Kyaing Tong (Keng Tong)

HIKING / TREKKING TO ETHNIC VILLAGES
Is the capital of Eastern Shan State and flourishing due to trade with the near Thai border. There are still primitive tribes living around Kyaing Tong where you can do trekking to Ann villages, Akah villages and Palaung villages in day trips. One can observe their exotic way of living (e.g. dyeing teeth), their culture and animistic believes.

CATTLE MARKET
Tribal people from the surrounding areas attend the daily early morning market in Kyaing Tong and sell their local farm products and handicrafts. Besides the market, cattle is traded, especially buffaloes.

MONG LA (NEED PRIOR PERMISSION) & TACHILEIK BORDER TOWNS
Mong La (Mengla) is a border town with China and can be reached by land-route from Kyaing Tong. Hundreds of Chinese arrive in tour buses everyday for activities not allowed in China.
The ethnic Wa, who agreed on a ceasefire with the Myanmar army, control the area that claims to be on the way to become a drug free zone.
There are large orange, tea and lychee plantations in the surrounding mountains.

Tachileik is a bordertown with Mae Sai in northern Thailand. Guests visiting the Chiang Mai / Chiang Rai area can normally enter Myanmar at Tachileik (NEED PRIOR PERMISSION!). Also daytrips are possible, for those there is no visa required. Tachileik has not really much to offer. There is a relatively good road to Kyaing Tong.