Hpa-an – our first stop in Myanmar

Our first stop in Myanmar was 4 hours from the Thai border, a city of Hpa-An, which is the capital of Kayin State with a population of nearly half a million. This scenic town sits on the eastern bank of the Salween (Thanlwin) river.

We stayed at the Golden Palace Hotel for two nights and got to experience our hottest day so far during this trip (41 °C) and first of many power outrages in Myanmar. Also the air quality was quite bad at the time we visited due the farmers clearing land for the next harvest season by open burning the agricultural residues and forest fires due to the dry season. What we couldn’t but notice was, how nice the people in Myanmar really are. Here are some of the pics we took during our stay.