BHAMO (BHAMAW)
Bhamo is an old trading port town, situated
in Kachin State, on the bank of Ayeyarwaddy
River, a town where the ships from Mandalay
could achieve their northern most access.
The Chinese border is only 80km (50miles)
away and the infamous Ledo-Burma Road, which
was developed by the Americans during 2nd
world war, passes this town. About 3km north
of Bhamo, remnants of 15th century Shan
Kingdom called Sampanago featuring ruined
pagodas and grass overgrown city walls.
Bhamo’s daily market attracts many ethnic
minorities to the town, where you can often
catch colorful costumes and faces of Shan,
Kachin, Lisu, and Palaung of nearby hills.
The magnificent mountain scenery, the stunning
views of geographical features of lush sub-tropical
jungle-clad river banks and the enthralling
river gorges, and the fascinating mixture
of people from many different ethnic minorities
are a few supporting points that one should
consider visiting such remote and isolated
town of northern Myanmar. Bhamo can be best
visited from Mandalay with government run
twice a week Chinese-made triple decker
or there are boutique-style cruises available
from Amara River Cruise (scheduled regular
departures), and seasonal cruises operated
by Ayavata and Orient-Express’ Road To Mandalay
are more pleasurable but comes at cost.
It will take around 6-hrs to/from Kachin
State capital Myitkyina by car for 186km
on a dusty bumpy road. Virtually, there
is a road connection between Bhamo and Mandalay
but land routes are extremely cumbersome
and thus not suggested. For those who have
a little extra time, visits to the Elephant
camp and an old British hill station Seinlon
can be made from Bhamo. Although it may
need to exert considerable amount of time,
energy, and money it is worth to try a circular
route beginning in Mandalay to northern
Shan state visiting old colonial town of
Pyin Oo Lwin, spectacular train ride over
one-hundred-year-old Gothteik Viaduct to
charming bucolic former Shan capital Hisapw,
experience Myanmar part of renowned Burma
Road from Lashio to the frontier town of
Muse to Namkham valley and then finally
to Bhamo before the enthralling downriver
journey back to Mandalay.
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