Great Shan State retreat

“My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our 2.5 day, 3 night stay at the farmhouse. After working/living in Yangon for six weeks, Pindaya Farmhouse is a little paradise, a beautiful building, with wonderful spaces indoors and out to enjoy the rural scenery, along a quiet drive and road out from which we birded quite happily in the afternoon (enchanted by the Sooty-Headed Bulbuls...). The décor is stunning, including bright paintings by Myanmar artists that grace the common room’s walls. We also appreciated the farmhouse’s efforts at sustainability, with solar panels, solar heated water for showers, rainwater harvesting and storage, and ample vegetable gardens and newly planted fruit trees. I can’t wait til the mango trees begin to supply fruit!

The rooms are extremely comfortable, each with private sitting spaces outside affording vistas of the rural countryside. Lighting is excellent, and the wifi system was quite reliable (also surprising to find!). The kitchen offers a nice array of dishes for lunch and dinner, although Win Naing also recommended an excellent restaurant, the Golden Moon, on the outskirts of town.

We spent one half-day touring the caves, the nearby paper/umbrella artisans, and a weaver. On our second full day, we hired a guide to take us on a 5-mile hike up into the hills, where we visited a village in the bamboo grove and watched potato “”crackers”” being smoked/dried and enjoyed green tea and good conversation with the lady of the house. Along the way, we were passed by a couple and two Myanmar guides who were hiking from Pindaya to Kalaw, a three-day trek. I also collect textiles, and was sent to a little gift shop that had a beautiful selection of women’s “”longyi”” cloths. Afternoons were for relaxing and reading, while evenings we especially enjoyed our final dinner shared with fellow travelers.

In mid-February the air is still cool and delightfully dry in Pindaya, a welcome respite from Yangon, although it was always a bit smoky from the farmers who are burning crop residues in preparation for the upcoming growing season. That gave a special glow to the sunrises and sunsets, which were both stunning.

Thahara made it very easy for me to arrange all aspects of the trip, managing my extensive email inquiries, helping me to settle on dates, and even arranging flights for us between Yangon and Heho near Taunggyi. I paid online via a secure epayment website, it could not have been easier.

I plan to recommend Thahara’s Pindaya Farmhouse to all my Yangon colleagues!”