Shan State Activities

At first glance, Shan State may not seem to offer much for families with children. The country's infrastructure doesn't specialise in modern theme parks and playgrounds and parents would do well to pack a few games or toys to keep younger children engaged. Even so, there are plenty of ways to get children involved in local activities, and children visiting Myanmar are in a fantastic position to learn about local customs and culture.

Fishing
Traditional fishing in Myanmar requires the use of nets which are cast out into a lake or river. Shan professionals make it look easy, but it is a skill that's difficult to acquire. It is possible to rent the necessary equipment at Inle Lake, allowing children have great fun trying their hand at the trade. Whole families can enjoy an afternoon of Burmese-style fishing. If you're fortunate enough to catch a fish, it isn't unheard of to have a local restaurant prepare it for your dinner.

Horseback Riding
Children love touring Myanmar's backcountry on horseback. Many of the towns and villages across Shan State offer horseback riding facilities, most of which coordinate with local resorts and hotels to better publicise the availability of this activity. Inle Lake is a particularly nice place to ride horses. Trails radiating from the lake branch out into the surrounding countryside, providing an intimate view of the region's flora and fauna. The Inle Princess Resort hires out horses for independent excursions or guided tours.

Jumping Cat Monastery
People of all ages enjoy watching the curious temple cats at Nga Phe Kyaung. The resident monks train these pious felines to jump through hoops and perform other acrobatic acts to crowds of spectators. This is also the oldest and largest monastery on Inle Lake, with plenty of attractions for parents as well including an impressive collection of Burmese Buddha images and fine Shan-style architecture.

Myanmar is a cultural treasure trove. Numerous religious sites (most of them Buddhist) are around every corner. Many of Shan State’s main attractions have an explicit cultural appeal, and a number of stupas, pagodas and other religious sites are enshrined in natural settings such as the caves of Pindaya. Old Palaces offer more than mere architecture—many of them are complete with mini-museums displaying ancient Shan artefacts. Hiring a guide is crucial, as many of Shan State’s cultural gems are difficult to find independently.

Handicraft Workshops
Across Shan State, the locals engage in an assortment of creative handiwork for a living. Oftentimes, touts and taxi drivers try to entice tourists into visiting these craft workshops. While these guides have ulterior motives (namely commission), this is nonetheless a fascinating glimpse into the local culture. The cheroot factory is one of the most incredible of these workshops to visit. Workers here roll cheroots (Burmese cigars) with unfathomable dexterity. Whether visiting independently or with a guide, you’re under no obligation to purchase.

Indigenous Hill Tribes
Throughout Shan State, visitors regularly come face-to-face with small pockets of ethnic minorities. Many of these people live in small, sustainable villages that deal almost exclusively in agriculture and, as the tourist trade increases, handicrafts. The Shan people are the most prevalent ethnic group (linked directly to the Dai of China), but you’re also sure to encounter Intha, Taungyoe, Danu Pa-o and Palaung peoples. In the north of Shan State, Lashio is one of the best places to mix with multiple ethnic groups donning traditional dress and carrying out day-to-day commerce.

Museum of Shan Chief
The final Shan Chieftain (sao pha) once lived in this brick and teak wood palace. The mansion itself is indicative of Shan royal architecture, and inside is an impressive array of Shan implements and furnishings. The grandiose audience room is the highlight, laid with marvellous teak-wood flooring. Throughout the remaining rooms are several Shan artefacts including traditional clothing and Shan-style furniture. The museum is found in Nyaungshwe, north of Inle Lake.

Shan Palace
Locally known as Shan Haw, the Shan Palace in Hsipaw is home to family members of the Hsipaw’s last reigning prince. The current occupants are the prince’s nephew and his wife, and the couple welcome guests into the home for informative guided tours. In many ways, a tour of Shan Palace is synonymous with a tour of Shan State itself, as a great deal of the palace’s history is wrapped in the past of the region. Austrian-American author Inge Sargent wrote a memoir about her tenure as a princess in this very palace.

Shan State Museum and Library
Located in Shan State’s capital city of Taunggyi, the State Museum thoroughly explores many elements of Shan culture. The most fascinating artefacts are holdovers from the princes (sawbwas) who once administered the small kingdoms that made up Shan State. The Buddhist art exhibits focus on sculpture and are well worth seeing. Other items of interest include pottery, weapons, traditional clothing and musical instruments.

Temples at Ke’Kue
Visitors travel to Ke’Kue in the far southern reaches of Shan State to enjoy the region’s wealth of natural beauty. However, once in the region, tourists are pleased to encounter the many hidden temples that often go unmentioned in guidebooks. These walled-in religious structures owe their anonymity to their remote location in the Shan State backcountry. To date, the only historic record of these temples is the oral tradition passed down by Ke’Kue’s inhabitants.

Wish-fulfilling Pagoda
Hsu-taungpyi, as it is locally known, was built fairly recently (1985) and is well-situated above Nyaungshwe, where it enjoys spectacular panoramic views of the plains below. On the pagoda grounds is an image of the reclining Buddha assuming his famous pose just moments before reaching Nirvana. Pagodas like this one are steeped in legend and are believed by some to have supernatural powers.

Most of the shopping outlets in Shan State deal in traditional arts and crafts along with locally-grown produce. The variety and selection of goods here isn’t on par with that in Yangon or Mandalay, and tourists wandering through Shan State markets are in the minority. With this in mind, shopping in Shan State presents a great opportunity to mix with locals and get a taste for everyday life in this region.

There is a rotating market in Shan State, with a specific market area playing host every five days. Locals time their shopping according to the five-day schedule, but tourists may find themselves in a small town or village without very many shopping options on a particular day. In the event that the market is scheduled during your stay, it is definitely worth visiting.

Of course, several of the more prominent cities have permanent marketplaces that are open on a regular basis. The floating market of Inle Lake, where commerce takes place over the water, is a must-see for all visitors to Shan State. There’s also an interesting cattle market in Heho and a nice hill-tribe market in Kalaw where traditionally-dressed Shan tribes-people buy and sell fresh produce.

Handicrafts are widely available, as are antique items. Practice care with the latter, as some fake antiques can be quite convincing. These sorts of goods can be purchased at the market in Thar Lay village, close to Phuang Daw Oo Pagoda.

Precious stones and jewellery are important exports for Myanmar. Again, the local talent for remarkably real-looking fakes mean that only experienced jewellers should make big purchases. Be advised that ‘certificates of authenticity’ can be faked as easily as a faux gem. Generally, upscale shops that provide vouchers and export permits are trustworthy.

The highest concentration of eateries in Shan State is in the capital city of Taunggyi as well as the area around Inle Lake. Most of the cuisine is heavily influenced by Shan and Bamar tribes, with other flavours trickling in from across Myanmar’s borders. The best Western cuisine is found elsewhere in Myanmar (Yangon, for example), though it isn’t uncommon to see a few Western dishes on the menu in some of the more touristy restaurants.

Traditional Burmese fare consists of delicious curries that incorporate a cornucopia of seasonal vegetables with chicken, mutton and fresh seafood. Most dishes are served with white or sticky rice, and side dishes of pickled vegetables. Additionally, meals are always served with a soup of some kind.

An interesting local dish is sour rice (htamin chin), a rice salad coloured with a generous amount of turmeric. Shan-style noodle soup (khauk-swe) consists of wheat noodles and a simple broth. It’s usually served with a meat of some kind, though tofu is a common substitute.

The rotating five-day markets are a great place to pick up fresh fruit and other produce along with local snacks. Meanwhile, make a point to visit the night market for at least one of your evening meals. Food stalls in these areas sell an impressive variety of treats, ranging from banana pudding and sweet, sticky-rice snacks to more courageous fare like fried crickets and insect larva.

Chinese cuisine is a major contender in the Burmese culinary scene, as is Indian food. Both of these cuisines are fairly prevalent throughout the region and make pleasing alternatives for those who are looking for variety in their diet.

Shan State is full of natural beauty and pristine nature, so it is no surprise that visitors invest a great deal of their energy into outdoor activities. The numerous hill-tribe villages dotting the countryside offer unique cultural encounters for those who venture this far. Meanwhile, Inle Lake is brimming with nature-based activities like boating, hiking and cycling. If you are considering signing up for a trek, you'll find the greatest selection of tour operators in Kalaw.

Canoeing
Inle Lake is bustling with culture and activities. While most of the activities require hiring a guide or a driver, touring the lake by canoe is something tourists can arrange independently. There are two places to hire canoes on the lake: along the canal and at the MTT tourism office. You may want to consider exploring Inle Lake’s often-overlooked northern villages, where you can explore the local culture at your own pace. Heading north into the canal, you’ll find a number of Buddhist sites as well as a nat (spirit worship) shrine across from a little village called Nanthe.

Cycling
Cycling is a great way to get around Shan State, especially when travelling between the little villages around Inle Lake. Hotels and guesthouses around the lake can arrange bicycles for hire, and the surrounding countryside has roads suitable for both mountain and road bikes. Cycling in Shan State gives travellers the opportunity to explore some of the out-of-the-way villages that are often excluded from the main tourist scene. Many travel agencies also organise long-haul cycling tours that last two weeks or more and cover large areas of the country.

Trekking
There are some excellent treks around Inle Lake. About 40 miles west of Inle Lake, Kalaw is the best place to organise an excursion. Many knowledgeable guides make this their headquarters and they can custom-build a trek for you and your group. Outings range from half a day to five-day hikes. If you choose to trek all the way to the lake, your hotel in Kalaw can arrange to forward your luggage to the lake. Trekking here is quite popular, and the crowds can really show up during the high season. Try to aim for just before or immediately after the rainy season for optimum trail conditions without much traffic.