Kyaing Tong / Kengtung Area

We will be travelling to Myanmar %26amp; Thailand in August. There are so many great sounds places I%26#39;m having a hard to narrowing down the choices. Has anyone been to the Kengtung area? How do villages / scenery compare with those in the golden triangle area of Thailand. Any recommendation for one over the other durning the rainy season? Advice from those who have been there would be appreciated.

Kyaing Tong / Kengtung Area

Hi Seattle!

Ok, Kyaingtong (Colonial name Kengtung) during the rainy season:

Kyaingtong is beautiful, no question about it. The indigenous local people here are significantly more traditional and %26#39;authentic%26#39; than their relatives over the border. I have been to Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai (Kyaingtong is actually the companion settlement to the Thai locales - Prounced Chiang Dong), and up to the Myanmar border in Thailand. It certainly is convenient, but the hilltribe life you will observe and participate in there is nothing but a creation by the TAT - for foreign tourists. But it is convenient and there are creature comforts you will NOT find in Kyaingtong.

The only hotel you SHOULD stay in in Kyaingtong is the Princess. It is reasonably comfortable, and, most important, privately owned.

I am not certain about the frequency of flights into and from Kyaingtong out of season. Tourism there is a new venture, and if you are not ethnically Asian, you will get LOTS of curious stares and giggles from local kids.

If you go to visit the tribes, bring hotel soaps and shampoo, aspirin, etc. Rather than candy for the children, I suggest bringing colored pencils or crayons. Virtually all of these people practice traditional medecine, and even aspirin is a nice thing for them to have. Additionally, if you can bring bandages, neosporin (or any antibacterial cream,) antifungal creams, etc., it would be wonderful. If you are in Thailand before, you can buy all of these things very inexpensively at any Thai pharmacy (not in a western style supermarket - they%26#39;re more expensive.)

I return to Myanmar in a few days. I do not know that I shall be able to reposnd during the next month, but I shall try to answer any questions you might have either before my departure or after my return in mid June.

Oh yes, I just saw the last part of your question - scenery in Kyaingtong - 1 word - WOW!!!!!!!!

Have fun.