Shan State capital perched on a scarp slope, known for its market and hill cultures.
Taunggyi is the administrative capital of Shan State and Myanmar's fourth-largest city, after Yangon, Mandalay, and Mawlamyine. The name means "big hill" — an understatement for the dramatic scarp slope on which the town perches, looking out over the Shan Plateau.
The market is the highlight. Colourfully dressed ethnic groups from across the Shan hills converge here, and on a good morning it feels like a walking museum of Shan culture. Taunggyi is also home to some of Myanmar's finest cheroot factories, if you want to see how those distinctive green cigars are rolled.
The Shan State Museum (also called the Taunggyi Museum) has a good collection of tribal costumes, weapons, and artefacts, including antique opium weights and musical instruments — look for the snakeskin guitar. Above the town, the Shwe Pone Pwint Pagoda commands sweeping views over the plateau. The town also serves as a base for trips to Inle Lake, about an hour's drive to the southwest.
Guide
Getting Around
Taunggyi is a mid-sized town that is navigable on foot in the centre, though the distances involved in getting around the outskirts are better covered by motorbike taxi (easily flagged on main roads) or shared pick-up trucks that ply the main routes.
For day trips to Inle Lake (about an hour's drive), shared taxis and pick-ups depart from the main bus area; agree a price beforehand. Motorbike taxis will also make the journey for a negotiated fee and are faster.
The town sits at around 1400m elevation, which keeps temperatures moderate year-round but means that mornings and evenings can be cold, especially in November to February. A light jacket is useful even in what passes for summer.
Guide
Getting There
Taunggyi is connected to the rest of Myanmar primarily by road. Buses run from Yangon (roughly 12–14 hours overnight) and from Mandalay (8–10 hours). The road from Meiktila junction climbs steadily from the dry zone to the plateau; the views as you ascend are dramatic.
The nearest airport is Heho, about 35 km west of Taunggyi on the plateau (and close to Inle Lake). Domestic flights connect Heho to Yangon and Mandalay. From Heho, shared taxis and pick-up trucks cover the road to Taunggyi in about an hour.
There is no railway to Taunggyi. The Shwenyaung junction, about 25 km west, is served by a train from Thazi (junction with the Yangon-Mandalay main line), but the train is very slow and the road is faster for most purposes.
