Burma is one of the monsoonal countries of South-east Asia. But
it has not only the tropical hot and during monsoon (chiefly in the
coastal regions) extremely humid climate of the central and southern
part of the country. It also has very temperate climate in the
mountainous regions in north and east Burma with even at the peak of the
hot season very pleasant temperatures. It was - among others - this
that made these regions so interesting to the British when Burma was a
British colony. They established three Hill stations, namely, Pyin Oo
Lwin, Taunggyi, and Kalaw in the mountains of the Shan hills situated in
east Burma. These Hill Stations were much sought after as summer
retreat by the British and other foreigners.
Other than its famous 'fellow hill stations' Pyin Oo Lwin and Taunggyi, Kalaw is relatively unknown and sort of hidden away in the solitude of the mountain ranges of the southern Shan plateau.
Another very interesting place to visit is Kakku with the famous Kakku Pagoda Complex. Last time I have been to Pyin Oo Lwin and Taunggyi, this time I will visit Kakku and Kalaw. Tomorrow I go to explore Kakku and the day after tomorrow Kalaw. Please come with me. I guarantee you will not regret it.
Kakku
At the end of a little more than 2-hours bus drive from Taunggyi on a winding road (half the way with tarred surface the rest red earth) through a mountainous landscape of great scenic beauty and Pa-O tribe farmland we arrive at Kakku (Kekku).
After the end of the British colonial period the despite of the rapidly increasing number of foreign visitors still largely unknown marvellous Kakku pagoda complex was not seen by any westerner before 1996, some 6 years after I visited Burma/Myanmar the first time. Till then this area was closed for foreigners. If you go by bus from Yangon via Taungoo the capital of the former 'Taungoo Kingdom' to Taunggyi, the capital of the Shan state Kakku lies about half-way between Taungoo and Taunggyi.
Kakku is situated 35 miles/19 kilometres south of Taunggyi and can rightfully be called a hidden treasure. It is embedded in an area inhabited by people of the Pa-o tribe. Many of them we see clothed in their distinctive dark blue native dresses with colourful towels wrapped on their heads.
With the exception of a short time prior to and during the Full Moon of Tabaung in March when thousands of Pa-O people come here to celebrate their pagoda festival, this is a very quiet and tranquil area with nothing much to be heard beyond the occasional chatting of Pa-O people, the wind rustling in the thick foliage of the big trees, the singing of birds, etc.
With according to a census conducted in 1928/29 a total of 2.548 pagodas (Pa-O legend has it that there were actually some 7,000 pagodas, well, I did not count them) build in Shan 'Yun' architecture as well as Bagan architecture and spread over an area of about 1 square kilometre, the Kakku pagoda complex is a truly impressive sight. Marvelling at the pagodas decorated with stucco works depicting celestial beings mixed with floral designs and exploring this area densely dotted with them makes the second half of the day pass in what seems to be but a twinkle of an eye.
According to the information available to me these pagodas were built sometime in the 16th century but I am not sure; they could be even older. The fact that these pagodas do apart from the ravages they suffered over time (natural wear and tear as well as human negligence) not show any severe destruction allows the conclusion that this area was lucky enough not to have been hit by earthquakes as it happened in other regions of the country such as Bagan.
OK, we are quite tired and it is already afternoon. We will now return to Nyaung Shwe, the 'Gateway to the Inle Lake', where we will spent the evening and stay overnight. Tomorrow morning we will go by bus to Kalaw.
Kalaw
Kalaw is located some 31 miles/about 50 kilometres from Nyaung Shwe where we spent last night and some 44 miles/about 70 kilometres west of Taunggyi. We arrived in this small and quiet town in the morning after driving some 3 hours through pine-clad mountains. During the drive we were passing Danu and Pa-O settlements as well as fields of dry-cultivated mountain-rice. Kalaw is like Taunggyi and Maymyo/Pyin Oo Lwin a former British hill station that was a popular place to retreat from the burning sun in the hot season.
The town is situated amidst pine forests and bamboo groves on the western edge of the Shan plateau at an altitude of some 4,300 feet/about 1,320 metres. It has, contrary to Taunggyi, still some flavour and atmosphere of its colonial past owing to the many buildings build in mock-Tudor style.
Like Maymyo/Pyin Oo Lwin it is chiefly inhabited by a mixture of Indians, Nepalese, Burmese and Shans; many of them speaking English. The area around Kalaw is inhabited by people of the 'Palaung tribe' some 60,000 of whom are said to be living here. The Palaung are like the Mon in southern Burma members of the Mon-Khmer language speaking family and can be seen not only in nearby Palaung villages but also on Kalaw's five-day market where they along with Pa-O people sell their goods. The Palaung women stick out due to their very attractive and colourful native dresses.
Kalaw has three modestly interesting religious buildings: the 'Thein Tong Pagoda' on the hill at the road from Taunggyi to Thazin, the in golden mosaics dressed 'Dama Yan Thi Pagoda', the Hnee Pagoda, the Shwe Oo Min Cave Pagoda and the remnants of the 'Su Taung Pyae Temple'. There are also some very beautiful gardens here.
The little town with its small population is a quiet and peaceful place; nice to live in but by and large less interesting for the visitor - especially foreign visitor - than its surrounding with the nearby Palaung villages 'Shwe Min Phone', 'Ta Yaw', and 'Pein Ne Pin'.
We have visited Shwe Min Phone village where we were welcomed with open arms by the exceptionally friendly Palaung people and had a very interesting time with them. The last night of our trip we stay here in Kalaw from where we will leave tomorrow morning for Heho airport to return to Yangon.
I hope you have enjoyed the journey and that you have come to the conclusion that the Inlay Lake and its surroundings will be your next year's holiday destination because here is so much to see.
Other than its famous 'fellow hill stations' Pyin Oo Lwin and Taunggyi, Kalaw is relatively unknown and sort of hidden away in the solitude of the mountain ranges of the southern Shan plateau.
Another very interesting place to visit is Kakku with the famous Kakku Pagoda Complex. Last time I have been to Pyin Oo Lwin and Taunggyi, this time I will visit Kakku and Kalaw. Tomorrow I go to explore Kakku and the day after tomorrow Kalaw. Please come with me. I guarantee you will not regret it.
Kakku
At the end of a little more than 2-hours bus drive from Taunggyi on a winding road (half the way with tarred surface the rest red earth) through a mountainous landscape of great scenic beauty and Pa-O tribe farmland we arrive at Kakku (Kekku).
After the end of the British colonial period the despite of the rapidly increasing number of foreign visitors still largely unknown marvellous Kakku pagoda complex was not seen by any westerner before 1996, some 6 years after I visited Burma/Myanmar the first time. Till then this area was closed for foreigners. If you go by bus from Yangon via Taungoo the capital of the former 'Taungoo Kingdom' to Taunggyi, the capital of the Shan state Kakku lies about half-way between Taungoo and Taunggyi.
Kakku is situated 35 miles/19 kilometres south of Taunggyi and can rightfully be called a hidden treasure. It is embedded in an area inhabited by people of the Pa-o tribe. Many of them we see clothed in their distinctive dark blue native dresses with colourful towels wrapped on their heads.
With the exception of a short time prior to and during the Full Moon of Tabaung in March when thousands of Pa-O people come here to celebrate their pagoda festival, this is a very quiet and tranquil area with nothing much to be heard beyond the occasional chatting of Pa-O people, the wind rustling in the thick foliage of the big trees, the singing of birds, etc.
With according to a census conducted in 1928/29 a total of 2.548 pagodas (Pa-O legend has it that there were actually some 7,000 pagodas, well, I did not count them) build in Shan 'Yun' architecture as well as Bagan architecture and spread over an area of about 1 square kilometre, the Kakku pagoda complex is a truly impressive sight. Marvelling at the pagodas decorated with stucco works depicting celestial beings mixed with floral designs and exploring this area densely dotted with them makes the second half of the day pass in what seems to be but a twinkle of an eye.
According to the information available to me these pagodas were built sometime in the 16th century but I am not sure; they could be even older. The fact that these pagodas do apart from the ravages they suffered over time (natural wear and tear as well as human negligence) not show any severe destruction allows the conclusion that this area was lucky enough not to have been hit by earthquakes as it happened in other regions of the country such as Bagan.
OK, we are quite tired and it is already afternoon. We will now return to Nyaung Shwe, the 'Gateway to the Inle Lake', where we will spent the evening and stay overnight. Tomorrow morning we will go by bus to Kalaw.
Kalaw
Kalaw is located some 31 miles/about 50 kilometres from Nyaung Shwe where we spent last night and some 44 miles/about 70 kilometres west of Taunggyi. We arrived in this small and quiet town in the morning after driving some 3 hours through pine-clad mountains. During the drive we were passing Danu and Pa-O settlements as well as fields of dry-cultivated mountain-rice. Kalaw is like Taunggyi and Maymyo/Pyin Oo Lwin a former British hill station that was a popular place to retreat from the burning sun in the hot season.
The town is situated amidst pine forests and bamboo groves on the western edge of the Shan plateau at an altitude of some 4,300 feet/about 1,320 metres. It has, contrary to Taunggyi, still some flavour and atmosphere of its colonial past owing to the many buildings build in mock-Tudor style.
Like Maymyo/Pyin Oo Lwin it is chiefly inhabited by a mixture of Indians, Nepalese, Burmese and Shans; many of them speaking English. The area around Kalaw is inhabited by people of the 'Palaung tribe' some 60,000 of whom are said to be living here. The Palaung are like the Mon in southern Burma members of the Mon-Khmer language speaking family and can be seen not only in nearby Palaung villages but also on Kalaw's five-day market where they along with Pa-O people sell their goods. The Palaung women stick out due to their very attractive and colourful native dresses.
Kalaw has three modestly interesting religious buildings: the 'Thein Tong Pagoda' on the hill at the road from Taunggyi to Thazin, the in golden mosaics dressed 'Dama Yan Thi Pagoda', the Hnee Pagoda, the Shwe Oo Min Cave Pagoda and the remnants of the 'Su Taung Pyae Temple'. There are also some very beautiful gardens here.
The little town with its small population is a quiet and peaceful place; nice to live in but by and large less interesting for the visitor - especially foreign visitor - than its surrounding with the nearby Palaung villages 'Shwe Min Phone', 'Ta Yaw', and 'Pein Ne Pin'.
We have visited Shwe Min Phone village where we were welcomed with open arms by the exceptionally friendly Palaung people and had a very interesting time with them. The last night of our trip we stay here in Kalaw from where we will leave tomorrow morning for Heho airport to return to Yangon.
I hope you have enjoyed the journey and that you have come to the conclusion that the Inlay Lake and its surroundings will be your next year's holiday destination because here is so much to see.
I am German by birth but am living since 25 years in
Burma/Myanmar. I know the country, its people, its culture and its
history very well what has made me an authority on Burma. When it is
about books on Burma, stick with the expert. After retiring in 2012 I
turned writer and am writing books on Burma the country I am privileged
to call home. Please do also see my Professional Photos and my profile.
I have so far written and published four richly illustrated books on Burma. In my books I am writing extensively and detailed about the country, its people, culture, history and the life in it. The books are available as Kindle eBooks on Amazon.
I have so far written and published four richly illustrated books on Burma. In my books I am writing extensively and detailed about the country, its people, culture, history and the life in it. The books are available as Kindle eBooks on Amazon.
