Holiday in Hpa-An

What makes Hpa-An special as a destination?

Hpa-An, the capital of the Karen State in southeastern Myanmar, is one of those places that leaves even experienced Southeast Asia travelers speechless. Surrounded by dramatic karst cliffs that rise steeply from a flat plain of rice fields and lotus lakes, the small town offers a density of natural wonders and sacred sites that is unparalleled. The most impressive sight is Mount Zwegabin, a 722-meter-high karst rock that towers over the town and has a golden monastery perched on its summit. The ascent via the steep staircase is sweaty, but the reward is a 360-degree panorama over the entire region — especially unforgettable at sunrise or sunset. At the foot of the mountain lives a colony of tame monkeys that are fed by the monks. The caves around Hpa-An are spectacular: The Saddan Cave leads through a huge chamber full of Buddha statues and stalactites to an underground lake, from which you can be taken by boat out the back of the mountain — an experience that feels like a mix of Indiana Jones and a spiritual pilgrimage. The Kawgun Cave impresses with thousands of tiny Buddha figures that have been embedded in the rock walls since the 7th century. The Yathä-Pyan Cave offers a cinematic view through a natural rock opening onto the green landscape. Rural life around Hpa-An is still largely untouched by mass tourism: Farmers work in the rice fields, fishermen cast their nets in the Thanlwin River, and water buffalo leisurely roam the plains. The Kyauk-Ka-Lat Pagoda, a golden stupa on a needle-like rock peak in the middle of a small lake, is one of the most surreal religious buildings in Southeast Asia and an image that is not easily forgotten.