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Hpa An is a beautiful little town in Myanmar where nature surrounds you in every direction, and 10km south of town lies its highest peak, the imposing Mount Zwekabin.
Standing at 722m above sea level and overlooking the entire area, hiking up to the towering limestone peak is one of the best things to do in Hpa An and was my personal highlight of my 3 days in the region. It is one of the most sacred mountains in all of Myanmar and is an active religious site with a Buddhist monastery and pagoda situated at the summit.
Tied with visiting the ancient city of Bagan, hiking up Mount Zwekabin was my highlight of 2 weeks backpacking this massively underrated country and the hike up to it’s summit is certainly an adventure not to be missed!
- Country: Myanmar
- Population: 400,000
- Language: Burmese
- Currency: Myanmar kyat (MMK). £1/$1 = 2500/2100 INR
- Travel information: Travel to Myanmar is currently suspended due to ongoing civil conflict in some states. For more information read this.
Where is it
Check it out on the interactive map below.
Getting to Hpa An
By far the most efficient way to get around Myanmar is by bus, and getting to Hpa An is no different.
- Bus/minivan: The most popular way to get around Myanmar is by minivan or ‘VIP bus’. A bus from Yangon to Hpa An will take around 6 hours which is the most affordable option. The best resource for booking buses ahead of time is 12Go.
- Fly: It is also possible to fly fto Yangon with Burmese Airlines, although this is by far the more expensive option. From there you can take a bus to Hpa An.
How to get to Mt Zwekabin
- Rent a scooter: The absolute best way to get to Zwekabin Mountain is by renting a scooter and driving yourself. Not only does it give you the freedom to make some stops along the way, but it’s also the cheapest and most adventurous option too. In Hpa An you can easily rent a motorbike from your accommodation for around 8,000 kyat per day ($4-$5) and fill it up with fuel for around $2.
- Tuktuk taxi: If you’ve never driven a motorcycle before or just don’t fancy it, you can organise a tuktuk taxi from your accommodation the day before you inted to go for around 20,000-30,000kyat. This will give you much less flexibility for stops though, but the driver will be happy to wait for you for the right price. Best ask your accommodation these questions beforehand!
When to hike Mt Zwekabin
In general, Mt Zwekabin never really gets so busy that time of year plays a big factor, however avoiding the rain and humidity of monsoon season would be best. Any time between November and February would be ideal as this is the driest time of year for southern Myanmar.
Visiting at sunrise or sunset is the best time of day to catch the most beautiful light and witness a stunning scene over the entire region.
Expected costs
The entrance fee for Mount Zwekabin is 4,000 kyat ($2) and a motorcycle will cost around 8,000 kyat for the day.
How long to allow
In total you should allow at least 3-4 hours to hike up, spend some time watching the sunset or sunrise and then get back down to your bike.
It will take around an hour and a half to get to the summit including a couple of short stops, but allow 2 hours as a maximum. You can descend in around an hour.
5 quick tips for Mt Zwekabin
1. Best months to visit
Aim to visit in Nov – Feb. This is the dry season and offers good conditions for hiking. Mar – May are extremely hot months and Jun – Oct are wet.
2. Best time to visit
You’ll want to avoid the heat of the day for this hike, so aim to be at the top for either sunrise or sunset for the best light as well as most favourable temperatures.
3. Water
Take plenty of water for Mount Zwekabin, she’s a big old mountain! Take what you think then take some more just in case.
4. What to wear
You’ll want to be comfortable and feel the breeze (if you’re lucky!) on the way up, but best pack some respectful clothing for the summit as there is an active monastery and pagoda up there. Keep your shoulders covered and remove your footwear.
5. Monkeys
You may start spotting monkeys as you get closer to the top, where you’ll discover there are hundreds living. As for anywhere that includes monkeys – keep an eye on your belongings around theses cheeky guys!
Thinking of visiting Southeast Asia soon? Don’t miss these essential guides to help planning your trip:
The Mount Zwekabin hike
The drive from town to the base of the mountain shouldn’t take longer than 20 minutes and from there you’re ready to take on the tough ascent.
The start point of the hike is at Lumbini Gardens which you can find here on Google Maps. Here you’ll find around 1100 Buddha statues in a linear formation which is a strange but interesting thing to see before beginning the hike. It’s kind of like a Buddha statue graveyard!
I timed the hike it so that I got the summit for sunset, so started at around 3pm after paying the entrance fee.
From the car park to the top there is a seemingly endless set of well-maintained, zig-zagging stairs, so your quads will likely feel the strain early on.
With an elevation gain of 720m in just 2km, there’s certainly no warm up for this mountain, and the sweat-inducing ascent is gruelling from the get-go, no matter your fitness level. It’s certainly not made any easier with the sun beating down on you, which is definitely a reason to consider sunrise instead of sunset!
Stopping for a few hydration breaks on the way up is unavoidable, but in total it should take around an hour and a half to get to the summit.
At the summit there are a few points of interest, but the stand-out feature (other than the incredible view, obviously) is Kwe Ka Bin Pagoda.
Here you can see a series of stupas balancing on a nearby ridge with the sleepy town of Hpa An in the background. Depending on the season a hazy mist may carpet the area, but depsite that the scene is simply ten out of ten.
I know it seems odd, but for the best view of the region you’ll want to get yourself on top of the toilet block. It’s easy to climb up and perfectly fine with the local monks. From here you’ll see a panoramic view of the rugged landscape and be able to watch the sun slowly disappear over the horizon.
The sheer cliff faces and massive drop-offs are simply breathtaking and by taking a seat on the edge you’ll realise just how high you’ve climbed.
My experience at Mt Zwekabin
Hiking up Mount Zwekabin was the number one thing on my hit-list while visiting Hpa An, and I’m so glad it lived up to the hype.
I started the walk at 3pm and arrived at the top after 1hr 40mins, just in time for sunset. I’m not going to lie, it was a brutal hike. From the car park to the top it is just an endless set of stairs and my god, the quads were feeling the strain! Safe to say, though, it was 100% worth the struggle and I stayed at the top for around 30 minutes.
Just before the sun totally disappeared, the descent began which took pretty much bang on 1 hour. I drove back to town and gave the feet a well deserved rest!
Where to stay in Hpa An
Hpa An is a small town that is still responding to tourism but there are still plenty of accommodation choices in town.
Browse Booking.com and Hostelworld for the best rates in town.
Most places will happily help you organise motorbike rental, buses and anything else you need throughout your stay!
Packing essentials for Mt Zwekabin
Head-torch: It’ll be dark at sunrise and dark after sunset, so pack a handy head-torch for your hike.
Travel camera: I use this one which, for me, is an essential item everywhere I go.
Water: Make sure you pack a reusable water bottle and plenty of water as it will likely be a sweaty day.
Portable charger: You’ll be taking lots of pictures so pack a portable charger to charge your devices on the move.
A warm layer: Depending on the season it could be very cold at the top!
Best tours in the region
Thank you for reading this travel guide – I hope you found it helpful! Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible 
Happy travelling!
HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR PLANNING YOUR TRIP
Accommodation: Booking.com, Hostelworld
Tours: GetYourGuide, Viator, Klook, TripAdvisor
Transport: 12Go, Omio, Trip.com, Rome2Rio
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