Inle Lake Travel Guide
A 22km freshwater lake in Shan State where Intha fishermen row with one leg, floating tomato gardens drift past stilt villages, and hillside pagodas overlook misty morning waters.
🏛️ Sights and Attractions in Inle Lake
- Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda — The most important religious site on Inle Lake, housing five Buddha images covered in so much gold leaf they appear as lumpy blobs.
- Nga Phe Kyaung (Jumping Cat Monastery) — A wooden monastery on stilts over the lake, once famous for trained jumping cats, now known for its Buddha collection and lake views.
- Inle Lake Floating Gardens — The Intha people's floating tomato and flower gardens, built on strips of water hyacinth and mud anchored to the lake bed with bamboo poles.
- Indein Pagoda Complex — A hillside complex of 1,054 weathered stupas on the west shore of Inle Lake, reached by boat up a narrow creek.
- Maing Thauk Village — A stilt-house village on the east shore of the lake, split between water and land sections, with a weekly market.
- Ywama Village — A stilt-house village on the lake known for its floating market, silver workshops, and catfish feeding.
- Red Mountain Estate Vineyard — A hillside winery above the lake producing Myanmar wines, with a tasting room and sunset views over the water.
- Inthar Heritage House — A traditional Intha house on stilts showcasing local weaving, cooking, and cultural artifacts.
- Nampan Village — A stilt-house village on the lake known for its cheroot (cigar) making and silver workshops.
- Khaung Daing Hot Springs — Natural hot springs on the north shore of the lake, with basic pools and a local village atmosphere.
🥾 Trails and Hikes in Inle Lake
- Indein Pagoda Trail — A walk from the boat landing up to the Indien pagoda complex, passing hundreds of weathered stupas.
- Kalaw to Inle Lake Trek (3 days) — A 3-day guided trek from the hill station of Kalaw through Pa-O and Danu villages to Inle Lake.
- Maing Thauk Stilt Village Walk — A walk through the stilt-house village of Maing Thauk on the east shore, split between water and land sections.
- Red Mountain Vineyard Walk — A walk through the vineyards of Red Mountain Estate above the lake, with a tasting room and sunset views.
🍽️ Restaurants in Inle Lake
- Inthar Heritage House — A restaurant in Inle Lake serving local and international dishes.
- One Bamboo Restaurant — A casual restaurant in Nyaung Shwe with grilled fish, curries, and cold Myanmar Beer.
- View Point Restaurant — A restaurant at the View Mountain resort with panoramic views of the lake and Intha cuisine.
- Golden Kite Restaurant — A popular restaurant in Nyaung Shwe serving Burmese and Chinese dishes with a garden atmosphere.
- Hu Pin Restaurant — A local favorite in Nyaung Shwe for traditional Shan noodles and tea leaf salad.
- Four Sisters Restaurant — A family-run restaurant in Nyaung Shwe serving Shan and Intha dishes with cooking classes.
🍸 Bars and Nightlife in Inle Lake
- Red Mountain Estate Winery Bar — A winery bar above the lake with sunset views and Myanmar wine tastings.
- View Point Bar — A sunset bar at the View Mountain resort with cocktails and views over the lake.
- Inle Lake Hotel Bar — The bar at the Inle Lake Hotel with lakeside seating and sunset cocktails.
- Aureum Palace Hotel Bar — The bar at the Aureum Palace resort on the lake, with infinity pool views and premium cocktails.
🎯 Activities and Tours in Inle Lake
- Full Day Inle Lake Trekking — Inle Lake is a perfect place for trekking, where the landscape is beautiful with gentle rolling green hills alternating with farms and villages. Join with us, you will be lost to be found!
- From Ivalo: Ice Fishing Safari to Lake Inari, reindeers & lunch — Experience Arctic Ice Fishing on this scenic 4 hour trip to Lake Inari. Local experienced guide, unique scenery and Lunch by open fire in warm lappish teepee will make your day memoriable. You will get warm thermal clothes and shoes in our office in Ivalo. From there we continue
- Day Tour to Lake Bled from Ljubljana — Slovenia's Top Destination: A Must-See Experience Discover the beauty of Lake Bled on an unforgettable half-day tour from Ljubljana. Visit the historic Bled Castle and enjoy breathtaking views of the lake and the Julian Alps. Take a traditional wooden pletna boat to Bled Island,
- Munduk Twin Lake Jungle Hike, Ulun Danu Temple, & Waterfall — Explore the nature rainforest of tamblingan lake with professional trekking guide and sailing with traditional canoeing cross the lake to visit ulun danu tamblingan temple & swimming in natural pool waterfall in banyumala twin waterfall. Make a new experience to explore the quiet
- Humantay Lake Tour from Cusco All inclusive — Enjoy this day trek, leave Cusco behind and hike along the beautiful valleys and white mountains to one of the most important lakes in Incan mythology. Humantay Lake is one of the most stunning places in the region. This adventure includes a professional guide, hotel pickup from
- Lake Bled All inclusive tour from Ljubljana — Discover the 'Image of Paradise' in Bled, an Alpine resort town with an emerald-green lake, a fairytale-like island, and an imposing castle on a rocky cliff. Explore the castle, try famouse Bled cream cake and take a "pletna" boat to the charming island.
- Full-Day trip to Lake Bled — Take a full day, and drive over to Slovenia, on an air-conditioned coach, to view one of Europe’s most intriguing spots, Lake Bled. With a morning departure, spend 10-hours with your professional, local guide - and visit Bled Castle, with tickets included.
- Canyoning Interlaken with OUTDOOR — Our local canyon covers every aspect of the sport and makes a great introduction to canyoning. Travel through tall, narrow gorges and get up close and personal with nature. Short and sweet, this half day canyon will whet your appetite for more and it is only a short ten-minute dr
- Interlaken Valley E-Bike Tour: Rivers, Lakes, Forests & Castles — Join us for a ride around the breathtaking valley of Interlaken. Our guide will lead the way alongside pristine rivers and lakes, through picturesque woodlands and countryside. We will also stop at two medieval castle ruins as well as the beautiful historic town centres of Un
- Explore Interlaken in 60 minutes with a Local — Join an exciting 60-minute walking journey through Interlaken. Learn all the key facts about the city, dive into the local lifestyle, and feel its unique culture. From Yash Chopra Statue to Reformed Castle Church, get to discover the city's most defining landmarks. Your Local w
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🏨 Hotels and Stays in Inle Lake
- Inle Lake View Resort — Inle Lake View Resort is a resort in Lake Central, Inle Lake. Overwater stilt resorts in the middle of the lake with direct access to floating gardens and fishing villages The property features a guest review score of 8.9/10 and rates from $49/night, making it a practical base for visiting Inle Lake.
- Aureum Palace Resort & Spa Inle — Aureum Palace Resort & Spa Inle is a resort in Lake Central, Inle Lake. Overwater stilt resorts in the middle of the lake with direct access to floating gardens and fishing villages The property features a guest review score of 8.3/10 and rates from $181/night, making it a practical base for visiting Inle Lake.
- Paramot Hotel Inle — Paramot Hotel Inle is a hotel in Nyaung Shwe (Gateway Town), Inle Lake. The gateway town at the northern end of the lake with budget hotels, restaurants, and boat tour departures The property features a guest review score of 6.5/10 and rates from $8/night, making it a practical base for visiting Inle Lake.
- Pristine Lotus Spa Resort — Pristine Lotus Spa Resort is a resort in Lake Central, Inle Lake. Overwater stilt resorts in the middle of the lake with direct access to floating gardens and fishing villages The property features modern amenities, making it a practical base for visiting Inle Lake.
- Inle Resort & Spa — Inle Resort & Spa is a resort in Indein / West Shore, Inle Lake. The western shore with the ancient Indein pagoda complex and boutique resorts The property features modern amenities, making it a practical base for visiting Inle Lake.
- Novotel Inle Lake Myat Min — Novotel Inle Lake Myat Min is a hotel in Nyaung Shwe (Gateway Town), Inle Lake. The gateway town at the northern end of the lake with budget hotels, restaurants, and boat tour departures The property features a guest review score of 9.1/10, making it a practical base for visiting Inle Lake.
- Hotel Aquarius Inle — Hotel Aquarius Inle is a hotel in Nyaung Shwe (Gateway Town), Inle Lake. The gateway town at the northern end of the lake with budget hotels, restaurants, and boat tour departures The property features modern amenities, making it a practical base for visiting Inle Lake.
- Amazing Inle Resort — Amazing Inle Resort is a resort in Maing Thauk / East Shore, Inle Lake. The quieter eastern shore with eco-lodges, trekking access, and traditional Intha villages The property features modern amenities, making it a practical base for visiting Inle Lake.
- Teak Wood Resort — Teak Wood Resort is a resort in Maing Thauk / East Shore, Inle Lake. The quieter eastern shore with eco-lodges, trekking access, and traditional Intha villages The property features a guest review score of 7.6/10, making it a practical base for visiting Inle Lake.
- Htet Ei Guesthouse — Htet Ei Guesthouse is a guesthouse in Nyaung Shwe (Gateway Town), Inle Lake. The gateway town at the northern end of the lake with budget hotels, restaurants, and boat tour departures The property features modern amenities, making it a practical base for visiting Inle Lake.