Photographer: Mr. Richard Mills

What to do in Inle

Explore the surrounding villages by bicycle or on foot. With a guided hiking tour, you can trek through mountains, forests and hill tribe villages. The paths can be steep and the heat can be exhausting, but walking is the best way to gain a glimpse into local life.
Do not miss the Inle market which rotates weekly around the lakeshores from village to village.

In Indein, located on the lake’s western bank, you’ll find hundreds of ancient stupas. A few villages have pottery workshops with underground kilns. And don’t miss the floating islands - masses of floating weeds where people grow vegetables, found in Kaylar, Inchan and Zayatgyi villages. 
For an off beaten track experience, keep riding a boat southward, you will be amazed by the sunken stupas in Sankar and friendly habitats of Pa o hill tribes

These days, you can spend time to admire the one leg rowing technique demonstration that Intha fishermen use to fish in the lake. It is a wonderful chance for photographer to capture something uniquely Myanmar. 
Besides, kayaking tour is available for those who love to navigate themselves along the stilt villages, characterized gardens and canals.

Festival Time

Visit in September or October, and you’ll be lucky enough to witness the three-week Phaung Daw U Festival. During this festival, four gilded Buddha images are placed on a replica of a royal barge that circles the lake, accompanied by an impressive procession of leg-paddled boats. The boat stops in several village monasteries along the way. This festival is followed in November by the Hot Air Balloon Festival, an enormous competition in which giant paper balloons are released into the air. 

Practical Information

To reach Inle, you can take the daily flight or bus from Yangon, Mandalay and Bagan. 
Many travelers choose the trek from Kalaw to Inle as it is a very nice experience, combining local experience with relaxation by the lake. 
Hotels are limited and often fully booked in tourism season, book your hotel in advance.