Things to do and see at Inle Lake Myanmar

Inle Lake is one of the top destination for backpackers in Myanmar. After a few days there I could understand why. If you visit Inle Lake you will probably stay in Nyaungshwe town. A river runs through this town which connects it to the lake in the south. The main body of water is a 10 minute boat ride from the town. Things to do and see at Inle Lake Myanmar

Nyaungshwe has everything you are likely to need. You can arrange tours, book buses and find plenty of accommodation. It has ATMs, bars, coffee shops and plenty of restaurants offering a wide range of local and foreign food. Nyaungshwe is pretty small so you don’t have to walk far to find what you need. If you’re on a tight budget you will notice that it is a bit more expensive than other towns around Myanmar. 

Many people get to Nyaungshwe by doing a 2 or 3 day trek from Kalaw. Click here to find out more about this trek>>

There is a fee of 12,500 Kyat (around £8 or $10) just for entering the area. During our stay (2016) no one in the town actually checked that we had paid this fee. If you arrive on a guided trek the guide will take trekkers to the permit office. Things to do and see at Inle Lake Myanmar

1. Rent a bicycle and explore

The area surrounding Nyaungshwe town and Inle lake is very beautiful, fairly flat and ideal for exploring by bicycle. There are plenty of little bike rental places around Nyaungshwe town. Rental costs 1,000-2,000Kyat (60p-£1.20 or $1-2) for 1 day (morning-evening). Remember to bring sunscreen and plenty of water. 

2. Visit the Red Mountain Estate winery and vineyard

This lovely little vineyard is nustled in the hills surrounding Inle Lake. It can be accessed by bicycle or taxi from Nyaungshwe town. The bike ride from town will take 20-30 minutes. Entrance is free and they even do a free 20 minute tour in English at 12 noon, 2pm and 4pm. The vineyard and winery is open from 9am-6pm.

Things to do and see at Inle Lake Myanmar

We’re no experts but it seem darn fine to us! You can taste 4 different wines for a very reasonable 3000Kyat (around £2 or $3) whilst you relax and enjoy a beautiful view of Inle Lake from above. The location of the winery is pinned on the map below to help you find your way there.

Things to do and see at Inle Lake Myanmar

3. See an eccentric little art gallery

This art gallery is on the road between the Red Mountain Estate Winery and Nyaungshwe town. If you drop in on your way to the winery coming from town you will see the art gallery on the right. It is genuinely quite small and will probably only take 10-15 minutes to peruse the pictures.

 Things to do and see at Inle Lake Myanmar

Things to do and see at Inle Lake Myanmar

4. Take a tour of the floating village

The floating villages are fascinating to explore. As you weave through the tiny reed formed canals you get an insight into how they farm, school, laundry, socialise, basically how they do life. It really astounded me to see just how much they rely on boats, if you’re old enough to walk, you’re old enough to row. People of all ages tiptoe down their makeshift bamboo steps to use tiny boats to get from their stilted house to their corner shop or even floating pub. Things to do and see at Inle Lake Myanmar

The prices typically range from 15,000-20,000Kyat for a boat (approximately £10-£13 or $15-$20)

The most expensive way to book a tour is to do it through your hostel or agent. You will probably be approached in the streets and offered boat tours- again quotes will be expensive. Like most things in Asia, get to the source and shop around and you will get better prices. The best way is to walk along the river and look for the boats. Things to do and see at Inle Lake Myanmar

Top tips: Make sure your agreement is crystal clear. Sometimes they will stick to a fixed price per person and sometimes they will charge a fixed fee for the boat. Just make sure that you agree clearly at the start. If you are not convinced that they understand or suspect they are unhappy with the price it is probably better to try someone else. Pay at the end. Things to do and see at Inle Lake Myanmar

5. Take a cooking course

This was genuinely one of my highlights of Inle Lake. Not only do you get to learn some awesome recipes you get to enjoy devouring the delicious creations at the end. The course will probably take a few hours so leave a morning or afternoon for this one.  

The FANTASTIC thing about this cooking course is that most of the recipes rely on relatively simple ingredients that can easily be sourced in the UK or USA so you can impress your friends at home with your amazing Myanmese culinary skills.  

The course costs 20,000 kyat per person and you learn to cook 2 curry dishes, a soup and a salad. You may get a discount for a large group booking.

You can book a course at the Myo Myo (Linn Htet) Cooking School: Things to do and see at Inle Lake Myanmar

To book a class email myomyolinnhtet43@gmail.com or call +959 4283 26575

Or drop into the excellent Linn Htet restaurant which is on Yone Gyi Street on the South-East corner of the Mingalar Market. The Linn Htet restaurant is pinned on this map

6. See traditional fishing on the lake

The local fishermen are impressive, they have a unique method that involves wrapping one leg around an ore to maneuver whilst they use nets or bamboo cone baskets to catch fish. You can tell from the football shirts that these guys aren’t doing this for show. If you’re a photography nut and hit the right season, for a small fee you can ask to be taken to see them in traditional dress where they will pose for you. If you love photography don’t feel bad that this is more performance- you’re helping them make a living, it just depends on what you want to see (I point this out  because I’ve heard and read a bit too much travel snobbery on this one!)

Things to do around Inle Lake Myanmar Burma

6,000 kyat (approximately £4 or $6) for two people for an evening tour for 2-3 hours. You may be able to get this price bartering directly with a boat driver (or should that be captain?!) Things to do and see at Inle Lake Myanmar

Top tip: Check with the locals about the likelihood of seeing people fishing at the times you want to go. Fishing habits are seasonal and also depend on the weather at the time.

7. Explore a beautiful cave temple- Htat Eian Cave

We visited the Htat Eian cave around mid-afternoon and had the place to ourselves with the exception of a peaceful monk dressed in traditional robes. It is free to visit this cave; however, you can make a donation to the monastery. The cave does go deeper than some of the other cave temples and you can explore quirky dark passages.

A visit to these caves could be combined with a visit to the winery and art gallery. The cave is  a short detour and well worthwhile. 

Click here for some more information on how to get to this cave temple>>

Top tip: Bring a torch for this one and go be careful not to bang your head as the cave roof is pretty low at some points!

8. Enjoy a refreshing drink 

There are several coffee shops and bars around town offering a comfy and cool place to relax, socialise and of course use their free wifi to catch up with the gossip on facebook. Most of the coffee shops also serve tempting cakes and western food options too. The bars serve beers and cocktails. 

If you are love a good coffee and you’re in a western style place you may want to check that the coffee is made from fresh beans rather than cheap powdered coffee. If you’d prefer a cocktail or beer than keep an eye out for happy hour offers around town- you can get some great deals on drinks.

9. See some lovely Buddhist temples

There are several traditional Buddhist temples dotted around town. They are beautifully adorned and are worth a look.

10. Explore the Mingalar market

This delightful market sells all sorts of fruit, veggies, spices and other local amenities. We even found some incredible rice-based banana bread. We were left wondering whether this recipe inspired the English banana bread recipes that we enjoy at home. It is worth exploring this market in the morning to see it in its element. Things to do and see at Inle Lake Myanmar

Mingalar Market is to the north of Nyaungshwe town on Yone Gyi Street. Its location is marked on the map.

First Time in Myanmar ?? 

Myanmar is changing rapidly, so up-to-date blogs (like this one, ahem!) will be a great source.  But If it’s you’re first time visiting Myanmar you will probably want to grab a travel guide too. I always think you don’t need more than a ‘Rough Guide‘ as it is about making it your own adventure! They have a pretty cheap kindle copy as well as the actual book.

Looking for a place to stay ???

Check out our blogs on local little guesthouse you can find on route for each place:

Bagan>>     Inle Lake>>    Kalaw>>     Mandalay>>     Hpa An>>    Hsipaw>>      Pyin U Lwin>>     Myawaddy>>

OR

if you prefer to get organised and book everything in advance, this should be uber helpful:

Book you room in Yangon HERE (Explore the golden cities temples)

Book your room in Nyaung U (Bagan) HERE (A base for exploring famous temples)

Book your room in Inle Lake HERE (See the famous local fishermen)

Book your room in Kalaw HERE (Prepare for the Iconic Inle Lake Trek)

Book your room for Mandalay HERE (Walk the beautiful U Bein Bridge)

Book your room in Pyin oo Lwin HERE (Explore stunning waterfalls)

Book your room in Hsipaw HERE (For beautiful hill tribe trekking)

Book your room in Hpa An HERE (For climbing Mt. Zwegabin)

Things to do around Inle Lake Myanmar Burma