Namhsan

Namhsan
NAMHSAN was the capital of the former Shan State of Tawngpeng. It clings to a 1600m high narrow ridge, surrounded by valleys and mountains which rise to just over 1680m. Most of the inhabitants are Shwe (Golden) Palaung and make a living from tea. In Namhsan and nearby Payagyi are a number of tea factories where tea is roasted, boiled or pickled. The tea harvest runs from April to August, and during the monsoon overloaded trucks heading for Mandalay are a particular hazard, sometimes blocking the road for hours. From Hsipaw, the road passes through the lowland Shan villages of Konzaleik, Mo-te and Mali, before crossing a bridge over Dokhtawady and climbing to Panglong (Big Village). The road then descends to the river again at the small village of Loilu, before skirting the mountainside through tea plantations that run all the way to Namhsan.
– The Lonely Planet Myanmar (Burma), 2000