Inle Lake is the second largest lake in Myanmar and is located in the Nyaungshwe Township, Taunggyi District, Shan State. It's a ideal leisure place after visiting Temples and monasteries in Bagan and Mandalay.
Why Inle Lake
Inle Lake is a magical place, which combines the integration advantages of both a mountainous region and the lakeside.
If you plan to stay in Myanmar for about 10 days, then Inle Lake is definitely the best choice as your last stop in Myanmar(your last stop can also be extended to Ngapali Beach if your trip is more than 10 days).
Everything in Inle Lake seems like it is floating on water, such as the hotels, local houses, gardens, and temples as well as the markets. It's a beautiful water world, and sometimes you can't even tell whether you're on water or the shore.
Due to the lack of land, the residents around the lake have invented a method to plant crops on the surface of the water. They mix the water weeds and the soil and then put the mixture into abase that has been built from bamboo.
Year after year, these bamboo bases become a spectacle that you won't see in other places, just like a floating garden. The green and red tomatoes produced there can meet two-thirds of the Myanmar population's needs.
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Excellent planned and executed Myanmar excursion
Asia Highlights and their local Myanmar partner "mAsia" did an excellent job in planning and execution of a one week trip to Myanmar.The various tour guides and drivers had good knowledge and good command over English. More
Gerd, Jan 2018
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Planning our trip
We have spend that last eight months planning a trip to Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. Alisa Lia was creative & patient helping us customize our tour to include the sites and adventures we were excited to see. Hard waiting for the trip to start. More
Jamie Danner, Oct 2023
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My experience in Thai
All of this was well organized by the local office. The holiday was wonderful. Our guide, Mr. Longdy( Siem Reap)were exceptional. He shared his extensive knowledge of the many wonderful places we visited, and were flexible to take us to additional places along the way based on discussions. Thank you so much .shared their extensive knowledge of the many wonderful places we visited, and were flexible to take us to additional places along the way based on discussions. More
kelli, Jul 2023
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Seamless Planning
From the day I submitted an inquiry request, I instantly received a response from Monica asking my preferences for my trip. She has been attentive and responsive to our every needs and we very much appreciate it. Looking forward to our trip in November but many thanks to Monica for making this experience to seamless thus far. More
Sana Samhouri, Jul 2023
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Very professional agency for a memorable trip to Asia
A special thanks to Albee who worked with us and helped to tailor the itinerary to our taste, she was amazing and always available for whatever we needed. The trip would not have been the same without her and her team. Thank you! More
Daniela, Jul 2023
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It was our first time in Cambodia and …
It was our first time in Cambodia and we had a wonderful time. The accommodations, food, and sites were really beautiful. We ended our trip with a relaxing massage. Sam was very accommodating to our needs and knowledgeable. Thank you for the laughter and for being so kind. More
Amy Oakes Moon, Jun 2023
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Our guide Borin - never boring!
Our guide Borin, in Cambodia, was knowledgeable, understanding and thoughtful in every aspect of the plan he put together for our trip to Siem Reap and in its execution. He can read the room, and knew exactly how to pace the tour, when to pause, when to break, and how to prepare us for the maximum benefit. He is extremely kind and caring, and it showed at every turn. He also is a dab hand with the camera, and we have a lot of great pictures to show for it. Kudos to my Asia Highlights coordinator - Cathy Chen, for picking Borin. Borin works with a driver (007) who was also very kind and caring. Whenever we returned to the car, he would have cold towel rolls and chilled water to refresh us. So amazingly considerate. It was an unforgettable experience More
David Muliyil, Jun 2023
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Great visit!
Our guide, Anna, was fantastic! She was highly informative and a delight to spend our days with. Would request her again if we were to return! More
Alejandra M Almonte, Jun 2023
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We've had such a great experience…
We've had such a great experience planning our honeymoon with Alisa at Asia Highlights! We gave her our dream itinerary, thinking that it might be impossible to do all the things we wanted, but Alisa made our dreams a reality! She's gone so far above and beyond to answer ALL of our questions and make little adjustments that will make a huge impact on our experience. More
Lauren, Jun 2023
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Alisa knows how to work fast and please a customer.
Alisa is very helpful and works very fast. I am a very difficult client because Inknow what I want in therm of hotels and comfort. She had a lot of patience with me, and moved a lot the plan of the trip, always following my requests. It was a pleasure organizing my trip with her. I recommend her a lot! Thanks Alisa. Malala from Argentina. More
maria laura artola, Jun 2023
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Trip-of-a-lifetime
In addition, I want to specifically mention the guides provided in certain locations. Rum, in Siem Reap, made the most memorable experience possible. His positivity was contagious - even when it felt like 1000 degrees and we were tired. He brought it all to life, and created a couple days of Ankor Wat, etc. that we will never forget! He heard my daughter's request for specific Cambodian food, and changed our itinerary to go to a village and eat at a locally known shop. He brought the dessert she asked about to us in the car! Overall, he and his driver "Lucky" were a reason to go to Siem Reap. In addition, the other guides (minus one which was switched out immediately) were stupendous. Mon in Bangkok was friendly and provided a great day there; Eak in Chiang Mai gave us a world-class food-tour and day touring the city and its surrounding temples with lots of laughs; Tommy in Hanoi kept us from getting killed in the traffic and gave a stupendous food and architecture/history tour - so very friendly and funny; the fishing village tour in Hoi An, as well as the side-car tour in Saigon, were both unforgettable! Thank you Sharon, and Asia Highlights. Would definitely use again for future trips! More
Teri Simpson, Apr 2023
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Cambodia and Vietnam adventure!
Our guide in Cambodia, Meas Darapolaith (Pol), was absolutely amazing. He was knowledgeable, friendly and so helpful. His English was excellent and he shared important insights about history and the magnificent sites we visited. We highly recommend him! More
Jennifer Roth Krieger, Apr 2023
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My daughter and I wanted to discover SE…
My daughter and I wanted to discover SE Asia. Being the first in that region, we wanted to use a tour service company. We ended up using Asia Highlights. From the beginning we were impressed with their services. We left home with of mind because all the pre-travel arrangements were taking care and communicate to us efficiently. All our questions were answered promptly. Once in the countries, we were welcome by our excellent tour guides. Everything was taking care for us. We did not have one issue. They selected the right tours guides for us, they were highly knowledgeable and so much attentive to our needs. We had Dhat in Vietnam and Borin in Siem Reap, Cambodia. I highly recommend Asia Highlights. I came back home so much rested, and with plenty of wonderful pictures and memories. I will definitely use Asia Highlights again for my next trip to Asia. More
Isabelle Dessaux, Apr 2023
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Fabulous tour and guide in Cambodia
We have been touring Cambodia, guided by Borin ( and driver 007) for the last 2 days. What a fabulous experience! Borin has been a wonderful guide, the best so far in Southeast Asia, explaining the history and culture of Cambodia through his tours of the temples in and around Angkor, as well as the Landmine museum. He has answered all our questions, made sure we were comfortable, and that we have had great food. 007 made sure we always had enough water and cool towels for our face/neck.We highly recommend Borin as a tour guide for Cambodia!! More
Monica, Mar 2023
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Best Travel Service for Asia Travel
Alisa Liu was in charge of making the arrangements and she helped us from the start to make all of the arrangements and also helped us when we had questions and requested some adjustments. Her service is of the highest professional level. We are 100% confident that our trip will be perfect. We’re also 100% confident that, if anything comes up during our trip, that Alisa will be there to guide us through and take care of us. We won’t even consider using another agency for travel around Asia and we would like to have Alisa work for us again. More
Leo Pospichal, Mar 2023
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Tour of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand
The tour guides and drivers were another high point. All were very good, friendly, knowledgeable and spoke English well. There were two that I want to call out for their excellence. Chan Sovannarith in Siem Reap was our guide in Cambodia. He really made the experience special. His knowledge, willingness to answer all my questions, helpfulness and general attitude made him fun to be around. In order to praise the second exceptional guide I have to explain about an unfortunate occurrence that I had. I'm normally a very active senior, but after leaving Cambodia for Laos I was suddenly struck by the most intense back pain I've ever experienced, couldn't even roll over in bed (turned out to be sciatica). The guide, Mr. Sonophet, really went the extra mile. He went with my traveling companion and bought a back brace and medications for me. When that didn't help much he took me to a clinic where I was seen by a doctor, given a shot and pain meds. He hand-made a walking stick for me that I'm still using! He made it possible for me to somewhat participate in the activities, i.e. a bed on the boat down the river. When it was time to move on to Bangkok he got me a wheelchair at the airport. I can't thank him enough for these kindnesses! This problem lasted for the remainder of the trip, through Bangkok and Phuket and these guides were also very helpful getting wheelchairs, etc. It was a terrible disappointment to have this wonderful trip disrupted, but it would have been SO much worse without the great help that I received from the guides and my poor travel companion! More
Deb M, Mar 2023
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In good hands with Sam
Sam Ol took very good care of us - lots of information, listened to and answered all our questions, was passionate about the places we visited and about his people and country. He was kind, had a great sense of humor, and made sure we felt safe and comfortable at all times. He helped us to fall in love with Cambodia in 3 short days. More
Carol Jones, Feb 2023
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Best tour guide in Cambodia
When we first arrived at the airport in Siem Riep it was so nice to be greeted by Mr Sam Ol. We instantly fell at home when we saw his friendly smile. We were impressed by his great English and knowledge of the temples. On the tour to the temples Sam took care of us every step of the way. He took awesome pictures of us. It felt like we were on a tour given by our brother who is also a professional photographer. Also, we appreciate his humor as well as the fact he had an answer for every question we had. I give Sam 5 stars, best tour guide ever :) More
Len S, Feb 2023
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Mr. Sam
Mr. Sam our guide in Cambodia, he and the driver out standing service they went above and beyond touring, my wife so amazed beautiful country, we're planning back here near the futures. Thank Mr. Sam,We'll feedback the whole trip next week when we be home in US More
Pho Lover, Feb 2023
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Vietnam/Cambodia/Thailand
We are still in the middle of our trip, but we are just finishing up our time in Cambodia and our guide, Borin, has been AMAZING!!! He has truly made our time here unforgettable and I plan on referring all of my friends and family to come visit this beautiful country! Thank you, Borin, for everything you did to make our trip so fantastic! More
Danielle Blount, Feb 2023
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How to plan your trip to Inle Lake
The perfect visit for a first-timer to Inle Lake lasts 2 days and 1 night, with a boat trip to see the 5-day market and must-visit pagodas. You can extend to 3 days and 2 nights by making a trek to Kalaw. A 4-star or higher-rated hotel is highly recommended at this leisure-oriented destination.
1 day and 1 night or 2 days and 1 night with Inle Lake boat trip
The boat, as the most important means of transportation in Inle Lake, is the most worthy experience to try if you travel there. For most activities and trips, no matter if they're near the lake or on the lake, you need to have a boat.
During your stay at Inle Lake, the following activities can be included in your itinerary.
1. 5-day market: The market is held every fifth day in different villages. If you are interested in being immersed in the real lives of the local people, your guide or the hotel reception will be happy to tell you where the market is opening on that day.
No matter where you are, markets are always the best places to experience the real atmosphere of the local people's lives and the best way to learn about their lifestyles.
When you listen to them bargaining, watch them laugh, and have face-to-face communication with them, it might be the easiest, most direct way to learn about Inle Lake, as well as the whole of Myanmar.
2. Nga Hpe Kyaung Monastery: It is also called the Jumping Cat Monastery. It is an exquisite, functioning 180-year-old teak wood monastery built on 650 pillars and decorated with glass mosaics.
Although it seems like the cats have got fat and lazy and cannot jump anymore, don't let that stop you from going there. It's a peaceful, restful place where you can sit and contemplate.
3. Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda: It is the most famous and most lively temple in the Inle Lake area. There are five small golden Buddha images in the center shrine of the main hall. The Buddha images are covered with so many gold leaves that it is impossible to see their original structure.
Every year, during September or October, there is an important festival called Phaung Daw Oo Festival. During the festival, four of those Buddha images will be ferried on a replica of a royal barge throughout Inle Lake. If time permits, this is really worth seeing.
4. Shwe Indein Pagoda Complex: It was built from 272 BC to 232 BC by Thiridama Thawka. It is now an extensive architectural complex with over 1,000 pagodas. Lots of vivid Buddha statues with different shapes and a variety of animal images were housed in stupas, which are now surrounded by banyans and grasses.
5. Inle Lake sunset and fishermen: If you have witnessed the stunning sunset in Bagan, then the Inle Lake sunset will give a totally different display, which is gentle and elegant like a young girl.
At the same time, you can also appreciate the local fishermen's unique foot rowing skills. With the back lighting of the sunset, you can take good photos of the fishermen's silhouettes.
Take a bike excursion to Red Mountain Winery and Vineyards, where you can admire a beautiful sunset over the Shan mountain ranges.
6. Full-day Pindaya trip: Pindaya is located in the west of the state in Pindaya Township, Taunggyi District.A day trip can be arranged after you have been collected from Heho Airport or before you leave to catch the plane.
7. Pindaya Cave: It is a limestone cave where over 8,000 Buddha images have been consecrated for worship over the centuries. You can climb upwards in the cave to see the larger presentations and get a perspective of the enormity of the cave.
Then, after wandering along the various pathways, you can head towards the lower regions where each room makes more of an impression than the last.
8. Shan Paper and Umbrella Workshop: The workshop is also situated in Pindaya. Shan paper is very famous in Myanmar and is made from the fiber of the mulberry tree. The manufacturing process is complicated and takes a long time, but the locals prefer to keep this traditional manufacturing technology.
You can also see the locals making paper umbrellas, which will be good souvenirs.
2 days and 1 night or 3 days and 2 nights Kalaw to Inle Lake trekking trip
Kalaw, the starting city, is 70 kilometers west of Inle Lake. It's situated up in the mountains, so the climate is colder than most places in Myanmar.
The paths are mostly flat and there will be a few uphill and rough sections, but if you are used to walking and are reasonably fit, the trekking will be no problem for you.
Some will approach with a smile and ask to have their photo taken with you, and some may even try out a few English words. Kids will stare and then wave, and will continue to wave as you leave, jumping up and down with excitement. This is not always seen in the big cities.
Because the infrastructure on the route is not perfect, the accommodations will not be very good. Most of them are home stays, and sometimes there will only be one wide bed for a number of people. But it will be an unforgettable experience for you to live and eat with the local people.
Remember to take lots of water (you can also buy more at the end of each day) as it gets very hot traveling under the sun each day.
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Our guide lele is a wealth of information, Lele is very professional and very attentive to our needs. Lele is amazing. Lele got everything spot on. It probably helps that Guilin is a brilliant place to visit so Lele has great material to work with but that doesn't take anything away from how much Lele helped make it a great trip.
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