Inle Lake

A visit to the Inle Lake of Myanmar is going to make you travel back in time. Huge villages on the lake made of wood and/or bamboo accommodate locals who live their daily lives by working in their floating gardens, fishing, creating handicraft and showing tourists how they live and what they do. And it doesn’t stop there.

Inle is not only about the water and the surroundings residents. It is also possible to explore the perimeter by bicycle and being the witness of the beautiful Burmese countryside. Take some time to visit one of Myanmar’s most iconic destinations with an early-morning cruise, a cycle through the countryside, or a sojourn into the surrounding hills and villages. Every morning, a flotilla of slender wooden canoes fitted with long-tailed outboard motors bursts forth, transporting visitors to various natural, cultural, religious and historical sites. Nyaungshwe, on the northern edge of the lake, is the base for setting out on motorboat trips –each hotel and guesthouse in town can help arrange one, unless you prefer waiting for a boat captain to approach you in the street.

Make sure to spend time observing the Intha fishermen (more photogenic at dawn) and their unique technique of rowing the boat with one leg while using both hands to fish. Other destinations further afield include the villages Thaung Thut, Hmaw Be, and Samkar, while you can also in Inthein where crumbing, hilltop pagodas look down on the water. Drivers can carry up to five passengers, who get padded seats and life jackets. Many trips start at dawn, when the light is great for photos; sunset trips are also popular, although note that it can get chilly on the lake.