Pyin U Lwin Travel Guide, Myanmar

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Defence Services Academy, Pyin U Lwin
Author: Ekyaw (public domain)

Introducing Pyin U Lwin

Pyin U Lwin Budget Travel Guide is written to help make known this resort town in Myanmar. I hope that through my description, you will get to know it better. I am also listing out the tourist attractions of Pyin U Lwin for your convenience.

Horse Carriage in Pyin U Lwin, Myanmar
Author: Jialiang Gao (Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.5 Generic)

About Pyin U Lwin

Pyin U Lwin, formerly known as Maymyo, is a hillstation established by the British in Myanmar. It is located about 67 km (42 miles) to the east of Mandalay, in the foothills of the Shan Plateau, at an elevation of slightly over 1,000 meters (3,510 feet).

Pyin U Lwin provides a refreshing and cool climate away from the hot and dusty lowland plains of Myanmar. The town was established as a military post on the Lashio-Mandalay trail from Nawnghkio to Mandalay. It was originally named Maymyo after Colonel Mayt, a British officer of the Bengal Infantry. However, it was known as Pyin U Lwin by the locals all along.

Visitors to Pyin U Lwin can now stay in the former British country houses, renovated into small boutique hotels. Of these, the best known is Thiri Myaing, formerly called Candacraig, described by Paul Theroux in The Great Railway Bazaar.

Unlike other cities in Myanmar, Pyin U Lwin has much fewer pagodas and Buddhist temples.

Anisakan Waterfall, Pyin U Lwin
Author: Sebomann (public domain)

Budget Travel to Pyin U Lwin

You can take a trains from Mandalay. The morning train leaves at 4:30 am in the morning and arrives in Pyin U Lwin at 8:00 am. The afternoon train leaves at 2:45 pm and arrives at 7:30 pm.

Budget Travel within Pyin U Lwin

Apart from going on foot, you can ride the quaint, garishly colorful horse carts. You can also rent a motorcycle to go around the town.

Kandawgyi Botanical Gardens, Pyin U Lwin
Author: Xianzi Tan (Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0)

Places of Interest in Pyin U Lwin

Anisakan Falls
Waterfall about a half-day hike from Pyin U Lwin.
Chinese Temple
Temple built by Yunnanese immigrants. It is located to the south of town near Thiri Myaing.
Kandawgyi Botanical Gardens
175-hectare garden established in 1915 by Alex Rodger as the Maymyo Botanical Gardens. It's a piece of English garden in Myanmar.
Purcell Tower
Clock Tower at the main intersection in Pyin U Lwin.
Pwe Kauk Falls
Formerly called Hampshire Falls during colonial times, today a favourite picnic spot for the locals.
Pyeik Chin Miang
Cave filled with Buddha statues, on the road to Lashio.
Shiva Temple
Hindu temple behind Purcell Tower.
Thiri Myaing
The former Candacraig, the best known retreat villa in Pyin U Lwin.