Loikaw (Kayah State), Myanmar

By globedrifters Myanmar

Loikaw (Kayah State), Myanmar

The Kayah state is the smallest in Myanmar and is one of the least visited regions making for a truly authentic visit.  It takes about 8 hours by car to get here from Inle Lake.

Loikaw is pretty much hill-tribe central.  Travelers love hill-tribes and this is evident in Thailand where most hill-tribes have turned into tourist attractions with women dressing in traditional garment and dancing for the all-mighty tourist dollar but leaves a lot to be desired…. mostly authenticity.  But in Loikaw foreigners are few and far between and the hill-tribes are not inundated with tourists swopping in and flashing cameras in their faces which makes this is an ideal spot to see hill-tribes.

Loikaw itself is a small town and the main attraction is the Taung Kwe Pagoda and this pagoda is well worth a visit.

If you want to visit the hill-tribes you need to head out to the country side.  You will need to hire a guide who will provide you with the necessary permits to go.  The guide is much needed as this area is still filled with many land mines so stick to the paths and your guides suggestions.

The Kayah state was one of the states that was involved in a bloody civil war until just recently with the Burmese military and there was a recent ceasefire but tensions still run high so be prepared to show your passport numerous times when visiting at check-points.  There are still major human rights violations happening here and in the Shan State.

Many of the Burmese refugees in Thailand are from the Kayah state as well as the Shan state.  Many people visit the ‘long neck’ Padaung ‘zoos’ in Thailand but this area is where the are originally from. Since this area has just recently opened for tourism maybe someday soon the refugees in Thailand can come back to their home country.

Please do remember that if you go please respectful and do not take a million photos and be super obnoxious about it.  These are people and not just there for your amusement.

Long Neck Village – Ethical Issues

By globedrifters Myanmar | Thailand

Ethical issues when traveling to Southeast Asia has always been at the forefront of traveler’s minds. Are we hindering or helping child beggars by giving them money? If we ride on an elephant are we exploiting them? If we visit a ‘long neck’ village, are we encouraging the cultural torture to continue?

Don’t get me wrong, in the West we are burdened by many ethical problems of our own but when you go to South East Asia many of these moral dilemmas are brought upon by tourism and we see it first hand, hence why we feel the need to write about it, talk about it and take action to improve it. But the big dilemma seems to be there is not any clear-cut answer. It is neither black nor white but a large grey area.