Experiencing local life and culture in Myanmar’s Kayah State

Myanmar’s smallest state is taking big steps towards promoting sustainable tourism.

Inbound tour operators and members of the media experienced authentic, local culture by visiting villages in Kayah State in eastern Myanmar as part of a familiarization trip planned by the International Trade Centre (ITC) and partners from 23-26 February.

Participants visited several villages to gain a broader understanding of Kayah State’s natural attractions and opportunities to engage in cultural exchange and village life.

Trekking through local villages

In Pan Pet village, famed for its long-neck women, participants had a choice between short and long treks led by local community guides. The guides worked with English-speaking, professional tour guides to showcase highlights related to local history and livelihoods.

Both treks included scenic views and a traditional ‘jungle picnic lunch’. Tour operators who opted for the longer trek followed the ‘trail of the ancestors’ to one of the original Kayan (long-necked Karen) settlements. Those on the short trek met a local artisan who demonstrated how to make Kayan bracelets.

In Hta Nee La Leh village, local guides led visitors through cultural and natural sites, including the traditional ‘Kaetoebu’ animist hall and towering totem poles. Participants met local musicians and artists, with opportunities to try their hand at playing bamboo instruments. They finished the tour with a barbecue: local dishes enjoyed on the banks of the scenic Seven Lakes.

Participants included representatives of Yangon-based tour operators, three tour operators based in the Kayan State capital of Loikaw, professional tour guides, journalists and government staff. The cultural tour programmes were developed following several months of consultations, surveys and training for local community members. ITC experts facilitated programme development under the Netherlands Trust Fund (NTF) III Myanmar inclusive tourism project.

Discovering authentic regions

Tourism in Myanmar has so far focused on traditional highlights: the bustling capital of Yangon, the colonial-era charm of Mandalay, the temples of Bagan and the tranquil beauty of Inle Lake. Recent political changes have stimulated interest from international visitors wishing to go beyond these highlights and discover new and authentic regions in Myanmar.

Kayah State is a recently opened destination . Closed for over half a century, and now accessible by air and road, Kayah offers untouched natural attractions, ethnic diversity and a location close to Inle Lake and the Thai border. It holds great potential for tourism in the small local villages – if managed in a responsible manner – and offers insight into traditional ways of life.

Looking ahead

Since 2014, ITC has partnered with the Myanmar Ministry of Hotels and Tourism and the Ministry of Commerce to support the development of new cultural and nature-based tourism products in Kayah State. This involves enhancing the trade competitiveness of tour operators, streamlining national tourism branding, and marketing and strengthening tourism associations on the national and local levels, while respecting local cultures and the environment.

These cultural and creative tourism experiences will be presented by participating tour operators during the upcoming ITB trade show in Berlin, Germany, from 8-11 March.

Travel media and trade participants will have opportunities to meet with representatives from ITC and Kayah State. For more information about the Kayah community tourism experiences, please contact Mr. Peter Richards at peter.e.richards [at] gmail.com (peter[dot]e[dot]richards[at]gmail[dot]com). To make an appointment at the ITB trade show, please contact Naut Kusters at myanmar.travel.europe [at] gmail.com (myanmar[dot]travel[dot]europe[at]gmail[dot]com) or + 31 6 48805 475.