In a nutshell
There is currently a travel warning for Myanmar. The German Federal Foreign Office has issued a travel warning because the security situation in the country is still considered critical. It is currently not foreseeable when the situation will improve.
Visit Chin Villages? Yes or No?
Myanmar’s Chin State stretches across the country’s far northwest. Until 2011, tourists were completely forbidden from going there.
Since then, restrictions have been relaxed somewhat, and guided day tours from Mrauk U to some Chin villages are now available.
That said, it’s not the picturesque landscape or curiosity about the Chin people’s simple way of life that draws tourists to these tours.
It’s the elderly women in the villages with their facial tattoos — and the hunt for that one extraordinary photo.
We went back and forth on whether we should take this tour or not. In the end, we decided to go — and to cut to the chase: we wouldn’t do it again.
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The Facial Tattoos of Chin Women
The villages are home to the last living witnesses of an ancient tradition. For centuries, the Chin tattooed the faces of their women with specific patterns. Depending on which tribe the women belonged to, their faces might display spider webs, dots, or other designs.
At a very young age — often as young as 8 or 9 — Chin girls had to undergo this painful procedure, until the government banned the practice in 1960. As a result, only the oldest residents of the Chin villages still wear these facial tattoos.
Where the tradition originally came from, nobody really knows anymore. Legends say that the markings were meant to protect women from being abducted by other tribes.
As tends to happen with traditions like this: at some point, something gets done simply because it’s always been done that way, and nobody questions the reason anymore.
Tours to the Chin Villages
You can book a tour to the Chin villages anywhere in Mrauk U. Prices are fairly consistent across the board.
We paid $85 for the tour and split the cost with another couple from our hotel. The price includes transportation by car and boat, a private guide, and a simple lunch.
In the morning, you first take a short car ride to the boat dock. From there, a longtail boat takes you three hours along the river.
Along the way, we made a stop at a traditional market where locals from the area do their everyday shopping.
The tour takes a full day, and we visited a total of three Chin villages.
Chin Village Tours and the Ethics
We thought long and hard about whether to take one of these tours. On one hand, we were curious; on the other, we had a really uneasy feeling about it.
How would the women feel when tourists come into their villages and take photos of them? We didn’t want to be part of one of those tours where you descend on a community like you’re visiting a zoo — stare for a bit, then leave.
On the other hand, we’d often heard the argument that these tours bring a lot of good to the village communities as well. Tourists bring money, which benefits everyone in the villages and, among other things, helps provide children with a better education.
A tough call!
We ultimately decided to see for ourselves. We wouldn’t do it again.
In reality, the women are presented to tourists like circus animals. It seems someone even taught them to shake hands with tourists as a greeting.
In Myanmar, a handshake is completely uncommon even among younger people, and you could tell how uncomfortable the women were with it. We were no less uncomfortable, and we still can’t figure out who came up with such a ridiculous idea.
The first village we visited was the tourist hotspot. Apparently all the tours pass through here, and during peak season that’s up to 20 boats a day. Unbelievable. It was also very clear here that the tourists were viewed as a necessary evil.
The other two villages were not yet as overrun, and we felt somewhat more at ease there.
After arriving in the village, you head straight to the hut where the women are sitting. You sit there awkwardly side by side, not quite sure what to do. Through our guide, we tried to ask the women a few questions.
Do they find the tattoos beautiful or ugly? Ugly! Are they glad the tradition was abolished? Yes! How do they feel about tourists coming to their villages? Good! May we take a photo? Yes!
Before the tour, we asked our guide whether — and how much — tip we should give the women when we photographed them. Nothing at all!
The women sell scarves they have woven in the traditional way, and we were encouraged to buy a scarf from them instead. That seemed reasonable, so we dutifully bought one or two Chin scarves.
Gifts for the Children
Many travel guides suggest bringing gifts on tours like these — especially notebooks and pens for the kids. Many people also bring candy, which of course isn’t really what these children need.
The owner of our hotel in Mrauk U told us: “Don’t bring them pens and notebooks.” Apparently all the tourists do that, so the kids are already well stocked with those.
He recommended buying clothing for the children at the market, since that’s something they can actually use. That’s what we did, and we left the distribution to our guide on the ground.
The children were really happy with the items — at least in the second and third villages — and you could see they were genuinely useful to them.
Some of the kids were wearing little more than rags.
Our Verdict on Chin State Myanmar Tours
Honestly, we would not take this tour again and can’t recommend it. We felt uncomfortable — and so did the women, visibly.
We don’t have a solution for how to make a tour like this gentler or more respectful. It probably just can’t be done. At the very least, though, the ridiculous handshaking ritual could have been skipped.
Of course, you shouldn’t ignore the positive aspects entirely either. Money does flow into the villages, and it’s invested in better education for the children. On the other hand, the children are being conditioned to expect gifts from tourists.
It’s just complicated. What do you think? Have you ever been on a similar tour in Chin tribal villages or elsewhere in Myanmar? How should you handle yourself? Should you bring something for the children? So many questions! We’d love to hear your thoughts — leave a comment below.
