A spectacular journey to Loikaw and Shan state

Welcome to Yangon - the biggest and most bustling city in Myanmar, a unique city in Southeast Asia with all nostalgic colors of time and culture reserved over centuries. If you are interested in colonial era architecture, a stroll down Yangon's colonial buildings will definitely blow you away by well-reserved images from the 20th century, with decaying facades filled with old paint and small trees squeezing through those little cracks. Moreover, proud of rich cultural tradition, Yangon will amaze you with plenty of spiritual relics where you can experience the importance of Buddhism to the Burmese’s lives: tranquil Chaukhtatgyi Temple containing an over-200-feet-long reclining Buddha, the octagonal-shaped 2500 year old pagoda Sule Pagoda located in the heart of the city, and especially the legendary Shwedagon Pagoda - the massive 99 meter high gold plated pagoda with the diamond studded spire on top of a small hill in downtown Yangon. And don’t miss chance to meditate in pagoda’s mystical atmosphere beautifully lit up after dark.

Loikaw is the capital of Kayah State a little known corner of Myanmar filled with exotic culture and unique lanscapes. The land is home of mountain-top pagodas (Taungkwe Pagoda), volcanic lakes (Seven Stages lake), colorful tribal market Demosaw, mysterious caves (Kyet Limestone cave) and remote hill tribal village where Padaung women still preserve their distinctive culture and traditions by wearing brass rings around their neck & leg for theirt whole life. Come to meet these infectious warm people in their mountain houses and uncover the story and beautiful meaning of this unique costume will bring you an enlightening experience in your off-the-beaten-track adventure. 

Loikaw is the capital of Kayah State a little known corner of Myanmar filled with exotic culture and unique lanscapes. The land is home of mountain-top pagodas (Taungkwe Pagoda), volcanic lakes (Seven Stages lake), colorful tribal market Demosaw, mysterious caves (Kyet Limestone cave) and remote hill tribal village where Padaung women still preserve their distinctive culture and traditions by wearing brass rings around their neck & leg for theirt whole life. Come to meet these infectious warm people in their mountain houses and uncover the story and beautiful meaning of this unique costume will bring you an enlightening experience in your off-the-beaten-track adventure. 

Catching a slow train from Kalaw to Inle Lake, it is the chance to to gether local feeling with a seat on outdated carriage dated back from colonial time. The train has long played such a vital role on daily life of Shan Hill locals as importantly affordable link connecting lands. Sitting near the opened windows, relax your mind and enjoy your hassle-free time observing the laid-back charm of naturally preserved Shan mountains, beautiful countryside and vibrant local life going by.

Upward the western of Shan state is the picturesque Inle Lake –  the Venice of Myanmar. Stepping off Nyaung Shwe marina, you will take a motorized boat to navigate through stilt villages and floating garderns, and meet locals who spend their entire lives on the water. Passing Ywa Ma village and Kay Lar Village where Intha people built their unique houses with long straight wooden poles stretching into the lake bed, it is your tranquil time in relaxed atmostphere of thelocally significant Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda and get to unfold the interesting story of the five Buddhas inside. As the dawn is coming and the warm light turns the still surface of the lake a golden colour, just pause for a while and cherish true value of unforgetable moment.

Indein is a small village West of Inle Lake which is renowned for the floating market and impressive ancient stupas with Banyan trees growing out of them. From Inle Lake, by just a scenic 8-kilometer boat ride through a long narrow canal, you soon reach the lively floating ‘5-day market’ rotated every five days around five different villages in Inle. This is a beautiful opportunity to experience the diversity of Inle ethnic, witness their day-to-day life and make their unique fair on the water trading all local products. A drop-in visit to local workshops will excite your curiosity about lotus weaving, cheroot cigarettes making in various size and flavours and diligent hand crafted silver work. Lastly, don’t forget to discover old ruined pagodas dated back to the 13th century and admire their incredible beauty even in bad condition. The impressive image of stupas after stupas decaying due to constant exposure to humidity still pose irresistible charm will leave you with nothing but thrills.