Welcome to Kalaw
Kalaw (ကေလာ) was founded as a hill station by British civil servants fleeing the heat of the plains. The town still feels like a high-altitude holiday resort – the air is cool, the atmosphere is calm and the tree-lined streets still contain a smattering of colonial-era architecture – while the surrounding hills are fine for relatively easy day or overnight treks to Danu, Danaw, Palaung, Pa-O and Taung Yo villages.
Top experiences in Kalaw
Amazing hotels and hostels
We've pre-picked the best hotels, hostels and bed and breakfasts to make your stay as enjoyable as possible.
Travel guides
Starting at $38.99
Kalaw activities
1 Night 2 Days Trek from Kalaw to Inle lake
Detailed Itinerary Day 01: Kalaw-Pattu village (By trek) (6 and half hours Trekking) (19 Km) After your breakfast at hotel, transfer to Lamine village by car as this is starting point of your trekking and it would take 45 minute. Then start Trekking for 2 hours (7KM) to Pinnwe and Pawke village Continue to Kone Hla village 5km and it will take about 1hr and 30mins.Lunch stop at Kone Hla village and after lunch take a leisure time for one hour. Then excursion to Pattu village 7km and it will take about 2hrs and 30mins.Upon arrival to Pattu village, enjoy your dinner and overnight at monastery.Day 2 : Pattu village to Tongle ( By trek)( 4 Hours Trekking ) (14 KM) After breakfast, trek to Kyauk Su village it is 5.5km and it will take about 1hr and 30mins from Pattu . Have a Short break at Nan Yoke village in small shop. Then continue trekking to Tongle (jetty) 8km and it will take about 2hrs.Enjoy your Lunch at jetty .Take your boat and transfer to Nyaung Shwe and it will take one hour drive.
5-Day Shan Hills Cycling Adventure Tour
Starting from Heho airport, we cycle through small local villages, pine forests and fertile agricultural fields. After lunch we head on into the hill station town of Kalaw, populated with the descendants of Indian and Nepali railway workers and soldiers who settled here during the days of British colonial rule. We cycle on a mixture of tarmac and dirt roads on our second day, and pay a visit to the ethnic villages that grow tea around Kalaw and explore this scenic area before checking in to our accommodation.On the third day of our journey we leave Kalaw quickly after breakfast for a full days cycling to Inle lake. Taking quiet country roads, leading through a number of local villages and communities, we finally arrive at the mysterious Shwe Inn Dein – a unique and atmospheric site containing more than 1,000 pagodas built during the 14th to 17th centuries.We begin our fourth day with a hearty breakfast and start by cycling before switching on to boating in the afternoon. Taking a relaxing, scenic cruise along the eastern side of Inle Lake, we head over to the small farming village of Tale Oo before heading out onto the waters once more to discover some of Inle's highlights, such as floating markets and monasteries.On our fifth and last day we are transferred to Heho Airport for one last drop-off, marking the end of our Shan Hills adventure. We ride a total of 99mi (160km) over the course of five days, making it a suitable tour for anyone with a reasonable level of fitness. A support vehicle travels behind the group to support us and participants can cycle as much or as little as they like and still enjoy the same views as the rest of the group. When the tour ends, you will be dropped off at Heho Airport for your onward journey.Total Days : 5 Days/ 4 NightsIncluded Meals: Breakfast - 4, Lunch - 4, Dinner - 4
Pindaya Kalaw Day Trip
08:00: Pick up from your hotel and drive to pindaya. 09:30: Arrive to Pindaya. Pindaya is noted for its natural limestone Caves housing over 8,000 Buddha Images of various sizes. It is one of the most beautiful and peaceful place of the Shan state. You can learn the umbrella making process and it is also possible to know their local life. 12:00: Proceed to local restaurant for Lunch. 13:00: After Lunch, continue to Kalaw. 14:30: Arrive to Kalaw, which is situated 70km west of Taunggyi, the capital of Shan state and about 50km from Pindaya caves. Kalawa sits high on the western edge of the Shan Plateau and was a popular hill station in the British times. It is still a peaceful and quiet place with an atmosphere remnant of colonial era. Sightseeing in Kalaw includes Nee Paya, a glold lacquered bamboo Buddha. You can enjoy the daily life of local tribes and also you can taste the traditional foods of local people. 17:00: Return back to your hotel. 18:30: Arrive to hotel.
4 days Private Tour of Yangon and Inle Lake
ItineraryThis is a typical itinerary for this productStop At: Yangon YangonDay 1 Yangon-Kakku-Nyaung ShweYour guide will meet you at 5:30 am in your hotel and transfer to Yangon airport to take flight to Heho. Upon arrival at Heho airport, your car is waiting you to visit to Kakku pagoda which is a hidden gem of Southern Shan State where you can see more than 1000 ancient pagodas. On the way you will have a chance to take some photos at Ayethayar vineyard and winery. After exploring Kakku pagoda complex, proceed to Maing Thouk village to find the colourful house with floating plantation, beautiful scenery and walk along the wooden bridge. Then transfer to your hotel in Nyaung Shwe.Hotel: Cassiopeia hotel or similarDay 2 Inle Lake-Indein (B/-/-)Your guide will meet you at 7:30 am in your hotel and take a boat to shops which selling traditional clothes, Phaungdawoo Pagoda, Silverware workshop, Jumping cat monastery and Alodawpauk Pagoda. On the way, you can see the floating plantation along the way by boat. Then proceed to Indein along the small creek by boat for one hour to find the ruined ancient pagodas. Then back to Nyaung Shwe by boat and transfer to Kalaw for overnight.Hotel: Cassiopeia hotel or similarDay 3 Kalaw Hiking (B/L/-)Transfer to Myinka village (Danu tribe) by private vehicle transferring about 30 minutes and start to walk from that village along the country road. You can see crop plantation on your left and right side. After walking about 2 hour, you will reach Pain Ne Pin village on the side of mountain where you can see the Palaung tribe, have a lunch at that village. Then continue to Ye Yar village and back to Kalaw by car.Hotel: Famous hotel or similarDay 4 Kalaw-Yangon (B/-/-)Today take a flight to Yangon from Heho airport. Upon arrival at Yangon airport, drive to central Yangon to observe Mahabandula garden with independence monument, City Hall, Supreme Court and visit to the ministry office. Then transfer to restaurant for your lunch and proceed to Kandawgyi Garden and Chaukhtatgyi pagoda. In the afternoon, transfer to Shwedagon Pagoda to explore around the pagoda platform and take your unforgetable sunset. Then transfer to your lodging hotel in Yangon.Duration: 4 days
Two Days Trek From Kalaw To Inle Lake
2 Day Trek from Kalaw to Inle Lake Day 1The starting point of the trek is from Lamine village, a 45 minute drive from Kalaw. You'll begin trekking to Pinnwe and Pawkes villages which are 7km away. This will take around 2 hours. After a short break you'll continue onto Kone Hla village (around 1.5 hrs trek) where a delicious lunch will be waiting for you.Following lunch, continue to Pattu village which is another 7km away. You will be spending the night at Pattu village with a local family who have cooked you some traditional Shan food for dinner.Day 2After breakfast begin todays trek with a 5.5km walk to Kyauk Su village. After refueling yourself enjoy the final part of your trek as you make your way to the jetty at Inle Lake, a further 2 hours walk away.On the shores of Inle Lake, you'll enjoy lunch cooked for you, before you board a boat that will take you across Inle Lake to Nyaung Shwe jetty (or if your hotel is located on the lake, we can drop you off there).
3 day and 2 nights Trek in Shan State
The Tour: Trekking in Shan StateThis tour offers you the opportunity to immerse yourself in the cultures of the some of the many ethnic groups in Myanmar. You will trek through Danu, Pa-O, Palaung, and Taung Yo villages along the way, while at the same time taking in the extraordinary scenery. You will commence your trek in Kalaw, with our experienced guide, trekking through the Shan mountains, and finishing at Indein village, near Inle Lake, 3 days later. Along the way, you will stay one night in a homestay and one night in a monastery, where you will be provided with a bed and some of the best food Shan state has to offer. We will arrange for your bags to be taken to your hotel in advance, so that all you will need is a small rucksack to carry a spare pair of clothes. We can also arrange this tour in the alternative direction. For a fee a motorbike pick-up can be arranged if you are unable to continue the trek for any reason.