Nature and Culture with Kim Chye & Yian: Myanmar revisited 2019

Train 61 - Yangon to Bagan

Ever since our initial trip to Myanmar in 2001, we have been thinking of making a return visit. That road trip with our guide offered the benefit of local knowledge to experience Myanmar when it was just beginning to open up to mass tourism. We wanted to reconnect with our guide and also to see what Myanmar is like after the intervening years. After many postponements, we finally went back in May 2019. This time we organised our own itinerary and included several train journeys, a must-do nowadays on our trips.

Busier Yangon, with more traffic and flashy cars

Tickets for Train 61 - 600 km from Yangon to Bagan
but comforting to know we have insurance!

Airy, open windows with good views

Some things don't change - like toddy palms,

shady rain trees and bullock carts

and ploughing paddyfields the old way

Village kids at a lay-by rush for foodstuff
distributed by train passengers

Sumptuous lunch bought at train stop

Riding Train 61 from Yangon to Bagan

After 17 hours of continuous rocking, rolling and
bouncing, the welcome sight of Bagan train station

Mount Victoria

Situated in Chin state, Mt. Victoria (3,053 m) is the third highest mountain in Myanmar. Mt Victoria National Park is a UNESCO site of Outstanding Universal Value as well as an Asean Heritage Park. In 2001, Mt Victoria (Nat Ma Taung) was difficult to access due to travel restrictions. Now open to tourists, we made sure to include it in our itinerary. We hired a car and driver and stayed in Kanpetlet, the nearest township to the national park. Unfortunately, it was not the right season for the spectacular rhododendrons of Mt Victoria but nonetheless scenery was wonderful and we had exciting birding.

Our base at Floral Breeze Hotel

Great views from our accommodation

Forest-clad hills as far as the eye can see

Thick rhododendron forest cover the hills

Pleasant hike under the cover of trees

Strong winds shape some of the trees

Just 200 m elevation to cover before the summit

Finally made it to the top of Mt Victoria

with thanks and homage to the Enlightened One

Gokteik Viaduct

The Gokteik viaduct in Shan state crosses the Gokteik gorge and connects Pyin Oo Lyin and Lashio. This railway bridge, at 102 m above the gorge, was the highest structure of its kind when it was built in 1901. It is the highest railway bridge in Myanmar and even today ranks as one of the largest railway trestle in the world. Many tourists take the ride on the train to marvel at this super structure and experience the thrill of going over the Gokteik Viaduct.

Excitement mounts as we catch glimpses
of the viaduct on the other side of the gorge

First view of the Gokteik Viaduct covered by mist

Train slows down on approaching the viaduct

and creeps over the creaking structure as
we peer down and see the gorge and river

One and a half minutes of nail-biting suspense

as the train slowly goes over the viaduct

Hsipaw to Mandalay via the Gokteik highway

The bus trip from Hsipaw to Mandalay turned out to be quite extraordinary. We already had our thrills riding the train over the Gokteik Viaduct and thought nothing of the bus trip. As it happened, we were in for another round of excitement. Part of the route involved what to us was the most winding road we have ever experienced, with hairpin bends, zig-zags and twists. From an elevation of about 1000 m asl, the road drops into the gorge at around 400 m asl before climbing steeply up again onto the highway.