The clock tower
Stone at the junction.
Clay Gilliland — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wunna Phyoe from Singapore, Singapore — CC BY 2.0 · Clay Gilliland — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Clay Gilliland — CC BY-SA 2.0
Pyin Oo Lwin is a hill town in Mandalay Region, about 67 km east of Mandalay at 1,070 metres. It is known as the City of Flowers and long went by its colonial name, Maymyo. People come here to escape the heat of the plains, as the air is fairly cool, and it has gardens, coffee farms and old houses, making it one of the country's calmest towns. It was the summer capital of British Burma, and Maymyo means May's Town, after a British officer. Its present official name is a Burmese form of its Shan name. That explains the stone buildings and houses in an English country style, the small painted horse carts and the mix of Burmese, Shan, Indian and Nepali communities. At the heart of town is Purcell Tower, a slim stone clock tower where the main street meets a junction, with a white single-minaret mosque, markets and bright shops nearby. On the edges are a broad golden pagoda on a green rise, a Chinese temple with a garden and yellow roof, and colonial houses among the trees. Coffee farms under tall trees surround the town. It is about 38 km from Mandalay Palace in a straight line. The National Kandawgyi Gardens are its best-known sight and deserve half a day. Bring a jacket for the evening. Do not photograph military areas, as the town has a large military academy. The UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to this area, so read the current advice before you plan.
Stone at the junction.
Flowers and a lake.
Under tall trees.
East of Mandalay, Mandalay Region, Myanmar
For air cooler than Mandalay's, and for its gardens and quiet old character.
It is possible, but one night is easier, as the road is hilly.