Inle Lake is a large freshwater lake located in the Shan State of Myanmar. It is known for its beautiful scenery, unique culture, and traditional way of life.

One of the main reasons to visit Inle Lake is for the natural beauty of the area. The lake is surrounded by lush green hills and is home to a wide variety of bird and fish species. Visitors can take boat trips on the lake to see the floating gardens, stilt houses, and traditional fishing methods used by the local Intha people.

Another reason to visit Inle Lake is to experience the unique culture of the Intha people. The Intha are known for their leg-rowing technique, where they stand on one leg and use the other to propel their boat through the water. Visitors can also see traditional Intha houses, observe their way of life and learn about their customs and traditions.

Inle lake is also known for its art and craft, especially the traditional silk and lotus-weaving, which visitors can learn about and purchase.

Inle Lake is a great destination for those interested in outdoor activities, such as hiking, bird-watching, and nature photography. There are also many pagodas and monasteries in the area, which offer visitors a glimpse into the spiritual side of the Intha people.

Overall, Inle Lake is a unique and fascinating destination that offers visitors the chance to experience beautiful natural scenery, a rich cultural heritage and a traditional way of life. It is a must-see destination for those visiting Myanmar.

Key Attractions

see the surroundings

Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda

One of the famous principal shrines in Myanmar, this pagoda houses five small Buddha images. Once a year, the Lights Festival coincident with PhaungDawOo Pagoda festival from end September to early October. The festival revolves around the procession of four sacred images, which usually reside with a fifth image at PhaungDawOo Pagoda for worship by the faithful all year round. For 18 days, the four images are taken out of PhaungDawOo Pagoda and carried in a spectacular procession around the 200 villages dotting Inlay Lake, with an overnight stop at a pagoda in one of the villages.

Ngaphechaung Monastery

Ngaphechaung Monastery is located in Inle Lake, on the way to Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda. This is an attractive wooden monastery built on stilts over the lake at the end of the 1850s. Aside from its collection of Buddhas the monastery may be of interest to visit because its monks have taught a few of the many cats living with them to jump through hoops. 25 minutes boat ride to visit and ancient monastery built on huge pieces of teak wood with traditional architecture and see the popular jumping cats leap through the hoops.

The monastery is also known for a collection of old Myanmar’s Buddha images from different areas that are worth seeing. NgaPheChaug is the biggest and oldest monastery on the Inle Lake and is worth visiting for its historical purposes and architecture as well as its cats.

Shwe Indein Pagoda

This mysterious place is one of the small villages of Inle Lake located on the western bank of the lake. A Buddha image has enshrined at a whitewashed stupa, which is on the summit of a hill. Below the stupa around the hill are cluster of hundreds of ancient stupas most are ruins overgrown with bushes. The pagoda hill is quiet and calm. One could feel the pleasant cool breeze with the sweet rings of the bells hanging at the umbrella of the stupa. Mesmerizing view from pagoda hill releases the fatigue and refreshes everybody who ascends to the peak. This mysterious place is at the end of the marvellous Indein creek, which connected with Inle Lake just after the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda.

Mint Thauk Market

Usually the Mint Thauk Market is open after every 5 days. A large and bustling market where one can find a real local atmosphere with a variety of produce from the lake. Other places of interest near the market in the lake are PayaPauk Pagoda, Zakah Village and NgaPheChaung monastery. Accessible by ferry boats in Inle.