Myanmar 5/6: Hill Tribe Trek

From Bagan I took a bus to Kalaw where I did a 3 day/2 night trek to Inlay lake. Was a truly wonderful experience. I had been trying to do hill tribe treks in both Northern Thailand and Laos but for various reasons it never worked out for me. In the end can't imagine either place being a better location than Myanmar

separating tea leaves


Was a very easy trek, more of a stroll. In all went about 40 miles but no challenging or exhausting moments like on the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal 

Myanmar separates itself from other destinations by retaining their culture and traditions. Most places have already lost their authenticity as locals are so use to seeing foreigners


Planting tea on the steep hillsides. The steep hills are also what makes this region world famous for opium production.


Most of the villages are on the tops of the hills. Many reasons for this including protection/safety during invasions


I had written down all the tribe names but for some reason it isn't matching my pictures. Totally confused right now. Anyway, the white belt she is wearing signifies that she is married


This man just became the owner of a new farm


They burned the field so they can grow rice. He is going to leave the ash behind because he claims it is good for the soil. More interesting is that he just took the land since it wasn't being used. No charge.


Cabbage






Hornless Buffalo


Vooche is the shaman of the Pantingone village from the Taungyo tribe. He is the last of many generations as his children don't want to be shamans, they are now truck drivers.


His father gave him this tattoo when he was 17 years old, the day he officially became a shaman.


He goes out into the jungle and collects everything for his medicines. Now that he is older his grandchildren help. These are malaria pills which are comprised of 15 compounds including both opium and marijuana


Some more of his medicines.




Walked past the Myindike train station




The water festival had finally begun! Was a far different experience in the villages than in the cities.






Mostly we just chased small kids as we passed their village. They were already drenched and don't care if they get wet, they just love to be chased...


swimming pool






Landscape wise it obviously has nothing on Nepal but the village life was certainly more authentic and less touristy. They do see foreigners as these trails are fairly common but not enough people travel to Myanmar for it to have a major impact. Not one time did anybody attempt to sell a handicraft and there are zero tourist shops along the way. Most villages don't even sell bottled water.


Everybody is still curious to meet you and kids run from a kilometer away to see you.


Everybody from this picture and the one above comes from the Taungyo tribe. These kids are on vacation from school and currently in charge of watching the buffalo in the fields. They are also shooting birds with their sling shots, their aim is good. There was about 15 kids total here, we hung out for about 20 minutes


Married women from the Pao tribe wear black dresses and orange scarves.


Same village/tribe. This bamboo grows 4cm a day, others grow much much faster


My guide Harry. A Sikh who speaks excellent English and has a degree in geology.










The women always asked to have their picture taken, then to look at it in the camera. It's cool though, they are just as excited to meet you as you are them.


On the 2nd night we stayed in the Htitain monastery.


17 children live in this monastery. They were all up at 4:30 in the morning doing their mantras. I'm not a morning person but had to be the best alarm clock ever


Because New Years was approaching everybody was coming to the monastery the next morning in their best clothes. Of course everybody wanted pictures as we crossed paths.


Everybody is from the Pao tribe


Yeah, they are never looking at my camera because somebody else had a bigger camera














Getting closer to the lake. They are from the Inntha tribe
"We love Abbey Road!"


Prior to this the fields were mostly dry, in the hills they only grow rice once a year, during the rainy season. On the plains closer to the lake they grow twice a year


We walked along these fields for a couple hours. Was incredible!






Eating rice everyday sucks, but I never get tired of rice fields












The trek came to an end. We hopped on a boat


and headed for Inlay lake. The final stop of my time in Myanmar


sneak preview. But think Kashmir. Fisherman