Inle Lake is surrounded by high mountains, on its banks there are 17 villages .The lake's head is furrowed by artificial floating plantations made from the roots of hyacinth and algae - on them peasants arrange beds and grow tomatoes .And in the great waters of the lake water buffaloes bathe - huge, but quite harmless .In the middle of the lake on piles, the Monastery of Leaping Cats is built, where today there are only six monks - and they really tame and train cats .Once in five days, aborigines arrange a floating market on the lake, collecting on a pile in one pile .You can buy there almost everything: souvenirs, papyri, fruit, sea life, rugs, embroidered with gold and silver threads, lacquer boxes of horsehair (from 5 USD), products with carving on teakwood (around 15 USD) ±$ br >.
19.02, 23.04 Cambodia - Laos - China - Myanmar - 4 countries in 20 days
"The wonders of Asia. Mysterious Shangri-La from 322 000 rubles.
How to get
From Bagan can be reached by bus. You can rent a minibus for $ 65. You can also take a bus from Yangon to Taunji, passing through Bago. Cost about 20,000 chat.
Search for air tickets to Mandalay (nearest in-house to Inle)
How to navigate
From the west along the lake stretches Rau Rd, which starts from the People's Park and goes to the Yangon-Pye highway, and from the east - Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd from Lake Kandoji to the airport. On the east side, the embassy buildings of Bangladesh, Cambodia and the Sedona hotel are located. Behind the lake is the 34-meter Kaba Aye pagoda, or Peace Pagoda.
Kitchen and restaurants
At Phaung Daw Pyan street, there is a small family cafe, where the menu only pancakes flavored with various fillings: vegetables, fish, chicken, cheese, jams, condensed milk and fruits. The cost of the portion is 1500-3500. Surprisingly good is home-made yogurt, especially with honey. There is a cafe right next to the Teakwood guesthouse.
Buy fresh fruits and vegetables, traditional lunches skirts, sweets can be in the village of Yawnghwe. Paradise for gluttony: from morning till late at night boilers with soups and wigs with roasting meat boil on the streets. The most delicious Shan soup of thin noodles, fresh water fish barbecue, coconut rolls, beans pies and peanut cakes.
Entertainment, excursions and attractions Inle
Near the lake, between the two mountain ranges stuck in the town of Nyaung Shwe (Nyaung Shwe), the starting point of travel on the lake for all tourists..Almost all built of wood, a small town is impregnated with the atmosphere of the Wild West .You can stop at the hotel Paradise Hotel, where the bungalow will cost $ 40 .per day of stay .Here you can rent a boat and start exploring the lake .Walking fans will appreciate hiking in the mountains..Four-hour climbing up the hill, a passing visit to the openwork villages of the Belykh Pa-O tribe, a lunch in the monastery at the highest point of the district, a walk through the bamboo forest and again a descent to the lake, from where an obliging motor boat brings you back to the city - a day full of impressions and self-satisfaction, is guaranteed .
The wooden temple in Nyung-Shwe, built of teakwood, is the most ancient temple in Myanmar.
- Make sure that the inhabitants of the coastal villages are able to deftly handle the oars with the feet.
- Stop at night in an exotic "floating" hotel on stilts. The cost of a double room is from $ 80. You can get there in an hour's drive by boat from the Nyaung Shwe pier.
- Pobarahtatsya in hot springs near the town of Nyaung-Shwe.
- Observe how from the stems of lotus and other plants make clothes in a mini factory in Nyaung-Shwe. Immediately you can buy unusual clothes with national ornaments.
- Successfully purchase an antique sword or dagger of the early 20th century, which you can buy in local markets for everything from $ 20 to $ 35.
Village of Maitau
The village of Maitau is built on the water, instead of streets and avenues there are canals, cute houses stand on piles. The traditional way of life of the Burmese is visible here on the palm of every detail. On the mountain you can find a small forest monastery with an excellent viewing platform, and on the bridge leading to the village, in the evening, the local women crowded in colorful dresses, greet tired husbands from fishing. For tourists working a small cafe, souvenir shop is constantly replenished with products made by local residents.
Village of Indain
In the Indain village, the Indiana monastery is guarded by a meandering canal, because the oldest stupa of more than two thousand years old has a great historical value for the Burmese. To get here, you need to go up by boat on one of the canals in the western part of the lake.
Village of Iwama
The village of Iwama turns into a most lively place on the lake every five days: there is a stormy trade on boats. There is even the danger of getting stuck in a water "traffic jam". But it's better to buy souvenirs on the beach, where the assortment is bigger, and prices drop more willingly.
Temple Phaung Daw Oo
Temple Phaung Daw Oo, in the sanctuary of which live five small figures of the Buddha, plastered with gold petals of tourists and pilgrims beyond recognition. Tranquility and silence are the main attractions of this area. Photo Inle (2)