I am so fortunate and blessed to have a God-given passion for travel; not afraid of heights, no fear of flying, and never experienced motion sickness and have been in a position to adapt to any foreign environment rapidly; all played a role in my favor to become a traveler by heart. That is what was in my mind when I was sitting on a narrow longtail boat bumping up and down on the beautiful Inle Lake in Taunggyi District, Shan State, heading towards unseen adventures.
During my research, I saw amazing pictures and read a lot about Inle Lake, which motivated me to travel thousands of miles away from home and experience them in person. It was absolutely different being there in person and enjoying the ever-dreamed destination. I felt like I was in a different world. Watching boat after boat passing by in a 22 km long and 10 km wide lake between two mountain ranges, fishermen steering their boats with a unique rowing style, wrapping one leg around their oar absolutely amazing.
Floating Villages
The floating villages, typical wooden houses perching above the water surrounded by narrow canals, floating gardens, markets, a pagoda by the lake, and the local Intha people’s unique lifestyle were unforgettable. Finally, after 7+ hours on the road, we arrived at 3:30 PM at Nyaung Shwe from Mandalay.
Boat Ride in Inle Lake
First, we planned to rent a boat. Since we wanted to enjoy the sunset from the lake, we parked our car in a secure place close to the lake entrance so that we could rent a boat for the rest of the day. Unlike any other lake, it has no lakefront or shoreline to walk alone; all marshy edge seemingly has no beginning or end. So the best way to see the lake is to hire a boat and driver for the day. A day trip on the lake would cost around US$15 – $20, and the long, narrow boat fit five to six people.
Most boat tours include time on the lake to observe and photograph the Inle fishermen, especially at dawn and a trip to the rotating five-day market. In addition, several stops will be at villages with cottage industries, including lotus silk weaving, silversmiths, cheroot making, and boat building. Since I was with local friends, I tailored our day by skipping a few touristy shopping.
Lotus Fiber Weaving Activities
One of our stops was at the lotus fiber weaving at paw Khon; there were friendly people with no pressure to buy their products, even greeted with a smile and greeted with a glass of tea. There were some beautiful scene from the location so spend much of my time taking pictures and observing the village activities. I bought a few t-shirts made of threads extracted from lotus plants. Local woman looming threads which was interesting.
Next up was cruising through the villages under the wooden bridges and winding narrow canals, visiting silver making factory, and then back on the boat heading towards a Buddhist temple. Perfect weather late afternoon, ailing sunshine, making the atmosphere golden and the cool breeze more enjoyable. However, I started to get worried; I could not afford to miss the sunset from the greater lake.
Pagoda by The Lake
The Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda looked beautiful from the boat, glowing with the golden sunshine. Our boat anchored at the landing pier in front of the pagoda. Inside we saw five images of Buddha that were completely covered with gold leaf, and the interior walls were decorated. From the outside yard, I could see beautiful picture-perfect scenery of the canals and Ywama village.
Sunset Viewing in Inla Lake
On our way to the main sunset attraction of the day, we stopped by Nampan Village and the Pagoda. I have seen a lot of sunsets throughout my journey; in fact, I have a collection of sunset pictures from around the world starting from Malibu, Ostia, Perth, Kuta, Galle, St. Martin’s, Samui and so on but never seen such a beautiful scene of sunset behind the mountain range and reflection on the water and leg-rowing fisherman in between. In fact, this is the scene I had been dreaming of for years, and finally, my dream came true.
And that was my story of Inle Lake! The young monks on the street for the offering. Early morning market, bumpy boat ride in the lake, unique lifestyle of the lake inhabitants, cruising through the canals and villages, jumping off the boat to see lakeside pagodas, seeing leg-rowing fishermen, magnificent sunset from the middle of the lake, and hopping off to the restaurants in the middle of the lake to relax and enjoy a drink which reminded me of Kevin Kostner’s Water World movie. All these unforgettable memories impressed me and influenced me to return again.
Lake Activities during our boat trip
Where to stay in Inle Lake, Nyaung Shwe
KMA Inle Hotel, Inle Lake
KMA Inle Hotel offers relaxing holidays with its spa and wellness center. In addition, the property has an on-site restaurant serving Asian food throughout the day. Located in Nyaung Shwe, KMA Inle Hotel is a 25-minute boat ride to Nyaung Shwe Jetty and a 45-minute boat ride to Paung Daw Oo Pagoda. Heho Airport is a 30-minute drive from the property. The complex has lake and mountain views from all units.
Thanakha Inle Hotel, Nyaung Shwe
Located in the village of Nyaung Shwe, Thanakha Inle Hotel offers modern air-conditioned rooms with free WiFi. In addition, the hotel features a 24-hour front desk, outdoor swimming pool, and tour desk. The property is a 35-minute drive from Heho Airport. Services include currency exchange, shuttle service, laundry, luggage storage, and babysitting.
My Opinion and Last Word
Have you been to Inle Lake, Myanmar? Any cool tips to share?
I loved being in Inle Lake Myanmar, and want to go back again. I hope my story has motivated you to visit Myanmar.
Please leave a comment below! I’d love to hear from you to improve my knowledge.
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