Picture by marhas
Picture by Kiri baneFisher rowing with one leg
The local fishermen are known for practicing a special rowing style: They stand on one leg and wrapping the other leg around the oar. Standing provides the rower with a better view. The leg rowing style is only practiced by the men.
Picture by Marina & Enrique
Picture by marhasEvening
Picture by 10b travellingSunset
Picture by PigalleInle lake and the surrounding hills
Picture by staffan.scherzAt an altitude of 880 meters, the lake is one of the most unique ecosystems in Myanmar. Over twenty species of snails and nine species of fish are found nowhere else in the world. Read background about fishery in Myanmar and on Inle Lake. During the rainy season Inle lake can rise by 1.5 meters. There are Khaung Daing Hot Springs on its northwestern shore. Around 70 000 people, called Intha, live in villages along the lake and on stilts on the lake and towns nearby. Inle Lake Wetland Sanctuary - established in 1985 - counts more than 642 square miles. The lake is surrounded by the so called "Blue Mountains" of Shan state.
Picture by Paul FihnA floating farm: The farmland is attached to the lake bottom by bamboo poles
Picture by marhasThe farmers cultivate rice, fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, beans, cauliflower, cabbage, eggplant, garlic, onion, betel, melon, papaya and banana. They use platforms made from weeds and bamboo as floating gardens. These gardens rise and fall with changes in the water level. Many hand made products such as bags and baskets are made from water hyacinth. Read background about this hydroculture.
Picture by Wild About Travel
Picture by Paul Fihn
Picture by Songkran
Picture by marhas
Picture by marhas
Picture by marhasMaing Thauk Village
On the east side of Inle Lake, half in the water, half on the land. A 500 meter long teak bridge connects thetwo parts of the village. The construction was supported by U Ohn Maung. There is a wood monastery on the top of a hill, Tawya Kyaung, from where you can enjoy a panoramic view of the lake. It takes 45 minutes to walk from the village to the monastery, the way is not steep. At lunch time, around 10:30 am, you can see the monks' way of having their food. On the way to the monastery you will pass-by a nursery school and an orphanage residence. Another trekking from Mine Thauk: Walk through the plantations (wheat, ginger and cheroot leaves), after 90 minutes you will arrive at Baw-la-bat village (Inn Thar people), located on a small hill with nice view. Then trek for around 45 minutes through orange plantations to Pone Tel, a Pa-O village, and 30 minutes further to Loi Kaw village, where Pao,Inn Thar and Shan people live. From here you return back to the starting point by a different route for about 2 hours by passing Dala-pin village (Inn Thar). After all you will have walked for five hours. Maing Thauk is also well known for its market, where hill tribes from nearby and the local people gather. You get here vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, cheroots, local dries, local food and souvenirs. See pictures and another picture. Here you get a Schedule of Market Days in Inle Region 2013.
You can do a trekking tour from Maing Thauk Village. And also this tour.
Picture by Not That Bob JamesTeak wood bridge connecting the two parts of Maing Tauk Village
Picture by Anuar TOn the way to the monastery
Picture by Anuar TThe wood monastery Tawya Kyaung
Picture by Anuar TInle lake, seen from the terrace of the wood monastery.
Nga Phe Chaung Village
Nga Phe Kyaung - Monastery of the Jumping Cats: Nga Hpe is a wooden monastery, which was built on stilts in 1845 on Inle Lake, just north of Ywama. The monastery is famous for its cats, that were trained by the monks to jump through small hoops. But don't be disappointed, if you cannot see the cats jumping. Some guides tell you that's why the cats are already old. Or, maybe, the cats just want to act as burmese cats do: play around, lie around and eat some rice. Instead you will see a collection of Buddha statues in Shan, Tibetan, Bagan and Inwa styles, set on wooden and mosaic pedestals that are over hundred years old (read more: The Cloud Mountains). Such pedestals are the specialties of Shan and Northern Thai Buddhist art.
Picture by marhasApproaching Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery
Picture by marhas
Picture by jennikokodesu
Picture by marhas
Picture by Jacques Beaulieu
Picture by travfotos
Picture by marhas
Picture by travfotos
Picture by marhasThar Lay Village
Phaung Daw U Pagoda: The pagoda houses five small gilded images of Buddha. the monastery is open to all, but only men are permitted to place gold leaf on the images. Surrounding the Pagoda and in the basement are shops selling Shan and Burmese merchandise. Annually, during the Burmese month of Thadingyut (from September to October), an 18-day festival is held, during which four of the Buddha images are placed on a replica of a royal barge designed as a hintha bird and taken throughout Inlay Lake. barge is towed by several boats of leg-rowers rowing in unison, and other accompanying boats, making an impressive procession on the water. The barge is towed from village to village along the shores of the lake in clockwise fashion, and the four images reside at the main monastery in each village for the night. The high point of the festival is on the day when the images arrive at the main town of Nyaung Shwe, where most pilgrims from the surrounding region come to pay their respects and veneration. The images would be taken from the barge and a grand procession would take them to the main temple in Nyaung Shwe.
Picture by marhas
Picture my marhas
Picture by onourownpath.com
Picture by marhas
Picture by Jacques Beaulieu
Picture by travfotos
Picture by marhas
Picture by marhasView from Phaung Daw U Pagoda
Picture by marhasThar Lay Village
Picture by tarotasticThe royal barge on its way during the festival - it carries four golden Buddha images
Picture by spacepplIn festival mood
Nampan village
Alodaw Pauk Pagoda: One of the oldest shrines on Inle lake, built on stilts. The white stupa enshrines a gem-encrusted Shan-style Buddha. The pagoda houses four different looking Buddhas. One of the 84000 pagodas built by the king Thiri Dhamma Thawka. It was then known as Innphaya Pagoda. When King Anawrahta arrived, he only found the foot of the pagoda left, so he rebuilt. When King Alaungsithu later visited the place he made a vow on the jewelled bowl turned down and in the bowl came the relics of Buddha. So King Alaungsithu following to the legend rebuilt the pagoda enshrining the jewelled bowl, a stone obtained from the clouds, a stone obtained from the ivories, a pearl and all kinds of jewellery. four gold statues and seven silver statues. It was named Yadana Pagoda or Down-turned Bowl Pagoda. King Narapatisithu rebuilt it again enshrining eight gold statues, 15 silver statues and seven pyis of jewels. It was then named Alodaw Pauk Pagoda.
Picture by marhas
Picture by marhas
Picture by marhas
Picture by marhas
Picture by marhasLiving on stilts
Picture by marhasNampan Market: Read: Beside the Beauty and Boats of Inle, a Bustling Bazaar Beckons
Picture by marhas
Picture by marhas
Picture by marhas
Picture by marhas
Pictures by marhasTomatos and vegetables from Inle Lake
Picture by marhas
Picture by marhas
Picture by marhasTobacco from the Shan hills
Picture by marhasInpawkhon village
Ko Than Hlaing: Here you can observe silk weaving and the various methods of weaving, dyeing, and extracting thread from lotus stems. Read the blog and see pictures of the production.
Picture by marhasSilk weaving at Ko Than Hlaing shop
Picture by marhasMuch revered in houses and temples on Inle Lake: Aung San Suu Kyi and her father Aung San
Picture by marhasThe Inle lake area is also renowned for its weaving industry. The Shan-bags, used by many Burmese, are produced here. Silk-weaving is another important industry, producing the so called Inle longyi. From the lotus plant fibers robes for Buddha images called kya thingahn (lotus robe) are weaved here.
Picture by Paul FihnCigar workshop
Picture by Paul FihnSpinning water hyacinth
Picture by jbeaulieuWeaving
Nanthe village
Kyaukpyugyi Paya: This pagoda in the village of Nanthe with huge Buddha image is reported to be 700 years old.
Picture by Jungle_boyYvama or Yawnghwe
Nearly all the buildings are constructed on piles. Residents travel around by canoe, but there are also bamboo walkways and bridges over the canals. Ywama is part of the 5-day rotating market cycle of Inle. Ywama's market takes place on the grounds of a pagoda complex. The village is home to a monastery and a stupa, weaving, metal smithing, wood carving and umbrella workshops.
Picture by 3coma14Aung Mingalar Pagoda:
Picture by marhas
Picture by marhas
Picture by onourownpath.com
Picture by Alan CordovaInnthein
Also: Indein. A long winding river takes you from the lake to the village of Indein, where you find some small shops.
Picture by Anuar TMain street of Indein
When you leave the village towards Shwe Inn Dein Pagoda, you will first come to Nyaung Ohak ("Group of Banyan Trees"), crumbling ruins of stupas only recently freed from the jungle (see pictures). There are fascinating carvings of elephants, peacocks, devas (female deities), chinthe and more (see pictures by wandering forward and by Nicola e Pina).
Shwe Inn Dein Pagoda: On the western bank of Inle Lake. Staircases in north, south and east go up a hill. The eastern staircase leads from the foot to the summit, where you find an amazing collection of more than thousand stupas and a pagoda. The pagodais said to be the work of King Ashoka and was later extended by King Anawrahta of Bagan in the 11th century. "You will find yourself alone in a sea of ancient brick pagodas which rise from the dry forest. Encrusted with vines, and growing trees from cracks, the voices of the ancients can be heard as faint wispers from these structures. Each has its own personality, and together the community from ages past welcomes all modern vistitors", describes bretjiina on tripadvisor.com. A legend says that the first stupas were built in 20th year of the Buddhist Calendar by the emperor Thiridhamman Thawka (King Asoka). View of the lake and the countryside. You can approach the pagoda complex also along the river and through large areas of bamboo. Be early and the pagoda will not be crowded by tourists.
Picture by mikecoghThe stairway leading up to Shwe Inn Dein Pagoda
Picture by travfotos
Picture by travfotos
Picture by travfotos
Picture by travfotos
Picture by Anuar T
Picture by onourownpath.comSee also this great panorama by Win Thu Aung
Picture by Anuar T
Picture by Andrea GaifamiThe Indein stupas from the top
Thaung Tho Kyaung Pagoda:
Picture by jbeaulieu
Picture by jbeaulieuNyaung Shwe
Little town along a canal. Popular tourist are Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery, Shwe Yaungwe Monastery and Yadanar Man Aung Su Taung Pyay Pagoda. Shwe Yaungwe Monastery is famous for its large windows and the teak building.
Picture by weegolo
Picture by 10b travellingNyaung Shwe Pier
Nyaung Shwe Cultural Museum: In Yawnghwe Haw, a teak and brick palace (see picture 1 and picture 2). It used to be the Royal Palace of Shan Saw Bwar, the Shan Chief, and was reconstructed in 1924 after the old palace had been burnt by fire. Sao Shwe Thaike resided here, the first president of the Union of Burma in 1948 (see picture on taigress.info). When the Burmese military seized control of the country on March 2, 1962, they raided Yawnghwe Haw and imprisoned Sao Shwe Thaike in Insein in Yangom, where he died some months later. As visior today you'll find a royal throne, royal Shan costumes, teak tables, divans, sedans and palanquins and many photos. The museum has been renamed "Buddha museum" in 2007 by the military rulers. US Dollar 2 will be charged for entrance. Read more on irrawaddy.org.
Picture by Stephen BrookesThe empty throne room, picture taken in 1999.
Shwezarli Pagoda:
Picture by dogpongShwe Yaunghwe Kyaung Monastery: North of Nyaung Shwe. The walls and ceiling of the temple are decorated with hand painted glass tiles. The walls have hundreds of niches with Buddha statues. A great photoset has been published by Callanan.
Picture by roaming-the-planetThe ordination hall
Picture by fergysnapsWhere to eat around Inle lake
Inthar Heritage House: This building was built to preserve the traditional architecture of Inle Lake house, with specifications and style of the past in Inn Paw Khon village. 80 percent of old wood taken from an old house was reused in this house. 25 carpenters worked here and completed the house in October 2009. Inthar restaurant offers local food, mostly grand mothers' recipes with fresh vegetable from the organic garden. There is a Burmese cat sanctuary on the ground floor. Outstanding food according to reviews on tripadvisor.com. See Inthar Heritage House Facebook Page. See Misuu Borit, the owner, and more pictures of Inthar Heritage House.
Picture by marhas
Picture by fabulousfabsMeanwhile the Inle Hospitality Vocational Training School has opened. The school is connected to The Inthar Heritage House. Included is the use of solar energy, constructed wetlands for waste water management, and generation of over 800 gallons of clean water a day. The school delivers a a ten month course in two semesters in four hospitality disciplines. The school will also be a fully functioning hotel, where guests in six bungalows will receive high quality service from students and Inle Heritage staff.
Useful informations for guests around Inle Lake
Travel Agencies in Nyaung Shwe:
Inle Boy: Canal Road, near Shwe Hin Thar Guesthouse. Phone 09-428331679 / 081-209806. One day sightseeing on boat for 25 000 Kyats. Taxi to Kakku 45 000 Kyats. Taxi to Pindaya 50 000 Kyats. Taxi to Airport Heho 20 000 Kyat.
Tours on the lake: They start around 7. 30 am and return at 4 pm. Visitors are brought to the floating morning market of Ywama and then to the Phaung Daw U Pagoda and the Jumping Cat Monastery, where monks have trained their cats to jump through hoops. They also take you to shops, where you can watch how Burmese products like cheroots (leaf-rolled cigars), lacquerware, and silk cloth are made.
Biking activities: Rent a bike and cycle the bumpy road for 45 minutes towards the mountains to visit the hot springs. You pay 8 US-Dollars per person for access to the pools and get a towel. Or go From Nyaung Shwe 12 km to Maing Thauk (Mine Thauk, Main Thauk) in less then 1 hour. Go east for 2 km, turn right at the sign "Red Mountain Vineyards". Or make a bike-boat-bike route in about 3 to 4 hours. First go to Khaung Daing. Then take the boat to Maing Thauk. The 30 minute boat costs about 6000 to 7000 Kyat. See maps for biking around Inle Lake.
Trekking: To Pa O Village, Htat Ein Cave.
The best time for visits: This is during September and October. The ceremonial Hpaung Daw U Festival, which lasts for almost three weeks, is closely followed by the Thadingyut festival of lights. Inthas and Shan turn out in their best clothes in great numbers to celebrate the Buddhist Lent. Traditional boat racing, with dozens of leg-rowers in Shan dress in a team on each boat, is a famous event during the Hpaung Daw U Festival. Read more; Paung Daw U (Phaung Daw Oo) Festival Inle Lake
Shadows of pollution over Inle lake
There are a lot of reports about growing pollution of Inle Lake. Read more:
Severe Drought Hits Burma’s Famed Inle Lake
Fears for a Floating World A Burmese documentary filmmaker highlights the steady environmental degradation of Inle Lake
Myanmar's Golden Pond: Inle Lake is shrinking at an alarming rate.
Tension beneath the surface The once-pristine environment, now damaged by visitors and local mismanagement alike, has become a polluted, shrinking pool, posing a threat to both people and wildlife.
Biking through villages of Inle Lake
See video by Lyle Herman
More discoveries around Inle Lake:
Hotels and Resorts around Inle Lake and in Nyaung Shwe - and Reviews by Guests
Nyaung Shwe Restaurant Picks
Wine tasting around Inle lake
Kalaw - the former British Colonial Town and the Colours of the Shan Hills
Pindaya Caves - a fascinating Pilgrimage Site
Kakku: Thousands of Stupas around a Pagoda - a Magical Place
Great blog and useful information
ReplyDelete