Inle Lake

Overview

Inle Lake is Myanmar's second biggest lake and is located in the country's center. This lake's splendor will surprise you because it is encircled by mountains on all sides, providing a breathtaking natural view. Additionally, the region is home to a variety of unique and rare animal and plant species. You can see several pagodas and temples on the lake, and its shores since religion are very important in local life in Myanmar.

Inle Lake is one of Myanmar's must-see destinations. The lake has a huge influence on the lives of the residents, as indicated by the fact that livelihood occurs around and on the lake. You will get the opportunity to interact with people throughout your trip and discover some of their traditional farming, fishing, cooking, and handicraft-making activities. The locals are kind and ready to communicate with visitors. When you interact with them, you'll realize how kind they are. 

Start your Inle Lake Tour with Asia Private Travels, and you'll enjoy the most amazing experience ever in Myanmar.

The local on the Inle lake

What to see and what to do?

When you prepare for your Myanmar tour, you might be confused about what to do and what to see in Inle Lake; there are many activities for you to experience. Let your trip become unforgettable!

When visiting a new land, learning about its tradition and custom is a very meaningful thing. Therefore, you shouldn’t miss it on your Myanmar tour. To explore the tradition of Inle Lake, you can engage in watching the puppet show at Aung’s Marionette. Aung's Marionettes Puppet Show is located in a small theater off the main street and offers a glimpse into the local culture of Inle Lake.   A 30-minute puppet show combined with traditional music tells the narrative of local myths and legends. All of the puppets manufactured here are handmade, and you may buy one to take home as a souvenir.

Aung's Marionettes Puppet Show, Inle lake Myanmar

Besides watching a puppet show, admiring the religious buildings is another way to explore the tradition of the region. When going on a Myanmar vacation, visiting pagodas is a must-do experience. Pagodas play an important part in Myanmar’s life. The people of Myanmar may not be wealthy, but this may be one of the few countries where it is simple to discover so many temples covered with gold leaf. The Phaungdawoo Pagoda, one of the most well-known in the region, is where you may discover gold leaf. The pagoda is decorated with elaborate gilded work. Apart from Phaungdawoo Pagoda, there are many other religious buildings for you to explore, such as Phaung Daw Oo Paya, Yan Aung Nan Aung Hsu Taung Pye Paya, Nyaung Ohak, Nga Hpe Kyaung, Yadana Man Aung Paya… Each place has its own meaning and story; come and explore by yourself to understand more about the tradition and religion of this land. You may also go to the Cultural Museum to learn more about Inle Lake. Here you may discover several Buddha-related items that have been gathered from all around the Inle Lake area, as well as galleries with displays of agricultural tools, jewelry, and weapons.

Traveling to Phaungdawoo Pagoda

Experiencing the daily life of the locals is also an interesting thing to do in Inle Lake. You can witness and explore the daily life of the locals by going to the markets. There are several marketplaces scattered around Inle Lake. The Five Day Market, the name of the market is because it rotates and stays five days in each place, is well-known in the area surrounding Inle Lake. This is a fantastic site to visit since it is well-known for its regional handicrafts, which are brought from the mountain by regional ethnic communities, so you can buy beautiful jewelry, textiles, and other souvenirs. Also, you can join a cooking class to learn about their cuisine. You may learn how to prepare the delicious Shan cuisine that is popular in the Inle Lake region for yourself. Your itinerary for Myanmar should also include stops at the Lotus and Silk Weaving Centers because Inle Lake is recognized for its weaving. Would you believe it? It started with a lotus plant and ended with a silk shirt. Lotus weaving is one of the numerous skills you'll see on your Inle Lake trip. Due to the high-intensity labor and lengthy manufacture, the final product in the shops is expensive.

Five Day Market in Inle Lake

Finally, admiring the beauty of Inle Lake can’t be overlooked when you are taking an adventure trip to Myanmar. The best approach to explore the charming tiny local towns near Inle Lake is to rent a bicycle and take your time exploring. You may also come across emerald green rice fields and thick forest canopy. In addition, getting on the water and taking a boat ride across Inle Lake is the main reason visitors come to the lake. A trip to the floating garden is a memorable one. These artificial gardens cover around one-fourth of the enormous freshwater lake. From atop boats, farmers cruise between their plots while harvesting food from "land" patches.

Inle Lake is full of interesting activities for you to enjoy. With Asia Private Travels, let’s make a memorable trip together. 

What to eat and drink

Through eating habits, people can also reflect their cultural or ethnic identity. People often use food to maintain their cultural identity. Therefore, you shouldn't ignore the food when visiting a new place. Additionally, it offers a glimpse into the customs, culture, and way of life of the residents.

Try the dim sum if you visit Inle Lake; the traditional flavors of Burma are combined with influences from China, India, and Thailand to create a consistently varied and high-quality cuisine. If you ever get the chance, definitely try the dim sum!

Enjoying Shan noodles in Myanmar

Due to the fact that Inle Lake is located in the Shan state, the regional cuisine has a significant impact on the meals that are served. Without a doubt, shan noodles are the most well-known and accessible meal in Burma and are available at almost every restaurant and street vendor.

Sesame seed and sticky rice cakes are other common food in this area that is inexpensively available almost everywhere. containing purple sticky rice that is mixed with the seeds and salt to create a sort of doughy snack that is served wrapped in banana leaves to help preserve it.

About drinks, you can have good drink at bars, pubs… You might think bars and pubs don’t fit Inle Lake; however, give it a try to enjoy the atmosphere in this place.

When to visit Inle Lake?

Weather is also an important element that affects directly your trip. Knowing about the weather before traveling to Myanmar will help you have a better itinerary and preparation.

The Dry and Cool Season

In general, the cool and dry season lasts from November through February. It is the ideal season for outdoor activities. The sunniest and coldest month of the year is particularly January. Even though it may be warm throughout the day, it is cool in the mornings and evenings. During the day, a long-sleeved shirt and pants can be enough, but for the nights and mornings, you need also wear a sweater or thick jacket to be warm.

Phaungdawoo Pagoda festival in October or November

The Hot Season

The hot season lasts from March through May; however, it rarely rains. To protect against sunshine, make sure you have sunscreen. However, it doesn't become as hot as other places in Myanmar, like Bagan, during its hottest season. You may still engage in other outdoor activities, such as discovering the inhabitants' distinctive fishing techniques, touring their floating gardens, taking in the local lake lifestyle, visiting stilted homes, and even cultivating farms on the lake itself.

The Rainy Season

From May through October, when it rains often and heavily, there are also strong winds. It is cool and humid outside. The wet season can be beneficial for you if you want less crowds. But due to the festivals, dry weather, and reduced rainfall, September and October are the best months to visit Inle Lake. The weather at this time might make it easier for travellers to visit the locations they are interested in.

Tours

You may consider the Myanmar itinerary, but you don’t have to worry because Asia Private Travels will help you to have the best itinerary and offer you a happy trip.

Inle Lake sightseeing tour: Inle Lake is a picturesque site with clean waters, mountain backdrops, floating gardens, and stilted settlements. On this journey, you'll get the chance to learn about the cultural marvels, stunning scenery, and distinctive lifestyles of Inle Lake. In addition to its natural beauty, Inle Lake is particularly stunning because of the long-standing relationships between its residents and the land. Villages sprouted out on the islands, stilt houses floated on the water, an original form of aquaculture, and distinctive leg rowing.

Inle lake sightseeing tour

Inle Lake boat tour: When visiting Myanmar, a priority should be taking a boat tour of Inle Lake in addition to viewing the well-known sites of Bagan or Mandalay. Inle Lake has been increasingly popular with international visitors over the past few years, and it's simple to understand why: the view is stunning, it's surrounded by nature, and it's still unaffected by mass tourism.

Inle lake boat tour

Inle Lake Baloon: Myanmar is quite beautiful, especially the mountains that surround Inle Lake. Book an air balloon flight to experience what Inle offers. Take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enjoy the most convenient air balloon trip in the area.

Inle lake balloon

Inle Lake cycling tour: A long cycling journey along the lake's coast, traveling through the towns that dot the landscape in between the opposing mountain ranges, would be the greatest activity in Inle Lake. Now, it’s time for you to escape the bustle and hustle of city life and immerse yourself in the beauty of nature.

Biking around Inle lake

Inle Lake cooking class: You may discover the Iocals people's traditional cuisine and get new knowledge. In the market, you may meet locals and experience the rustic lifestyle of some local stores and merchants. It'll be an incredible experience.

Experiencing Inle Lake Cooking Class

Hope that this information will help you to have a good Myanmar trip. If you have any difficulties, feel free to contact Asia Private Travels to get more detailed information.