Must-see attractions in Northern Shan State

Founded in 1915 and carved out by Turkish prisoners captured by the British during WWI, this lovingly maintained 435-acre botanical garden features more…

A highlight of the long, slow Mandalay–Lashio train ride is the mighty Gokteik Viaduct. It spans the Gokteik Gorge, a densely forested ravine that cuts an…

As the epicentre of the gem trade in Myanmar, Mogok has many marketplaces for gems. The early-morning market is known as the Cinema Hall Market, as it is…

At the northern edge of town, Hsipaw’s oldest neighbourhood has a village-like atmosphere, two delightful old teak monasteries and a collection of ancient…

Finished in March 2000, this dazzling pagoda is by far the region's most impressive religious building. It enshrines an enormous 17-ton white-marble…

Just north of Anisakan village the plateau disappears into an impressive, deeply wooded amphitheatre, its sides ribboned with several waterfalls. The most…

Dating from 1904 and formerly the British Club, this colonial pile comes complete with side turrets and is set in attractively manicured gardens…

Five miles west of Hsipaw, beside the Hsipaw–Kyaukme road, this pagoda is of great significance to Shan people and gets overloaded with pilgrims who…

Imposing former hotel from the colonial era.

Built in 1924, the fading Hsipaw Palace is an English-style mansion set in run-down grounds. But if the building is infused with a melancholic air, the…

Many Buddhist caves are little more than rocky niches or overhangs, but Peik Chin is much more extensive. It takes around 15 minutes to walk to the cave’s…

For sweeping views across the river and Hsipaw, climb to Thein Daung Pagoda, also known as Nine Buddha Hill or, most often, Sunset Hill. It’s part of a…

This extensive hilly park is dotted with representations of famous landmarks from around Myanmar. It's pretty tacky, but if you haven't got time to tour…

After descending a loop of hairpins from Pyin Oo Lwin, the Hsipaw road reaches attractive Myaing Gyi, where a rickety monastery climbs a wooded hillside…

The British War Cemetery at Ywar Thar Yar, about 12 miles from Mogok, is a stark reminder of the remote battle sites that once dotted the world during the…

The holiest of the many temples dotting the Mogok skyline, Phaung Daw U Paya has a dais that conceals some ornate pedestals encrusted with priceless gems,…

South of the central area, Mahamyatmuni Paya is the biggest and grandest pagoda in the main town. The large brass-faced buddha image here was inspired by…

If you walk towards the Hsipaw bus stand, you’ll pass the pretty 1994 Maha Bodayaong temple, whose unrefined seven-storey church-like tower offers decent…

Forget the golden spire of this temple – the real reason to come up here is the classic calendar view over Mogok and its central lake, created from the…

At the afternoon market, there are tables for buyers and sellers, while brokers mingle in between trying to establish a sale. It's very interesting to…