Built by the British as a retreat from soaring summer temperatures, when Norman Lewis visited in the 1950’s he wrote that 'it was like Reading at the end of a very dry August'. Perhaps a little more imagination is required today, but the small town retains a very anglicised feel.
The jewel in Maymyo’s crown is the magnificent mature botanical gardens with rose beds and orchid houses reminiscent of the royal gardens at Kew. A very pleasant afternoon can be spent here simply relaxing and strolling around the lake.
More adventurous souls can take the very steep path to the Dadtaw Kyaint waterfall a few kilometres from Maymyo. Water tumbles more than 100 feet over a rocky cliff hitting the jade green pool below with such a force as to create a natural jacuzzi to swim in!
In the town of Maymyo itself you may wish to try out one of the little horse-drawn stagecoaches which are unique to the town, and definitely explore the market. For lunch you could try the wonderfully atmospheric Candacraig. Built in 1906 as holiday accommodation for workers from the Bombay Burmah Trading Company, this slightly dilapidated mansion is as charming as it is incongruous and on some days roast beef still appears on the menu.
A short distance beyond Maymyo is the Penkchin Mhyan cave which is filled with many thousands of Buddha images and is a place of pilgrimage for many Burmese.
En route from Mandalay to Maymyo you may wish to stop at the local vineyard and sample some of the wine all grown, matured and bottled on site. Beware, the Loire this is not! There are also lots of fresh produce stalls on the road to Maymyo and during mid-January until mid-March strawberries are in abundance and are absolutely delicious, it is well worth a stop to buy some for the journey.