Located in the middle of the country, Inle Lake is a large and pretty lake that is not only popular with visitors but is also home to a wide variety of different ethnic communities and flora and fauna. Every single feature of it will allow you to enjoy a little luxury at Burma’s Inle Lake.
Getting to the lake can be a long and arduous journey by road, but an internal flight removes most of the hassle from the journey.
Although the area is known more for its natural beauty and different tribes, there are a few ways that you can add a few splashes of luxury to your adventure.
Private Boat Trip
Rather than tagging along with a tour group, you could consider charting your own boat plus driver to take you around the glistening lake. This gives you more control of where you visit (avoiding many of the workshops and shops if you don’t want to buy anything) and how long you linger in your favourite spots. It is also a lot more peaceful and relaxing to have the boat to yourself! Admire the quaint wooden houses on stilts, with entire villages living over the water, see the pretty floating gardens that provide food to the locals, visit temples, look out for cute kids splashing about in the water, and, if you are lucky, you may spot one of the famous leg rowers. Innovative fishermen take to their small boats using one leg to balance on the edge whilst rowing with their other leg, leaving both hands fee to fish. It is definitely something unusual to see!
Inthar Heritage House
A terrific stop when enjoying the lake is the grand Inthar Heritage House. Built to preserve the local architectural styles, the wooden building is really eye-catching. You can have a look inside and learn more about the traditional lake way of life. A major draw, however, is the furry creatures that live in the house. If your idea of heaven is spending time with cute, playful, and friendly kitties you will be delighted! There are many stunning Burmese cats that are really happy to have new people to play with!
Wine Tasting
Red Mountain Winery is just a short distance from the edges of the lake and you can wander through the vineyards, with each variety of grape clearly marked if you are interested in seeing what they grow. Relax in the lovely intimate bar area and enjoy the amazing views out over the lake and the countryside and sample some of the locally produced wines. This is a particularly enchanting place to be an sunset, as you watch the changing colours of the sky, the dancing reflections on the lake’s surface, and the sun going down over the shimmering water.
Cooking Class
If you want to replicate all your favourite flavours back at home and enjoy learning about local cuisine, a Shan cookery class could be ideal for you.
There are hot springs in the vicinity where you can bathe in the soothingly warm waters and a local puppet show is a fun and different way to pass an evening.
