Loikaw is the capital of Kayah State (Karenni State), Myanmar's smallest state and one of its least visited, home to the Kayan people — known internationally for the brass neck rings worn by women as a sign of beauty and identity. The surrounding hills contain some of Myanmar's most diverse ethnic minority communities and the landscape of valleys, lakes, and forested mountains is visually stunning. Loikaw has only recently opened to tourism and retains an authenticity that more visited destinations have lost.