Monywa

Lore & Background

Monywa is a national hub for poets, often described as the center of poetry in Upper Myanmar. It has served as home to many contemporary poets, including Min Swe Hnit, K Za Win, Kyi Zaw Aye, and Khat Thi. The city is also a major centre for trade and commerce, handling agricultural produce from the Chindwin valley such as beans, oranges, pulses, and jaggery. Local industry includes mills for cotton, flour, noodles, and edible oil, and Monywa's rough cotton blankets have provided 80% of the country's blankets for a century. Other regional crafts include bamboo and reed products, bullock carts, and agricultural implements, while the village of Kyaukka is known for its lacquerware. Very few tourists visit due to limited facilities.

Reader's Guide

Economically, it is a vital hub for trade and agriculture, particularly for beans, oranges, pulses, and jaggery, and its blanket industry has dominated Myanmar's market for a century. Culturally, Monywa is a recognized center for poetry in Upper Myanmar, producing notable contemporary poets. Its unique hot semi-arid climate, the only such climate in Southeast Asia, results from its location in the rain shadow of the Arakan Mountains. The city's attractions include the Thambuddhe Pagoda, the world's third-tallest standing Buddha statue, and the Phowintaung cave complex. The insurgent Burmese Communist Party was centered in the Monywa area for many years, and the Myanmar military presence remains heavy. Monywa is served by road, rail, river transport on the Chindwin, and an airport, though it is best reached by bus from Mandalay.

Did You Know?

• Monywa is the only place in Southeast Asia with a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen BSh).
• Monywa has provided 80% of Myanmar's blankets for a century.