A Guide for Visiting Hsipaw

An Overview of Hsipaw

Hsipaw is a small, charming and relaxed town tucked into the high hills of Myanmar’s/Burma’s Shan State. The dusty little town is full of traditional buildings, small temples and decent facilities. To the East, the Myitnge River flows and mountains rise, sheltering various native Shan villages.

Generally, visitors heading to Hsipaw do so for treks. The town serves as an excellent launching point for extended hikes through the hills and wilderness, especially during the dry season.

Hsipaw is a small enough town to make traveling within easy. The entire town can be visited on foot. There are also many shops which rent motorbikes and bicycles to visitors for trips further out. Maps of the area are a bit sketchy and few are in English, so a guide for visiting Hsipaw and the surrounding mountains is a wise investment.

Affiliate Disclosure: Leftfade Trails contains affiliate links, so using services or products through these links supports the website, at no extra cost to the user. All links are to tested services and products designed to aid travelers on their journeys. Some links specifically connect to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate this website earns from qualifying purchases.

Advice For Myanmar/Burma

Myanmar/Burma gained its independence from the British Empire.  However, the British Commonwealth didn’t dissolve vehicular contracts upon giving up government control.  So even though Myanmar laws have people driving on the RIGHT side of the road (like Americans) all vehicles have the steering wheel on the RIGHT side (like the UK).  This creates a rather large blind spot, so long road trips need a “spotter” in the left passenger seat to safely pass other vehicles.  

The easiest way to traverse Myanmar internally is with the bus system.  The buses in Myanmar require noise-canceling headphones and blindfolds.  Many of the buses are pleasant, quiet and air conditioned, but others are repurposed “party buses.” Trains are also a good, cheap travel option.

Myanmar has several religions within it’s boundaries, all of which are quite conservative.  When entering sacred sites, including mountains where nats (god-like polytheistic spirts) live, shoes must be removed and long skirts must cover the legs of both men and women.  

Myanmar is very cheap to visit and stay.  Lodging costs are extremely affordable and food is cheap, though not terribly healthy.  The rainy season creates many road-washouts, so expect considerable delays while driving.  

A Local Guide to Visiting Hsipaw

Aside from some very basic groceries, there isn’t much to buy in Hsipaw. There are relatively few shops and most of the markets sell handcrafted goods and basic local foods. While there are a few restaurants, the original Mr. Shake being the most famous, most food is cooked on grills on street corners. The most famous location for coffee is called Black House Coffee Shop, which sits on the riverfront.

Much of the Hsipaw farmland is used to produce tea and sugar cane sweets. The tea is a unique blend and tastes a bit like barely. The sugar cane sweets are made under awnings in fields, tiny blocks of compressed sugar cane offered as snacks. Inversely, visitors can also get fresh sugar cane depending on the season.

Most people visit Hsipaw for treks and hikes. There are many verified trekking groups in Hsipaw which take guests to outer mountains, Shan villages and multi-day tours.

When visiting Shan Villages, travelers are recommended to avoid giving candy to children. There isn’t much opportunity for dental hygiene in the mountains, so sugar can cause severe problems down the line. Instead, travelers are encouraged to bring highlighters, pens, pencils and notebooks. These supplies are constantly needed at the schools and learning temples in the mountain villages.

Within the city, most travelers don’t need a guide for visiting Hsipaw, as the town is small and navigable. However, the more distant locations and mountain villages are much harder to reach without in-depth knowledge of the terrain.

Getting to Hsipaw

The most feasible ways to get to Hsipaw is by bus or train.

Trains run daily from Mandaly following a large gorge. The route is incredibly scenic and follows an old British-built rail line. The ride is quite long, bumpy and slow, so many foreigners prefer first-class tickets for the better-cushioned seats.

The cheaper option for traveling to Hsipaw is by bus. Night and day buses pass Hsipaw, usually visiting other major cities and tourist destinations, such as Inle Lake and Bagan. Buses are often somewhat loud and bright since they often play music or movies. It’s recommended to bring earplugs and eye masks for these rides, especially when traveling overnight.

There are also private shuttles and taxis which operate through tourism agencies. While this is another way a person can travel, know that they’re expensive.

Points of Interest

Firefly Trekking

One of the best ways to experience the Hsipaw is through extended treks through the nearby villages and mountains. Firefly Trekking is a reputable and professional tourism company responsible for immersive treks through the Hsipaw Mountains to the East. 

It is highly recommended to take a guide for mountain exploration, since the roads change frequently during monsoon-season washouts.  This also provides the opportunity for overnight stays and various village visits. Keep in mind, electricity is rare in the villages, so there likely won’t be a place to recharge electronics.

There are other trekking services available, but Firefly is the most proficient and well-managed. When looking for a guide for visiting Hsipaw and the surrounding mountains, Firefly is the best.

Mr. Shake

A locally famous restaurant which serves especially renown fruit shakes. The shop has a cult following thanks to it’s signiture drinks and well-prepared food marketed to foreigners. There are actually several Mr. Shake restaurants in Hsiapw. Aside from the original, these are copies meant to trade on the original Mr. Shake’s reputation.

Little Bagan (Myauk Myo)

While the term “Little Bagan” may be overselling it, this is a nice, very old temple district located in the northern portion of Hsipaw.  The temples and stupas in the area are accessible through tours, walking or bikes. Many temples and pagodas have trees growing out of the top and very weathered appearances. The area is also known for the beautiful Madahya Monastery and Bamboo Buddha Monastery, both of which are made of teak.

Hsipaw Nant-Ton Waterfall

A large, public waterfall area where locals are often seen washing clothes or bathing. The waterfall is a nice place to lounge or swim around with various food vendors nearby. The site also has a small cave interior, where thick blankets of moss grows in the waterfall’s spray.

Nawng Kaw Gyi Lake

Located nearly 40 kilometers north, Nwang Kaw Village is a popular day trip outside of Hsipaw. The surrounding lake area has a quaint temple in the center of the lake, scenic nearby hills with pagodas and an old monastery nearby.

Bawgyo Paya

Bawgyo Paya is a pilgrimage site for the Shan people. It’s frequently visited in February and March during the Bawgyo Paya Pwe Festival. The temple is a fairly recent creation, built in 1995, making it one of the newer buildings in Hsipaw. Even in the off season, the temple is pretty sight with a vibrant dome, inlaid rubies and stepped polygon pagodas atop.

Shan Villages

Located just outside of Hsipaw are the various mountains surrounding the tiny town. These mountains shelter numerous Shan Villages which maintain their culture, heritage and lifestyle to this day. The villages reside in stunning scenery, some existing on lowland farms, others within wide rice paddies, others in highland tea fields and others nestled in rounded mountains.

Most of the villages require treks or personal vehicles to reach.

Five Buddha Hill or Nine Buddha Hill 

Also known as “the Sunset Hill,” these two hills are located outside of town. They’re only 2 kilometers away, so visitors can reach them by motorbike or bicycle. They’re particularly famous as a sunset-watching location.

Need more firsthand info or another guide for visiting Hsipaw? Click here to read the Leftfade Trails Blog