeyarwady Bridge). Apart
from the YMCA and the cheap, but rather sor-
ry, New Light Hotel (singles/doubles $10/15),
all other options are variations on the typical
Chinese-style hotel.
Hotel United HOTEL $$
(%22085; 38 Thit Sa St; s/d/f $25/30/40; a)
Brand new and slightly more refi ned than
most of the Chinese hotels, it’s beside the
better known Hotel Pantsun, a block west of
the YMCA and the railway line. It’s close to
several eateries yet reasonably quiet.
Xing Xian Hotel HOTEL $$
(%22281; [email protected]; 127
Shan Su North; standard s/d $20/30, superior s/d
$25/35; a) Two giant vases and a cabinet of
jade trinkets welcome you into this quiet,
friendly decade-old hotel that’s two blocks
south and west from the jetty (or four blocks
south from the market). Walls are getting
grubby in some of the 30 rooms, but the
best ‘superior’ options (upper-fl oor corners)
are bright and well equipped. Staff here are
unusually obliging, informal bicycle rental is
possible (K3000 per day) and the location is
central yet quiet, just a block from the river.YMCA HOSTEL $
(%23010; [email protected]; YMCA St;
s/d/ste $12/16/20, s/d with shared bathroom $8/13;
ai) The ‘Y’ is an ageing half-timbered place
whose main attractions are low prices and
the very helpful English-speaking staff who
can prove to be a valuable source of infor-
mation. However, conditions are pretty basic
and beneath the starched white sheets, the
beds are lumpy. The family suite is no less
grungy but it’s the size of an apartment,
sleeps three and comes with kitchenette.
Two Dragons Hotel HOTEL $$
(%23490; Zay Gyi St; s $25-35, d $35-45; a)
While marginally the smartest city cen-
tre option, the difference in quality isn’t
always quite enough to justify the heavy
mark-up and some rooms, while well
equipped, are inconveniently configured.
Central but somewhat noisy. 5 Eating
Traditionally Kachin food is noted for using
relatively little oil in contrast to Burmese
cuisine. Classic dishes include chekachin
(steamed chicken pasted with spices and
wrapped in a banana leaf ), sipa (mixture of
freshly steamed vegetables sprinkled with
sesame powder) and nakoo-che (hot-sour
fi sh with bamboo shoots). Wash it down
with kaung-ye, a cloudy semi-sweet pink-
brown beer made from sticky rice.
As well as the places reviewed here, there
is a wide range of accessible (if fairly stan-
dard) eateries along Zaw Gyi St west of the
rail tracks.oKiss Me BURMESE $
(Zaw John Rd; snacks K500-1500; h6am-9pm)
Popular with Myitkyina’s wind-combed
fashionable youth, this is at fi rst glance
just a simple stilted riverside pavilion with
low wooden stalls. Yet quite unexpectedly
it turns out some of Myanmar’s very best
snack-food. The ‘banana roll’ is as delicate a
fritter as you’ll fi nd and comes with a won-
derful tangy tamarind dipping sauce. And
don’t miss their fabulous gyin tok a divine
fl avour explosion that is quite possibly the
best crunchy ginger salad you’ll ever taste.Jing Hpaw Thu KACHIN $$
(Riverside; dishes K1500-3000; h9am-10pm) Con-
sidered the top place for real Kachin food,
you’ll probably need local help fi nding (and