Hsipaw Guide - All you need to know
Hsipaw has become the gateway for those wishing to explore the hills to visit ethnic minority groups and see how life outside of the cities still operates.
Just on the map we can see how impressive it is when it comes to Shan State: bordering China to the north, Laos to the east, Thailand to the south, and five other administrative states of Burma in the west, no wonder Shan State and its administrative Hsipaw is the wealthiest as well as the most powerful township in Myanmar’s history.
Hsipaw Town
When visiting Hsipaw, you can probably see the last Shan Prince’s palace from the golden days here, but sadly you cannot get inside to discover the building. But don’t be so upset since this is not what Hsipaw is well-known for. About 10 km away Hsipaw, you will find Bowgoy Village with the famous Bowgoy Paya ("Paya" means "Pagoda" in Burmese) known for its annual festival. On this special festival, the four sacred images would be brought out for worship purpose only because the Burmese believe that this would help the faithful’s wishes become real.
The interesting thing of Hsipaw is that this city has some entertain activities like trekking routes as well as waterfall. Also, Hsipaw has the best market that tourists must pay a visit, which is the Central Market. This market is for the local to shop regularly, so it features all the daily stuff from food, clothes, to radios, and even spare parts. If you want to buy these "real local souvenirs" instead of some touristy trade, you have to be a super early bird, since this market wraps up before 6PM. But it opens at 3:30 in the morning! Just check your time!
The Ruins Of ‘little Bagan’ In Hsipaw
Since tourists usually come to Hsipaw from Mandalay, they provide so many options to get here. For saving purposes, you have safe choices with public transportations like train and bus. If you want to have personal experiences, then taxi or private car definitely suits you more. Pick your top favorite way depending on your budget and your taste of travel for the most enjoyable moments at Hsipaw.