Kyaukme

Kyaukme is the name of a district, township and these two’s administrative center, located in northern Shan State, eastern Myanmar. Coming to Kyaukme – a place that is well preserved and have not been spoiled yet, tourists will definitely have an authentic and interesting getaway from the hustle and bustle life in big cities. You can access the area by a bus from Mandalay or by a train from Mandalay to Lashio.

QUICK FACT:

• Location: northern Shan State, Myanmar
• Status: the main tea trading center from Tawngpeng
• Population: 752,504 (estimated 2002 – the whole district)
• Area: 25,792.8 square km
• Habitants: Shan, Palaung, Bamar
• Owns a pristine and untouched beauty which is little known by tourists

With its numerous hills and high mountains, the natural settings of Kyaukme town are indeed of true greatness. Plus, it is equally amazing to see that indigenous people called Palaungs (hill-tribe) still live in the mountains, wearing their own colorful traditional clothes. Absolutely, at these Palaung villages, you can feel the original and native lifestyle of Myanmar through enjoyable activities of trekking, watching the interesting technique of making bamboo paper at local workshops, eating delectable local foods with them (in which tea salads and tofu made from lentils are received great praises), and spending your nights at local houses. Also, at Kyaukme’s temples and shrines, you will experience spirit (nat) religion the most as it is much more prevailed in this town than in other places of Myanmar. However, traveling in Kyaukme is not so popular because of its remoteness and the lack of tour guides, especially English speaking one. Presently, there are three guides that offer trekking and motorbike tours in Kyaukme, namely: Thura, Joy, and Naing Naing. It is recommended to call them in advance because of the reason mentioned above – too many tourists, too little guides. You can also contact them through email, but the low internet connection at the town makes this unguaranteed.