It is amid a landscape both karst and lush that we invite you to venture for your next holidays in Burma. The layers of green played by forested mountains and vast rice paddies ensure a complete sense of escape. Hpa-An reflects the perfect marriage between nature and culture thanks to its caves, gardens and pagodas. If you wish to embark on new adventures and enrich your cultural experience, this destination will satisfy you.

Hpa-An, let's talk about it…

Capital of Kayin (Karen) State, Hpa-An (or Pa-An) is a small Burmese town located in the southeastern part of the country, on the eastern bank of the Salween, a Chinese and Burmese river. Composed largely of Karens and Burmans, its population totalled 421,575 inhabitants in 2014, with 75,141 living in urban areas.

A true microcosm of Myanmar, Hpa-An takes particular pride in its ancient caves, beautiful Buddhist temples, rice paddies stretching to the horizon and impressive karst peaks. Despite its considerable tourist attractions, the destination remains remarkably well-preserved from mass tourism. The countryside of Hpa-An, a corner of paradise cast upon earth, holds more interest than its urban centre. Here, Buddhist caves take precedence over pagodas, and the more adventurous can play amateur speleologist during their stay in Hpa-An, gem of southern Burma.

What to see? / What to do in Hpa-An?

The unmissable and breathtaking sunrise over Hpa-An

Experience the town in early morning by rising before dawn. This is the first must-do during a stay in Hpa-An to observe the morning life of locals, already buzzing from 5:30 – 6:00 a.m. Strolling through Pa-An streets at such an hour, you'll already see novice monks collecting alms and women carrying baskets filled with vegetables on their heads or shopping for breakfast.

Also consider heading to the small lake of Hpa-An to admire the sunrise alongside those doing morning fitness. This brief moment of escape will refresh your spirit.

The caves at Hpa-An

They are the source of this destination's reputation, for they are unique in their kind.

Kawt Ka Taung Caves

Discover over 100 Buddha statuettes lined up near a natural pool and succeeding one another over approximately ten metres. This arrangement illustrates the daily alms-giving of monks to the local population.

Kaw Gone Caves (or Kawgun Cave)

They are characterised by thousands of small terracotta Buddha statues dating from the 7th century. You will also find numerous Buddha images carved into the rock walls of the cave. This site also offers an incredible view of the surrounding countryside, featuring vast rice paddies of a magnificent natural shade of green, adorned by verdant mountains.

Saddan Cave

Undoubtedly the most beautiful cave, the largest and most visited in Hpa-An, this site presents an unusual spectacle not to be missed. It descends into the depths of the mountain amid the region's rice paddies. The visit to Saddan Cave will reveal in just 2 hours numerous troglodytic pagodas and small Buddha statues adorning the walls. Home to thousands of bats, this gigantic cavern is also adorned with twisted stalactites that accentuate the architectural beauty of the place.

Dugout canoe ride amid verdant rice paddies

Saddan Cave opens onto a magnificent lake amid rice paddies, the starting point for a charming canoe excursion. A fine adventure not to be missed during a stay in Hpa-An, this little journey will first take you across the lake, then through another cave leading to a small canal amid the rice paddies. It is best appreciated in absolute nature's silence, accompanied gently by birdsong, a moment of unique escape to savour in Burma.

Lumbini Garden and its 1,000 Buddhas

This is not a flower garden where you encounter different plants. Rather, it is a garden with over 1,000 well-aligned Buddha statues. Some are covered with roofs, others are not. The site is located at the foot of Mount Zwekabin, just before the beginning of endless staircases. With verdant mountains in the background, the site offers a rather photogenic spot, so bring your cameras!

Hiking Mount Zwekabin

A bit of exercise will do you good. The ascent to the summit of Mount Zwekabin will challenge you to climb stairs with 700 metres of elevation gain. Once at the top, you'll be rewarded with a 360° panoramic view over the entire region. It is undoubtedly the best vantage point to observe the finest sunrises and sunsets in Hpa-An. Some spend the night in the monastery to share part of life with the monks.

Kyauk Kalap Monastery

For a visit to this site, prepare yourself to immortalise this moment of fascinating discovery, as Kyauk Kalap Monastery is of very striking appearance. A large vertical boulder supporting the main pagoda at its summit (including Kyaut Ka Latt Pagoda), surrounded by a few trees, the site is marvellously perched on a sort of islet floating on an artificial lake. The boulder actually has a narrower base than its summit. So one wonders how the pagoda maintains its balance or whether the boulder will hold it long enough. The location is ideal for taking beautiful photos, as the lake water casts lovely reflections and Mount Zwekabin in the background promise shots worthy of postcards.

Climate

Generally, it is always warm in Hpa-An, especially from October through May of the following year. This is indeed the best period to visit this Burmese town, excluding October, which still experiences heavy rains. The wettest months are: June, July, August, with rain frequency beginning to diminish in September and October.

You can take a bus from Yangon for a 7-hour journey before arriving in Hpa-An. It is also possible to reach the destination from Thailand, from Chiang Mai to the Mae Sot border in 8 hours' time. From there, you can take a taxi and travel for 3 hours before arriving in Hpa-An.

You can travel by bus, taxi, but the most common is the tuk tuk. For the more adventurous, it is possible to rent scooters to explore the streets and especially to discover the countryside of Hpa-An.