Top Things to do in Inle Lake

For those seeking to delve into the rich history of Inle Lake and Shan State, a visit to the Cultural Museum (formerly known as the Buddha Museum) is a must. The museum houses an assortment of artifacts, including Buddha images, sourced from various regions around Inle Lake.
Other galleries also feature exhibits showcasing weaponry, jewelry, and farming equipment.

Another thing to do in Inle Lake that shows you further about people`s religion is Yan Aung Nan Aung Hsu Taung Pye Paya, a grand Buddhist temple.
While the temple’s Buddha image, which has stood for 700 years, towers at 26 feet tall, the main attraction is the enchanting mythical creatures enveloping it. The temple’s guardians, fashioned in the likeness of half-lion and half-dragon creatures known as chin the, and celestial beings called deva, embellish the temple’s surroundings, adding to its allure. These creatures are whitewashed, creating a stunning visual experience.

This pagoda features a Buddha image enshrined in a white-washed stupa. Additionally, hundreds of stupas dating back hundreds of years surround the main stupa, creating an impressive sight. The pagoda is located in Indein Village, which is accessible by a 5-kilometer boat ride from Ywama Village.
There are 2 reasons that Shwe Inn Dein is listed among the top things to do in Inle Lake: the view it provides and the village encounter.

The renowned five-day market is among the most popular and picturesque sights Inle Lake has to offer. It derives its name from the fact that it moves between various lakeside villages on a rotating five-day schedule. During the market, local Shan and Intha people, as well as Pa-O villagers from the nearby hills, come together to sell their produce and goods. Nowadays, a plethora of tourists also converge upon the market to capture photos of the lively marketplace and purchase handicraft souvenirs.

Inle Lake is very famous for many traditional works like Cheroot, Myanmar Cigar, Silk from Lotus, or Black Smith. It is said that your Inle Lake travel is not really complete without seeing some of this fantastic work. If you think about a souvenir then these traditional workshops have something for you.

Travel guide for other destinations in Myanmar:
Top things to do in Yangon
Top things to do in Bagan
Top things to do in Mandalay

One of the most fascinating things to do in Inle Lake is to take part in a cooking class. This travel experience has been gaining huge attention since Shan State is home to some of the most delicious Burmese foods. The cooking class often comes with a visit to a local market where you have chances to know more about traditional Burmese cooking recipes.
Many of our customers love this experience and we are sure you will like it too.

The rustic roads of Nyang Shwe snake around Inle Lake and it forms one of the most scenic bike rides in Myanmar. It requires very little physical effort since the road is quite flat. The advantage of this little adventure is you can access to many friendly villages and schools where you are welcome.

Kakku is home to one of the most beautiful pagoda complexes in the area. This square field contains approximately 2,500 pagodas arranged in rows, with most of them sharing a similar shape and size. Within this collection, many stupas are embellished with exquisitely preserved stucco sculptures, some of which retain their original colors. Additionally, a variety of pagodas house Buddha images.

It may sound strange to know about this tour. However, it is really interesting. This tour introduces you to how local people use their plants to heal, and cure diseases. Everything is about nature itself and the way people live in the harmony with nature.

A remarkable approach to discovering one of Myanmar’s most picturesque and culturally rich destinations is through an Inthar local’s perspective. Witness the Inthar fishermen searching for their first catch of the day while navigating through a network of verdant floating canals. Marvel at the boats brimming with goods as they journey toward the market. As we disembark, we’ll savor a delicious breakfast adjacent to one of the stunning Shan villages we encounter.
Similar experience in Myanmar: Balloon in Bagan.

All our post customers agree that Inle Lake is a wonderful place to add to your Myanmar tour. It has striking mountain background, picture-perfect waters, fun-packed activities to soak in, and lovely people to meet.

For a less expensive but less comfortable and time-consuming option, most Myanmar locals opt for the bus.
Buses are available daily, with fares ranging from US$14-20 for a 12-hour journey from Yangon or US$12 for a 7-8 hour trip from Mandalay.
The journey from Bagan has significantly improved, with two buses departing at 7:30 and 19:30.
The journey to Kalaw takes approximately 7 hours, and around 8.5 hours to Nyang Shwe, with a fare of 11,000 Kyats (US$8.44). Buses arrive directly at Nyaung Shwe, within walking distance of many guesthouses.

For those who fancy a slow mood of travel and have time then the train is not a bad option. The train in Myanmar is old and not so comfortable.
Basically, you need to take a train to Thazi and then connect to another one to Nyang Shwe town. The whole ride from Yangon may take up to 30 hours. Preparing your food and drinks for this long journey is very useful.

For a good budget, these hotels have something to treat you. From their impressive decoration to their lush garden with a lake view, you`ll find something for yourself here

• Shwe Inn Tha Floating Resort
• Ananta Inlay Resort
• Thanaka Inle Hotel
• Hotel Amazing Nyang Shwe

Basically, budget hotels are available around Nyang Shwe town. There are budget hotels to 2-star hotels within walking distance from Nyang Shwe town. You can find them easily on some booking websites or you can simply come and ask for the room availability. We do encourage you to book in advance if you travel during the tourism season from November to April.
For more reference, please check our Inle lake hotels.

No, you do not need any permit to visit Inle Lake. However, if you travel further to the areas like Loikaw then you need to register your visit and have a tour guide to escort you.

You can swim in Inle Lake. Make sure you bring your swimwear.

2 to 3 days is perfect for a trip to Inle Lake. While 2 days trip allows you to sightsee all the must-sees of Inle Lake, the 3 days Inle lake itinerary will give you 1 extra day for a day tour to the less-known site like Sagar, and Kakku.

Inthar people consider Phang Daw Oo as their most sacred site then its festival is also the Inle Lake festival. This festival often happens in October from the 10th to the 20th depending on the lunar calendar.

There is a flight from Heho to Ngapali beach. For travel during the winter time from November to April, the flight is operated very frequently. For the rest of the year, you need to double-check with the local airline or simply contact us for a better date situation.

Some of the local delicacies that visitors should try include Shan-style noodles, yellow rice cakes, Khor poat (a cake made of black sesame seeds and sticky rice), Shan-style tofu, and htamin jin (a mixed salad of meat and vegetables kneaded into round balls).
See also: Best Myanmar Foods to try.

Many Myanmar tour operators offer tours to Inle Lake including us. Expect a tailor-made tour that fits your travel duration, personal interest, or budget, do not hesitate to take our Myanmar tailor-made tour.