The freshwater lake in a valley is unrivaled with tribes’ civilisation and floating agriculture on the vast waters and mountains in the background.
How To Get There
Take a domestic flight to Heho airport then grab a one-hour taxi ride to Nyaungshwe town. Budget travellers can consider buses from most major cities like Yangon and Mandalay to Nyaungshwe. Trains are available from Thazi to Shwenyaung if you opt for a slow but scenic journey to Inle Lake.
Photo by Adobe Stock
What To Do
Go for a boat tour to see life on the lake and get a dose of their sustainable lifestyle. Long narrow boats navigate the waterways with ease by the native’s unique one-legged rowing style as you cruise by local villages on stilts of the Intha people.
Floating gardens are a common sight with various vegetables farmed on the waters besides numerous monasteries. Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda in Ywanma village is considered to be one of the holiest places in Shan State for Buddhists. Catch an amazing sight at Indein village as hundreds of stupas relics mushroom the hill.
Traditional cloth-weaving practice prevails in craft shops making their hand-woven textiles the best buy from Inle Lake.
Hotel Amazing Nyaung Shwe
Where To Stay
Experience a scenic stay at ViewPoint Lodge & Fine Cuisines in stilt-houses with a private lake. The resort has a rooftop viewpoint, bar and various local dining options for guests. For convenient and friendly lodging, Hotel Amazing Nyaung Shwe is a spa hotel in the vicinity to main Nyaung Shwe Market and other attractions.
Where To Eat
Find Shan cuisine from eastern Myanmar served in a delectable range in Sin Yaw Bamboo Restaurant. A must-try is their tangy Shan noodles and assorted curries. For authentic Burmese cookery, Lin Htett offers top savoury platters with side dishes as choices. Spend casual hours at tea shops like the locals for some milky tea and deep-fried snacks.
ViewPoint Lodge & Fine Cuisines
Good To Know
• Inle Heritage House is worth-visiting for hopeful learners of the Intha’s culture together with a Burmese Cat Village.
• Khaung Daing Hot Spring is a bike ride away from Nyaungshwe town for a thermal dip.
• Inle Lake became Myanmar’s first UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves in 2015.
• Cheroot (Burmese cigar) making is popular in Inle Lake.
Text by Jessy Wong
