lonely-planet-myanmar-burma-11-edition

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MANDALAY TO LASHIO

SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES

NORTHERN MYANMAR

SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES

NORTHERN MYANMAR

LASHIO

a sea of rucked-up mountain ridges and
plunging ravines. The surrounding slopes
are covered by tea plantations that are the
mainstay of Namhsan’s economy. Two pos-
sible one-day return hikes take you up to su-
perb viewpoints at Taung Yo monastery and
atop Loi San (‘Ruby Mountain’). The scenic
(if rough) journey to reach Namhsan from
Hsipaw is an attraction in itself while trek-
king back again to Hsipaw (two nights and
three days) is an ideal way to stay in timeless
villages en route. Hsipaw’s Mr Charles Guest
House can help suggest guides. Namhsan
has a very simple guesthouse (per person
K3000) and in the past, some locals have of-
fered homestays.

 8 Getting There & Away
Shared jeeps to Namhsan (K6000) run at least
fi ve times a week from Kyaukme bus stand pick-
ing up passengers in Hsipaw (same price) by
pre-arrangement on %09 4730 6067. Ask your
guesthouse to call for you. From Hsipaw, renting
your own jeep will cost around K60,000.
The beautiful but tough motorbike ride takes
almost four hours: the route is signed at a round-
about 17 miles towards Namtu from Hsipaw.
Maps show a direct Namhsan to Kyaukme sec-
ondary road. Part of this road is out of bounds to
foreigners and you won’t get through the half-
way checkpoint if you’re heading to Namhsan.
However, returning that way you might make it.
Ask local advice before trying this.

Lashio

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%082 / POP C130,000 / ELEV 2805FT
Lashio (pronounced ‘lar-show’) is a sprawl-
ing market town with a signifi cant Chinese
population. You’re most likely to come here
for the airport – the nearest to Hsipaw. Or,
if you’ve managed to organise the necessary
permits, to meet your guide for the four-
hour drive to the Chinese border at Mu-se
(see boxed text, p 267 ). Lashio is a large but
unassuming, place that straggles up a gen-
tly sloping valley ringed by dragon-backed
ridges, abrupt hillocks and terraced veg-
etable plots. Once the seat of an important
Shan sao pha (sky lord), the town played a
pivotal role in the fi ght against the Japa-
nese in WWII. It was the starting point of
the Burma Road, which supplied food and
arms to Chiang Kai-Shek’s Kuomintang
army. Not much evidence of either histori-
cal period remains today, and most of the
city’s old wooden homes were destroyed in

a disastrous 1988 fi re. However, a few inter-

esting pagodas survive amongst the lacklus-

tre 20th-century architecture.

 1 Sights & Activities

Lashio’s sights wouldn’t warrant a signifi -

cant detour but there’s plenty to investigate

should you fi nd yourself here for a day.

Thatana (Sasana) 2500-

Year Paya BUDDHIST STUPA

Lashio’s most evocative sight, this small gild-

ed stupa gleams alluringly among ridge-top

trees above the town centre. It was report-

edly built by Sao Hon Phan, the last Shan

‘sky king’. Mist-layered after dawn, the town

looks its best from the stupa’s terrace. Walk-

ing up here takes around 20 minutes follow-

ing the second lane that slopes northeast

after the Kachin Baptist Church. The fastest

way back down is a long steep stairway pass-

ing a large, distinctive concrete ball monu-

ment called Khabar Aye.

Central Lashio NEIGHBOURHOOD

A few decrepit old wooden buildings and

an eye-catching central mosque aren’t

quite enough to bring a photogenic quality

to predominantly concrete central Lashio.

However, the pre-dawn morning market

(Bogyoke Rd; h4.30am-7am) is particularly

endearing when many vegetable sellers

light their wares with fl ickering candles.

Between the large main market and the

Nannhaewon Amusement Park, is the

eye-catching Mahamyatmuni Paya (La Ma

Daw St), an open-sided pavilion enshrining

a dazzle-faced seated Buddha along the

lines of Mandalay’s Mahamuni. If you walk

towards the Hsipaw bus stand you’ll pass

the pretty 1994 Maha Bodayaong temple,

whose unrefi ned seven-storey church-like

tower off ers decent townscape views –

assuming you fi nd a monk who’ll let you

climb it.

Quan Yin Shang CHINESE TEMPLE

Part way up the wooded ridge at the south-

ern edge of town, this large temple-nunnery

is the principal place of worship for Lashio’s

large Chinese community. Squint briefl y at

the main buildings and they appear to be

olde-worlde Chinese temples with classic tip-

tilted traditional roofs. However, on closer

inspection they are somewhat gaudy 20th-

century versions while the fl anking brick

nuns’ residences are contrastingly dour. The

main prayer hall contains a trio of buddha-like