PLAN YOUR TRIP
REGIONS AT A GLANCE
Southeastern
MyanmarCaves
Temples
Culture Caves
For those who love the dark
side, this is your region,
particularly the countryside
surrounding Hpa-an. There
are countless caves, some
with ancient Buddhist art,
others largely untouched, all
ripe for exploration.
Temples
There are enough temples
in and around Mawlamyine
alone to keep you busy for
a lifetime, but the indisput-
able highlight of the region
is Mt Kyaiktiyo (Golden
Rock) – a must-do religious
pilgrimage for every man,
woman, child and tourist in
Myanmar.Culture
You will probably never
have heard of the Mon
people before, so let one of
the excellent Mawlamyine-
based guides introduce
you to the culture via the
area's tidy sugar-palm-lined
towns, seaside temples and
island-bound villages.
p 91Bagan &
Central
MyanmarTemples
Shopping
Elephants Temples
You’ll fi nd thousands of
them in Bagan, but also
worth seeking out are the
Nat shrine at Mt Popa and
the pilgrimage temples of
Shwesandaw Paya in Taun-
goo, Shwesandaw Paya in
Pyay, and Shwemyetman
Paya in Shwedaung.
Shopping
Bagan is also famous for
its exquisitely decorated
lacquerware; watch artisans
create it in workshops in
Myinkaba and New Bagan.
Across the Ayeyarwady
River, Pakoku is famous for
its patterned blankets.Elephants
The new capital, Nay Pyi
Taw, has a couple of white
elephants beside its giant
Uppatasanti Paya, as well as
a herd of regular elephants
at its zoo. You can also
watch elephants working
at jungle logging camps on
trips to teak plantations
outside Taungoo.
p 111Eastern
MyanmarOutdoors
Culture
Food Outdoors
Tramping between tea plan-
tations in Pindaya; buzzing
around in a boat on Inle
Lake; scaling mountains
outside Kalaw; visiting a Loi
longhouse outside Keng-
tung... These are just a few
of the outdoor options pos-
sible in eastern Myanmar.
Culture
The country’s far east boasts
exceptional cultural diver-
sity – even by Myanmar
standards. Visit and learn
about Pa-O culture around
Inle Lake or learn about
Shan culture and language
and their similarities with
those of neighbouring Thai-
land in Kengtung.Food
From shàn k’auq-swèh,
Shan-style noodle soup, to
ngà t’ămìn jin, a turmeric-
tinged rice dish, a stay in
eastern Myanmar is your
chance to try authentic
Shan food at the source.
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