'''Namshan''' is a village in Northern Shan State in Myanmar. Namshan is in the area where the Golden Palaung people live.

Understand

With a lousy road and a sleepy village look, Namshan may appear to have always been a sleepy backwater but, not so long ago it was the capital of the Shan State of Tawngpeng (Taungbaing). The region, and its capital, have declined economically since the abolition of the Sao Pha in 1952.

Get in

By road

A rough ride from Hsipaw on a very bad road (avoidable during the rainy season) is the only way to get to this village. The easiest is to ride pillion on a motorcycle (available in Hsipaw). The occasional truck that makes the journey may let you hitch a ride for a small fee.

Get around

The town is small and it is easy to walk everywhere, not that there is any other form of transport available!

See

  • '''The Sao Pha palace'''
  • Do

    Buy

    Eat

    The hotel prepares food on request and there are no restaurants open for dinner. For lunch, options are an unnamed Chinese restaurant and an unnamed Burmese restaurant.

    Drink

    Sleep

    There is only one 'hotel' in the village that accepts foreign nationals (not clear if it is licensed to do so). US$1 or US$2 for a bed and blankets in a shared room. It is unlikely that you'll have to share the room though.

    Contact

    None with the outside world. There may be a phone service for domestic call but, if there is one, it is not at all evident.

    Get out

    Namshan is pretty much the end of the road for legal travel. You can return to either Hsipaw or Kyaukme from here.