Pyin Oo Lwin

Pyin Oo Lwin (formerly Maymyo) lies at 1,070 metres in the Shan Highlands, 67 kilometres east of Mandalay, with around 153,000 inhabitants. The town was founded in 1896 by the British under Colonel May as a hill station and named Maymyo ('May's Town') after him. During British Burma (1886-1948) it served as the colonial government's summer capital, where officials retreated from the heat of Yangon. The cool climate allowed the cultivation of strawberries, coffee and cut flowers, still characteristic of the town. Victorian brick houses and Tudor-style villas survive in large numbers. The Kandawgyi National Botanical Gardens, laid out in 1915, cover 437 hectares with more than 480 species of trees. Today Pyin Oo Lwin hosts Myanmar's most important military academy, the Defence Services Academy.

Nearby cities

Mandalay

The second-largest city in the country, known for its rich history and culture.

Meiktila

A strategically important city in central Myanmar, on the shores of Lake Meiktila.

Myingyan

An industrial city in the Irrawaddy River valley, known for its cotton cultivation.

Kalaw

A former British hill station offering cool climate, pine forests, and the starting point for famous treks to Inle Lake.

Nyaung-U

A town on the Irrawaddy River, serving as the main access point to the ancient temples of Bagan.

Inle Lake

A freshwater lake in Shan State, world-renowned for its leg-rowing fishermen, floating gardens, and stilt villages.

Taungoo

A historic city in the Bago Region, known for its forestry and teak production.

Naypyidaw

The modern capital of Myanmar, known for its vast and quiet streets.

Sagaing

The capital of the Sagaing Region, famous for its many Buddhist monasteries on the hills.

History & landmarks

Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda

The most important sanctuary on Inle Lake, housing five small Buddha statues covered in gold leaf beyond recognition.

Nature

Irrawaddy River

Myanmar's most important and longest river, serving as a commercial waterway and lifeline of the country.

Indawgyi Lake

The largest inland lake in Myanmar and an important biosphere reserve for waterbirds.

More places

Mogok Ruby Mines

A world-famous mining area in the Mandalay Region that has supplied the world's most sought-after pigeon's blood rubies for centuries.

Yeywa Hydropower Plant

One of Myanmar's main hydropower plants, located on the Myitnge River, feeding a large part of the national power grid.

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Tagaung Taung Nickel Mine

A major ferronickel mining and smelting project in the Mandalay Region, primarily destined for export.

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Myingyan Steel Mill

A state-owned industrial hub for steel production in the Mandalay Region, built to meet domestic demand for construction materials.

Popa Mountain National Park

A protected area around Mount Popa, preserving rare plants and animals of the dry zone.

Mount Popa

An extinct volcano in central Myanmar, known as a sacred site for the veneration of Nat spirits.

Shwesettaw Wildlife Sanctuary

A nature reserve in central Myanmar established to provide a habitat for the critically endangered Burmese star tortoises.

National Kandawgyi Botanical Gardens

A sprawling botanical garden in the hill station of Pyin Oo Lwin, known for its alpine flora, orchids, and butterflies.