Church in Kalaw. Photo - Aung Thu Myint
"In the centre of the valley was a small town with a railway station, shops, and a bazaar. Round the slopes were English bungalows in gardens of flowers. The pines stood everywhere along the roads, neater, more park-like than the jungle trees. Indeed, Kalaw was like a demesne. A pure, cool breeze moved under a bright sun. There was a faint scent, quite unlike the heavier perfumes of the hot plains below. The feeling was remote.”
This is how the colonial administrator Maurice Collis described the town of Kalaw, visiting in the early 20th Century.
Much has changed today, but Kalaw has kept its feeling of remoteness, the British aesthetic remains strong, and it is commonly Johnny Foreigners’ favourite hill station in Myanmar.
kalaw-2.jpg
Green Hill Valley Elephant Camp. Photo - Green Hill Valley Elephant Camp
The hill stations of Myanmar were built to provide hot season retreats for the Europeans, allowing them to avoid the “prickly heat” that plagued them at lower altitudes. The extreme efforts they went to avoid this affliction is evident in the impressive railway lines they built climbing up into the hills.
The line running from ShweNyaung to Kalaw is a fine example or architectural ingenuity and sheer bloody-mindedness. The highlight comes when travelling over what is now known as the Bawa Than Thaya, the Life-Cycle Bridge, where the tracks loop twice over a gorge. It takes its Burmese name from a popular movie and today film-buffs walk out onto the bridge to take smiling selfies on the sleepers.
The train will eventually reach the tranquil station in Kalaw which still looks today as if it could have been plucked straight out of a novel by E.Nesbit. No Fat Controller or Victorian children with gold ringlets on the platform, but likely sacks of produce waiting stoically for the invariably delayed train from Heho.
Hills arounds Kalaw. Photo - Sampan Travel
Trekking in Kalaw
Most visitors travel to Kalaw to go trekking. A good breakfast will fortify your spirits. We recommend the tea shop Morning Star opposite the glimmering Aung Chan ThaPaya to gorge on chapati puri. Alternatively, dive into the Kalaw central market and seek out a bowl of Shan noodles or hintho – a bundle of sticky rice with chicken or pork and seasoning.
If visiting when the Five Day Rotating Market is in town you will catch a glimpse of the wide array of diverse ethnicities that are peppered around Kalaw. Spruced up in traditional dress the people of the Shan, Danu, Palaung, Pa’O, and TaungYoe make for a striking sight. As one misty-eyed colonial once put it, they resemble: “wind-stirred tulip beds or a stir about of rainbows.”
kalaw-4.jpg
Kalaw Train Station. Photo - Aung Thu Myint
The popularity of trekking around Kalaw means that your arrival in a local village will not cause the flutter of excitement that it might in more off the beaten track destinations such as Kayah or Kyaing Tong. Nonetheless, the scenery is stunning and clambering through the pine tree forests does provide an experienced available in few other places in Southeast Asia.
The most popular trek is one of the overnight routes that leads down to Inle, however there are other more strenuous options possible such as the hike due north to the Danu town of Pindaya.
Treks can also be combined with a visit to the Green Hill Valley Elephant Camp. This camp has been set up to look after elephants retired from the timber industry and is a shining beacon of how elephant camps should be. There is no circus trickery or tomfoolery but instead the elephants are allowed to simply be elephants while the guests feed them copious amount of pumpkin which – in my opinion – is just as fun as any ride.
kalaw-5.jpg
Trekking through Waa Gyi Myaung Village. Photo - Sampan Travel
Treks from Green Hill Valley back to Kalaw can conclude at the Thein Taung Monastery. This looks over the town and is a sublime spot to catch sunset.
Later, descending the many steps into the town weary hikers can eat themselves silly on the Nepalese fare at Everest restaurant. Those looking for something more European may wish to try the local jams, coffees, and sandwiches at the New Simply Life Café.
Visitors in search of nightlife will sooner or later stumble upon “Hi Bar” described by Lonely Planet as the “size of a closet.” It is small and you will be rubbing shoulders with your fellow punters, but this is all the better to watch the magic show frequently put on by one of the barmen.
kalaw-6.jpg
Along the trek. Photo - Sampan Travel
Despite its popularity, Hi Bar makes you feel like you are one of the first to find this out-of-place watering hole. Like Kalaw itself, it has the curious ability to be both busy while still giving the visitor a sense of exclusivity.
This is the charm of Kalaw.
Commonly in the “Top Ten” highlights of Myanmar in most guide books,this town can still feel like a demesne. It can still feel remote, and its cool breeze endures, continuing to refresh travellers from the hot plains below.
Comments
Post a Comment