Kalaw

Surrounded by mountains, rivers, and villages, the pretty hill station of Kalaw is the perfect place for trekking. While the rest of Myanmar is significantly hotter and more humid, Kalaw has relaxing cool climate during the summer.

This is a great place to relax for a while and enjoy the slow pace of life. Kalaw was a former British colonial town and you will find a number of churches such as Christ the King church and other British style buildings. There are also traditional Burmese buildings and structures. Hnee Phaya, which is an old and highly revered pagoda featuring a Buddha image made from woven strips of bamboo is a great example. Also worth visiting is the Shweumin Pagoda, which is built inside a natural limestone cave. There are a number of Buddha images inside the cave that were commissioned by King Narapataesithu.

Kalaw has a market which is held every five days and is a great place to stock up on supplies for your trek. People travel from all over Kalaw and surrounding areas to sell their goods. You can pick up a bargain or two at the market and taste variety of delicious local food and drinks.

Taungyi Hot Air Balloons Festival

Festival Traditional Dance

At the elephant camp