Location: Taunggyi
Top Things to do in Taunggyi
10 Things to Do in Taunggyi That You Shouldn't Miss
Taunggyi (Burmese: တောင်ကြီးမြို့; MLCTS: taung kri: mrui. [tàʊɴdʑí mjo̰]; Shan: ဝဵင်းတူၼ်ႈတီး [wéŋ tɔ̀ŋ kjí], Pa-O: ဝေင်ꩻတောင်ႏကီꩻ) is the capital and largest city of Shan State, Myanmar (Burma) and lies on the Thazi-Kyaingtong road at an elevation of 4,712 feet, just north of Shwenyaung and Inle Lake within the Myelat region. Taunggyi is the fifth largest city of Myanmar, and has an estimated population of 380,665 as of 2014.The city is famous for its hot air balloon festival held annually on the full moon day of Tazaungmon.
Restaurants in Taunggyi
1. Indein Village
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 771 reviews
Reviewed By Joshua M
For me, the highlight of the trip was the boat ride to In Dien Village. It was an adventure in itself. It is rather loud but, interestingly, it can be relaxing.
At the village you may find some villagers rinsing off in the river and throwing in a line for fishing.
If you are not into the market and would prefer less people at the stupas, I suggest a lazy morning and getting a boat around 11am. There was no one at the stupas when we arrived and the sellers at the market were taking an afternoon nap. I can only imagine how crazy the morning must of been to require a nap!
2. Pindaya Caves
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 523 reviews
Reviewed By TheWholeTruthHK - Hong Kong, China
Interesting drive through countryside and nice town with small lake, more a Reservoir really with beautiful colours.
The cave is really interesting also. You get a comfortable elevator and then get to navigate narrowly and glimpse the nearly 8,000 Buddhas in OK light and photos are possible with manual high ISO settings and if you are lucky enough to get to shoot between a group of Italians and a group of French tourists. This is not a joke, they just pop up I'm front of your camera the instant you get your composition and exposure settings right.
3. Jasmine Spa
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 29 reviews
This is only for Nyaung Shwe . Our spa is located on Nyaung Shwe City Shan state near Inle lake. Form Yangon not concern different owner and different location..
Reviewed By Nick Z
3500 kyat for an hour. That's incredible value.
If you like a relaxing gentle Thai massage you're in for a surprise. Remember the country has only just opened up to westerners and their weird proclivities. This place is aimed at locals.
You're greeted by numerous men and it did give of the air if something more like a soapy massage type in Thailand. But it's just how they do it here.
It's a clean room, and a soft thick mattress with nice clean linen & pyjamas, it's possible you might share with a stranger and there's no curtain.
I've been a couple of times and the ladies follow the same routine so they are trained very well and do as the locals have had it for years.
But if you thought your first Thai massage was a little bit strong and painful this will test you.
They start strong and brisk it can be a little rough but they'll tone it down if you squeal! Kneading dough or doing the laundry with their feet is a good description as they go up and down your legs and back.
Imagine this you kneel with feet under thighs like you might at a temple, then you lie back on the 2 pillows they stack up for you, this might be too much for some already but then they stand on the top of your thighs and do the fast foot kneading thing.
There's some good cracking of everything including ears neck etc which I like but it's always a little surprise.
If you wish your Thai massage was a little stronger this is the place for you.
You will not be relaxed you will be energised, I imagine it builds bone density.
If you only have an hour you'll mainly get legs, 2 hours you get the whole body.
It should be included in those Xtreme adventure holidays! You've done bungy jumping, white water rafting, mountain climbing but can you do 2 hours of this massage! Without letting out a urrgh Ha ha ha..
4. Inle Lake
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2 reviews
Reviewed By James W - Draper, Utah
A beautiful lake with, unfortunately, some serious ecological problems. The lake is a source of food and water, provides major income from tourists and a method of transportation between villages. Large floating masses of vegetation are threatening to take over the lake if not controlled and you’ll see them all over the lake as you cruise through. Despite these problems, it’s great fun to hire a boat and cruise through various villages rimming the lake and see the “leg-rowing” fishermen at work. Most boats are equipped with umbrellas and blankets, but be sure to wear a hat and take water. Many of the boat drivers don’t speak English, so either hire a guide to go with the boat or make sure the boat driver understands what you want to do.
5. Kakku Pagodas
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 217 reviews
Reviewed By JD D - Prague, Czech Republic
Took taxi from Inle lake to Kakku pagoda and asked to visit also a Pa O village. Taxi order from hotel for 50k, one local agency on the main street offered also 45k but was not available on the date we needed. After about 45 minutes of driving we got to Thayunggyi where we paid the tickets and hired a Pa O local guide. If you do not want the guide you can buy the tickets directly in front of the pagoda but I can say that having our guide with us was very interesting and we learned a lot of new things. Guide fee is 5usd and some tip if you are happy with them. Our guide was called Mimì, she was fluent English and was very kind and fun. After another 90 min we arrived to the pagoda, she took us around and one of the very interesting part was the death buddha which is not found anywhere else in Asia. I feel sorry for the bad way of reconstruction as they totally destroy the historical value of the fourth day statue. After the visit of pagodas we had lunch at the restaurant in front. It's a tourist place but has clean toilets. After that we visited PaO village and Mimi explained everything about the living and housing etc. Highly recommended trip!
6. Shwe Yaunghwe Kyaung
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 274 reviews
Reviewed By EACAustralia - Sydney, Australia
I have travelled extensively and have a particular interest in Asian Temples. I rate this the most unique and equisite I have ever visited, it is joyful to move around in, I did several slow laps.
I travelled there by tuk tuk (motorbike with side chair) about 2 kilometres north of Nyaung Shwe.The mailn monastery is a large, imposing and signifcantly beautiful teak building That I had noticed previously when arriving in the area by car. When you visit you wonder where the temple is as there are no visible sign and certainly no hoards of tourists to signal the spot. I was directed to a small plain, white, barely noticable structure to the very corner of the site. It is only only enterring that you are surrounded by colour, pattern and textures.
7. Floating Gardens
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 576 reviews
Reviewed By wendyanddavid536 - Solihull, United Kingdom
A huge area of Inle Lake has been turned over to crop production in floating Gardens. Boating through them is fascinating, especially if the local farmers are working on them. They are essentially huge mats of crops, especially tomatoes on a floating bed made up of lake silt, weed and ash from the previous crop's burned stubble, anchored to the lake floor by long bamboo poles.
A great example of how innovative people with very few resources can be.
8. Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery
Overall Ratings
4 based on 252 reviews
Reviewed By Chitkaung - Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar
This is one of the greatest monastery in Myanmar which is located Shan State.I highly recommend this monastery if you want to visit the very authentic style Burmese monastery.There is also a beautiful temple beside this monastery which you can go inside.You can see the beautiful little Buddha images inside this temple.Great place for the travelers and photographers.
9. Hpaung Daw U Pagoda
Overall Ratings
4 based on 296 reviews
Reviewed By 654GregP654 - Cheltenham, United Kingdom
On Inle Lake, this complex houses five small buddha statues which have had so much gold leaf applied to them that they are unrecognisable. Each October, four of the statues are taken by boat to stay in villages around the lake. All five used to be taken, but on one occasion the boat overturned and the statues fell into the lake. Legend has it that only four could be found, but that on returning to the pagoda, the fifth had miraculously returned! That one no longer leaves the site.
10. Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 286 reviews
Better known as the Jumping Cats Monastery for its cats trained to jump through hoops.
Reviewed By Tony E
This is the biggest and most opulent monastery in the Inle Lake region. Devotees come from far and wide to worship, make requests and plaster the central statues in gold leaf - women not allowed in this area ! Like many monasteries, there are a host of venders selling (but not oppressively) tourist souvenirs - really don’t understand how these good folks make a living ! There is an ATM here !
