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Myanmar – A Trek to Lake Inle

Published: 3.8.2020

Myanmar is its most beautiful side in the Shan State and around the tourist magnet, Inle Lake. You can easily reach it by bus, but how about a two-day to three-day adventure trip from Kalaw? You will experience a journey from village to village, between different ethnic groups. You will sleep in a Buddhist monastery, you will have the opportunity to get closer to the local culture and life in the countryside, and finally you will reach the aforementioned Inle Lake. The lake is one of the most popular and at the same time the most beautiful tourist destinations in Myanmar.

What to Expect from a Trek?

The starting point for hiking is the hilly town of Kalaw. You can choose between two-day or three-day trips. There are several agencies in the city where you can arrange a selected trip. The two-day trek will cost you 400 to 550 Czech crowns, depending on the season and the size of the group. If the price plays a crucial role for you, you can join a group of other travelers or go on your own. You can complete this adventure all year round. However, you have to reckon with the rainy season from June to September, when the roads can be extremely muddy. The company will do you a guide even under such conditions.

The trek from Kalaw to Inle will take you through beautiful nature and traditional villages. You will visit local schools, you will have the opportunity to dine with the local people, but it will not be all that awaits you here!

The journey begins in the village of Baw Nying Gone. On the first day, the trail leads through hills, tea plantations, rice fields and garlic fields. Along the way, the guide will show you how the locals grow fresh ginger, peanuts, chillies and other crops. You will walk among the fields, where men work hard and plow their fields by hand with the help of buffaloes. You will stop for lunch in the village of Khone Hla, where food will be prepared by the locals.

After a good lunch, a four-hour trek awaits you to the destination of the day, the village of Pattu Pauk, where the Htee Thein Buddhist Monastery is located! Dinner will be prepared for you by one of the villagers in a beautiful Buddhist monastery, where you will also spend the night. Spending a night in a convent may sound like an idyll. However, be prepared for the fact that you will hardly sleep. Already in the early morning hours you will be awakened by the mumbling of monks who gather for morning prayer. Accommodation is very simple, you will sleep in the common room only on mattresses. Experience hygiene in the right local style! Turkish toilet and outdoor shower with cold water in a bucket.

After breakfast prepared by your team, head towards Lake Inle. Your journey will lead you through several small villages inhabited by tribes full of very interesting natives. One of them is Pa-O, one of the largest ethnic minorities in Myanmar with its own customs, traditions, language, and even its own clothing. The Pa-O tribe is known for its colorful scarves, which you can also buy during the trip. You will end your journey in the village of Indein. The reward for a full day walk is an hour boat ride on Inle Lake to Nyaungshwe.

GPS: Lake Inle 20°33'30.4"N 96°54'03.2"E

Text and photos: Andrea Meluzínová

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