Loikaw

Loikaw is a small state capital in the hills southeast of Inle, and its landmark is Taung Kwe, a group of limestone knuckles rising straight out of the town with white and gold pagodas built on top of each of them, linked by stairways and bridges. The state is Kayah, and the surrounding villages include Kayan communities where some women still wear the brass neck coils that outsiders know the region for. Community tourism here is comparatively recent and is organised through local operators.

History

In 1892 Loikaw numbered just four huts, in the only flat part of the Karenni hills; by 1922 it was the headquarters of the British Political Officer for the Karenni States, and the American Baptist Mission to the Hill Karens was also based here (Wikipedia, Loikaw).

The main sights

• Taung Kwe Pagoda - shrines built on separate limestone pinnacles, connected by stairs and walkways.
• The view from the top - the town, the plain and the hills, from the highest of the outcrops.
• The market - Kayah, Kayan and Shan produce and dress, busiest in the morning.
• The village visits - community-run programmes in Kayan and Kayah villages around the town.

When to go

November to February is dry and cool. The Kay Htoe Boe festival in April is the state's main event, when poles are raised and danced around. The monsoon makes village roads difficult.

Practical notes

Village visits to Kayan communities need thinking about: some arrangements are run by the villages themselves and some are not, and the difference matters. Ask an operator who is paid and how. Tourism infrastructure in the state is thin and English is not widely spoken.

Nearby

Inle Lake is a few hours north, and the Demoso villages are within a short drive.

Key facts