Pyin Oo Lwin (Maymyo)
Rick Schellen

The city of Pyin Oo Lwin is situated 70 kilometres (about 42 miles and a pleasant 2 ½ hour drive by jeep) to the east of Mandalay in the foothills of the Shan Plateau. The city is located in an area that is a junction for travellers on their way to the border towns of Lashio and Muse. Its altitude is over 3,500 feet (about 1100 metres) above sea level, so it is therefore considerably cooler than the surrounding areas, even in its hotter months. It is therefore often seen as a refuge from the sweltering heat of Mandalay. Its breathtaking views of the Mandalay plains are said to have inspired the writing of Rudyard Kipling’s “The Road to Mandalay”.

You would be forgiven for thinking you had been whisked over to England upon entering Pyin Oo Lwi. This town is a tourist attraction even for Myanmar people who consider it to be a very un-Burmese town. During the British occupation of Burma, the area was used as a hill station by the British and known as Maymo (May Myo) by Britain and the outside world during that time. It has always been referred to as Pyin Oo Lwi by its inhabitants, although it is also often called Pan Myo Daw (“the Royal Flower City”), on account of the colourful varieties of local flowers and plants that can be seen growing perennially throughout the city.

Although the city’s name has reverted back to its native form, much of the British legacy in the city remains, such as the colonial architecture seen in Tudor style buildings that dot the landscape. Many of these English style cottages have been converted to hotels and guesthouses, such as the “Candacraig Hotel”, an English country home, set in beautiful and serene grounds. This was once the bachelor quarters for workers of the Bombay Burma Trading Company before it was converted into a hotel. The old English stagecoaches of the colonial period still operate as taxis and give the town an atmosphere of the 1800’s rather than of the 2000’s.

While in Pyin Oo Lwin, it is also worthwhile taking a ride on an old horse drawn cart to visit some of the fascinating places in the city. In addition to being home to the popular Botanical Gardens, Pyin Oo Lwin also hosts other attractions such as the Pye Lone Chan Tha Pagoda, a recently built temple that houses a mysterious Buddha image. Another popular tourist spot is the colonial style town centre. The Purcell Clock Tower in the centre was given to the town by Queen Victoria, and has an exact replica in Capetown in South Africa, also donated by the monarch. There is also a 100-year-old Christian church in this town, the Church of the Immaculate Conception, which has a plain brick exterior which does no credit to its beautiful cruciform interior and belltower. Another temple of interest is the very colourful Chinese Temple built by Yunnanese immigrants.

The Botanical Gardens

Pyin Oo Lwin is widely known for its beautiful Botanical Gardens, located to the north of the city. The gardens have a bewildering variety of beautiful local and not-so local flora to behold and are well maintained. Near the gardens is a man-made lake known as Kandaw Gyi (“the Great Royal Lake”) which provides a water source for the gardens. The Gardens are best visited in December and January when the cherry trees are in blossom.

The lake was dug in the early part of the 20^th century. Locals discovered that there were natural springs in areas of the gardens, so authorities decided to build a dam in order to put the spring water to good use.

The gardens had their origin in the activities of an English botanist called Mr Roger, who cultivated local plants and trees on about 30 acres of land in 1915 to 1916. The government officially sanctioned the gardens in 1919 and declared them a forest reserve in 1920. Thenceforth began the collection of more and more exotic local and international flora in the gardens. Today the gardens are spread out over an impressive 350 acre and boast more than 5000 different types of plants and trees, many of which were shipped in from abroad. There is also an orchid greenhouse within the gardens. A stroll through the gardens is a quite pleasant and horticulturally enriching experience even for the less-green-fingered visitor.

Around Pyin Oo Lwin

There are one or two places in the area surrounding Pyin Oo Lwin that are worth while seeing. Many travellers enjoy taking the early morning train through the surrounding hill areas to view the sunrise which is quite spectacular when viewed from the hills.

Peik Chin Myaung Caves

About 10 kilometres south of Pyin Oo Lwin towards Lashio, you can find the Peik Chin Myaung Cave (also sometimes called Peik Khyin Myaing), which were developed first by local Nepalese and later from 1990 on by the government. The cave serves as a Hindu and Buddhist shrine and has a series of scenes from the life of the Buddha as well as models of famous pagodas and stupas. There is a long path that leads through the cave. There is also is an underground stream nearby.

Pwekauk Waterfalls & Peik Chin Myaung Maha Nandamu Underground Spring

Not far from the caves, you can see the beautiful three layered Pwekauk Waterfalls. During British colonial times, these were called the Hampshire Falls. Not particularly impressive in the dryer months, the falls are a popular spot with tourists and locals alike for picnicking and swimming in the rainy season. The lower sections of the falls have a quite strong undertow so swimming there is not recommended. During the wet season, the waterfall is quite amazing to watch.

There are also a number of tribal villages in the vicinity on the way to Pwe Kauk. The Shan villages of Mogyopyit, Yechando and Ye Ngeye can be visited (by a bullock cart if you are willing to try something different) and are noticeably different from other villages in the area.

Another place of interest in the area is Anisakan Falls, which is located about 2 kilometres from the village of Anisakan. Although it is quite a rough hike to get to the falls (one needs to descend a river gorge for about an hour), the effort is well rewarded. There are 5 sections to the falls of which the most impressive is the third.