Travel Guide Hsipaw

The Burmese call him Thibaw. Some tourists get lost in it and quickly fall under its charm. Hsipaw is a small quiet town where the local Palaung come to trade. Living at the rhythm of its amazing craft of popcorn, fabrics and cheroot, the city is driven by a frenetic religious piety. The Mahamyatmuni paya is home to an image of Buddha very close to that of the Mahamuni paya in Mandalay. 7 km from the city centre, the paya Bawgyo, on the waterfront, gathers the most fervent devotees of the Shan State. The Christian community is also very well represented and gospels in church are commonplace. Hsipaw is an ideal base for excursions into the surrounding mountains to discover the palaung countries and tea cultures. Postcard landscapes and authentic encounters, often over tea. One of our favourite places in Burma.