Kyaing Tong is situated in a valley between the mountains of the Shan Plateau and two rivers, the Mekong and the Thanlwin. It is a fairly remote town, way in the east of Shan State but as this Kyaing Tong travel guide points out that is part of its charm. It is the most attractive town in the whole of Shan Province, a mixture of colonial architecture, lakes and temples. Little has changed for the hill tribes over decades except for their new exposure to tourism; they are very welcoming.
Visitors are welcome to learn more about the daily lives of these tribes and are even likely to be treated to seeing their dances. There is something new in Myanmar travel at every turn.
Shan architecture characteristically has a style with wooden balconies on the houses which blend with the colonial buildings. Legend has it that a magician, Tungkalasi, drained an enormous lake down to a reasonable size and then the town was built on its shores. The walls and gates from the 13th Century are still evident.
Buddhism is certainly the main religion but there are also the traditional religions of the different hill tribes. The main activity is to go trekking out into these tribal areas and although the walks are not necessarily too exacting in themselves the altitude exceeds 4.000 metres at times.
The Kyaing Tong travel guide intends to whet tourists’ appetite to visit this region of Myanmar. Kyaing Tong is sometimes referred to as the Capital of the Golden Triangle; it is close to the borders of Thailand and China and the Mekong and tributaries. In years gone by it earned a reputation for being part of the opium trade but those days are long gone.
There is the standing Buddha close to Naung Tong Lake in the west of town and One Tree Hill where there is a 250 year old tree standing alone. It is a great place to see the sun set.Myanmar travel packages usually mix religious sites with the history and culture of the country and its wonderful natural environment. Within this region there are hill tribes that live as they have always done. No Myanmar holiday is entirely complete without meeting and beginning to understand the local people and this Kyaing Tong travel guideadvises that this is an excellent place to do that.
Myanmar travel guides are certainly the best way to see this area as well as the rest of the country. Permits are required for overland travel to Kyaing Tong and this is a service that tourists can expect from good tour companies that offer the Myanmar experience.
Our Kyaing Tong travel guide provides an introduction. The onus is now on you to look at Myanmar and the immense variety it offers. The towns and cities are certainly interesting while the natural environment is extremely interesting as is the whole of South East Asia. Any advice you require is readily available.
