lonely-planet-myanmar-burma-11-edition

State and Xishuangbanna (China) in a verycolourful, if comfortably slow-moving fair.The event is entirely untouristy, unless youcount the many costumed Lisu villagerssnapping photos of one another – variedregional Lisu costumes being markedly different.Highlights include barefoot climbingof a knife tower and have-a-go stalls totry out your prowess on a traditional crossbow.Held before the February full moon.Manao FestivalCULTURALOriginally a way to propitiate the localnat, this is now a nationally importantgathering of the six Kachin tribes forfeasting and costumed dances, performedin Manao park (north of centre) where thelarge Native American–style totem polesremain in place year round. Accommodationwill be stretched at this time. Observersget into the festival mood by drinkingcopious quantities of rice beer. Held onand around 10 January, Kachin State Day.4SleepingIn Myitkyina, nowhere named ‘Guesthouse’takes foreigners and the town’s two riversidehotels can’t be recommended: the Nanthida isrun down and slated for conversion into officeswhile the potentially lovely Sumpra is alsoin need of some TLC and likely to be rebuiltin 2012 (it’s also inconveniently far north oftown towards the Ayeyarwady Bridge). Apartfrom the YMCA and the cheap, but rather sorry,New Light Hotel (singles/doubles $10/15),all other options are variations on the typicalChinese-style hotel.Hotel United HOTEL $$(%22085; 38 Thit Sa St; s/d/f $25/30/40; a)Brand new and slightly more refined thanmost of the Chinese hotels, it’s beside thebetter known Hotel Pantsun, a block west ofthe YMCA and the railway line. It’s close toseveral eateries yet reasonably quiet.Xing Xian Hotel HOTEL $$(%22281; xingxianhotel@mptmail.net.mm; 127Shan Su North; standard s/d $20/30, superior s/d$25/35; a) Two giant vases and a cabinet ofjade trinkets welcome you into this quiet,friendly decade-old hotel that’s two blockssouth and west from the jetty (or four blockssouth from the market). Walls are gettinggrubby in some of the 30 rooms, but thebest ‘superior’ options (upper-floor corners)are bright and well equipped. Staff here areunusually obliging, informal bicycle rental ispossible (K3000 per day) and the location iscentral yet quiet, just a block from the river.YMCA HOSTEL $(%23010; mka-ymca@myanmar.com.mm; YMCA St;s/d/ste $12/16/20, s/d with shared bathroom $8/13;ai) The ‘Y’ is an ageing half-timbered placewhose main attractions are low prices andthe very helpful English-speaking staff whocan prove to be a valuable source of information.However, conditions are pretty basicand beneath the starched white sheets, thebeds are lumpy. The family suite is no lessgrungy but it’s the size of an apartment,sleeps three and comes with kitchenette.Two Dragons Hotel HOTEL $$(%23490; Zay Gyi St; s $25-35, d $35-45; a)While marginally the smartest city centreoption, the difference in quality isn’talways quite enough to justify the heavymark-up and some rooms, while wellequipped, are inconveniently configured.Central but somewhat noisy.5EatingTraditionally Kachin food is noted for usingrelatively little oil in contrast to Burmesecuisine. Classic dishes include chekachin(steamed chicken pasted with spices andwrapped in a banana leaf), sipa (mixture offreshly steamed vegetables sprinkled withsesame powder) and nakoo-che (hot-sourfish with bamboo shoots). Wash it downwith kaung-ye, a cloudy semi-sweet pinkbrownbeer made from sticky rice.As well as the places reviewed here, thereis a wide range of accessible (if fairly standard)eateries along Zaw Gyi St west of therail tracks.oKiss Me BURMESE $(Zaw John Rd; snacks K500-1500; h6am-9pm)Popular with Myitkyina’s wind-combedfashionable youth, this is at first glancejust a simple stilted riverside pavilion withlow wooden stalls. Yet quite unexpectedlyit turns out some of Myanmar’s very bestsnack-food. The ‘banana roll’ is as delicate afritter as you’ll find and comes with a wonderfultangy tamarind dipping sauce. Anddon’t miss their fabulous gyin tok a divineflavour explosion that is quite possibly thebest crunchy ginger salad you’ll ever taste.Jing Hpaw Thu KACHIN $$(Riverside; dishes K1500-3000; h9am-10pm) Consideredthe top place for real Kachin food,you’ll probably need local help finding (and237MYITKYINA NORTHERN MYANMAR & THE UPPER SLEEPINGMYITKYINA AYEYARWADY SLEEPING