Accommodation: Hotel in Inle
Meals: Breakfast
In the morning, transfer to the airport for your domestic flight to Heho. From Heho, take a scenic one-hour drive to Nyaung Shwe, gateway village to Inle Lake.
Bard on a private motorboat to reach Inle Lake, one of Myanmar’s most spectacular and breathtaking sights. Its calm waters are dotted with floating vegetation and fishing canoes, the scenic hills provide the perfect backdrop. Observe the daily activities of the local leg-rowing fishermen and see their ‘floating gardens’, which are built up from strips of water hyacinth, earth and anchored to the bottom of the lake with bamboo poles.
Visit Nga Hpe Chaung Monastery, which houses loads of early Shan Buddha Images. In the past this temple was known for its ‘jumping cats’ but these days there are only a few felines roaming around and none are jumping any more. Proceed to the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, which contains five sacred images of Buddha decorated in gold leaf.
There are also many traditional crafts originating on Inle Lake and, should you wish, we can stop for a visit to one making incredible woven items from lotus silk, boat builders (depending on the time of year), a cigar making workshop, blacksmiths or even silver smiths.