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HSIPAW PALACE

Also known as ‘East Haw’, the palace

(left) is the former residence of Prince

Sao Kya Seng and his wife, Inge Sargent.

Surrounded by tamarind trees, it is now

deserted and a bit overgrown, but it still

stands as an iconic site to learn about the

history of Hsipaw and tragic story of Inge

and the royal family. While it would be

valuable to restore the palace to its former

glory to reveal the story of Sao Kya Hseng,

it remains a point of interest for visitors,

who have the opportunity to explore the

once regal living spaces, which still bear

remnants of the family’s royal life.

HSIPAW CENTRAL MARKET

The Hsipaw Central Market is one of the

more colourful bustling markets in the

whole of Myanmar. Shans and Kachins

trade here regularly. Hsipaw is off-the-

beaten track and attracts relatively few

tourists, so offers an untainted window

into rural life in Myanmar. The market

stalls open as early as 4am.

FIVE BUDDHA HILL or NINE BUDDHA

HILL is a prime spot from where to watch

the sunset, and it accessible by bicycle

from town.

INLE LAKE

One of the most popular attractions in

Myanmar owing to the teetering Intha

fisherman and the fascinating ways in

which the locals live, farm and trade atop

the water; a must-see.

KALAW

At 1,300 metres above sea level, this

former British weekend escape is a mix of

small town Burma and British mountain

retreat; evening air is delightfully crisp,

even during the hot season.

PINDAYA CAVES

Buddhist pilgrimage site and natural

wonder; a 490-foot path into a limestone

cave reveals over 6,000 Buddha images

made of marble, bronze, teak, stone and

gold leaf.

EXPERIENCE

HSIPAW

EXPERIENCE

THE SHAN STATE

MONICA PITRELLI is a freelance writer

and editor based in Singapore who

has worked in lifestyle magazine

publishing, with a focus on food

and travel.

Hsipaw sits on the

famed Burma Road, a

supply route linking the

Shan State and China’s

Yunnan Province

One such place is Hsipaw

(pronounced see-pah), a laidback hiker’s

heaven in the hills of the Shan State.

Travellers are attracted to the town’s

bucolic setting and rich history as the

former Shan royal city.

Hsipaw sits on the famed Burma

Road, a supply route linking the Shan

State and China’s Yunnan Province

© Wikicommons

the ride from Mandalay to Hsipaw is

said to be one of the great train rides of

the world. The train slows to a crawl as

it approaches the hair-raising Gokteik

Viaduct, once the largest train trestles

in the world. Train travel is arguably the

best way to experience the Shan State

• a sight to behold onto itself, with the
  Shan Highland’s jagged mountains,
  plunging gorges and expansive plains in
  full glory. AGP

built by the British during the Second

Sino-Japanese War. If trade was the

drawcard then, today it’s the trekking.

Guided treks meander through rice

fields and tea plantations, past temples,

monasteries and sacred pagodas. Multi-

day treks to remote ethnic villages allow

travelers to stay overnight at Buddhist

temples and hill tribe farmsteads.

It’s life in the slow lane in Hsipaw

• agrarian Burma at its best. A bustling
  morning market opens so early that
  sunrise signals closing time. Novice
  monks walk through the town in a
  procession collecting alms in the
  morning. A waterfall beckons on the
  outskirts of town, as do areas of
  interest such as Little Bagan, Thein
  Daung Pagoda (aka Sunset Hill) and
  Hsipaw Palace, the former abode of
  the royal family. Between hikes and
  an exploration of the town’s historical
  significance, travellers can float down
  the Dokhtawaddy River, sip tea or local
  wine in a side-street café or enjoy a soak
  in the area’s hot springs.
  Others bypass the treks altogether,
  travelling to Hsipaw for the journey
  itself. Documented in Paul Theroux’s
  acclaimed The Great Railway Bazaar,