Viewpoint over Inle Lake

Inle Lake Travel Guide – Visit Inle Lake – Budget Travel In Myanmar (Burma)

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Visit Inle Lake, in the town of Nyaungshwe, to experience Myanmar’s second biggest lake. It is home to 70,000 people living in villages along the lake’s border and even on the lake itself.

A lot of travellers end up in Nyaungshwe after trekking from Kalaw. This was our experience. We found Nyaungshwe to be a lively city with good food options and excellent cycling opportunities.

Arriving in Nyaungshwe

After our 60 km trek from Kalaw, we took a boat from the south of Inle Lake to the north. We then headed up the Nyaungshwe Canal to our drop-off point which was only an 18 minute walk to our hostel. During our journey on the lake, we passed some of the small villages and even a school.

Bridge over Inle Lake

Bridge over Inle Lake

Where To Stay In Nyaungshwe

These are some of the best budget hostels in Nyaungshwe, according to user reviews. These are affiliate links to the Agoda web site. I found Agoda to be much better than booking.com in Southeast Asia. I receive a small amount for any bookings made through these links at no extra cost to you.

Baobabed Hostel Nyaung Shwe

As we’d had such a great stay at its sister hotel in Bagan, we decided to stay at ‘Baobabed Hostel’ (map). It was almost identical to the one in Bagan. This time we stayed in a double room but with shared bathroom and it was very good value for money (£12 per night but cheaper with agoda discounts). The WiFi was great and worked everywhere. There was free bicycle hire, a rooftop bar and a chill-out room. Free water, tea and coffee was available all day and they had a small food menu, but no vegetarian options which was pretty poor. There was no swimming pool but there was a Jacuzzi.

Of the two, I think I preferred the hostel in Bagan but that might be because there were more people and it felt more social. People used the downstairs bar in Bagan but hardly at all when we stayed in Nyaungshwe. This was a shame as the pool table was much better and they have a beautiful acoustic guitar. The view is also much better in Nyaungshwe; the rooftop bar is perfect for sunsets. Unfortunately, the bar staff were not that great. Sometimes they were totally absent and on one night they closed the bar before 9 pm without giving anyone any warning. They also play the same terrible music repeatedly at ridiculous volumes. Room for improvement there.

However, I can’t recommend Baobabed Hostels highly enough. They are clean, modern and have all the conveniences you could ask for from a hostel. They also have a place in Yangon which we found out about after we’d already visited. Make Baobabed your hostel in Nyaungshwe. You will not be disappointed.

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We paid £48.83 for 4 nights in a double room with shared bathroom.
Click here to book a stay at Baobabed Hostel.

Things To Do In Nyaungshwe

On our first day, after we’d arrived from the trek, we never left the hotel. Joanna wasn’t feeling great so rested whilst I hit the rooftop bar and did some blogging, drinking and burger-eating. Thankfully, the next morning, Joanna was feeling much better so, after a good free breakfast, we took the bikes to explore the city.

Shwe Yaunghwe Kyaung

We were still a little sore from the trek so we decided not to venture too far. We discovered that there was a temple called ‘Shwe Yaunghwe Kyaung’ (map) that wasn’t too far out of the town so we made that our first destination.

Heading out of the city

Heading out of the city

It took us about 20 minutes to reach the temple. Part of the temple had many small Buddhas with people’s names attached.

Shwe Yaunghwe Kyaung

Shwe Yaunghwe Kyaung

The main temple is made from wood and was different to a lot of temples we had previously visited. My highlight though was seeing young monks sat around a TV watching daytime soaps!

Watching the local soaps!

Watching the local soaps!

We cycled back to the city, stopping off at Shwe Baww Di Pagoda’ (map) for an instagram shot.

Shwe Baww Di Pagoda

Shwe Baww Di Pagoda

We continued to cycle around the city, stopping at the ‘Mingalar Market’ (map) and a couple of temples to take more photos. We stopped at a tiny sushi cafe called ‘Fujiyama’ for some lunch. The sushi roll was less than a pound and my chicken katsu was just over a pound. Great value.

Chicken katsu for just over a pound

Chicken katsu for just over a pound

Nightlife In Nyaungshwe

Nyaungshwe is not a party town. There is a limited amount of bars (only one open during our stay). That said, I was determined to have a good time with a few beers and a curry! Getting Joanna to join me looked like it might prove difficult.

Get up!

Get up!

Pub Asiatico

Once I’d got Joanna up and ready, we headed to ‘Pub Asiatico’ (map). We found it to be a huge bar that also did pizzas from a wood oven. They served Myanmar craft beer which was quite tasty and we quickly downed a couple of beers to get the tastebuds excited for our first Indian curry in a long time. What happened next was one of the most surreal experiences during our travels.

Innlay Hut Indian Food House

We had noticed a few Indian restaurants as we entered the city and I bought toothpaste from a shop that was run by a very friendly Indian chap. I asked a worker at the hostel if the Indian restaurants were run by Indians and he confirmed that they were as there was a small Indian community in the city. He also recommended ‘Innlay Hut Indian Food House’ (map).

What he didn’t mention was that the restaurant was run by a young fellow called ‘Stan’ who was a massive Eminem fan and that the restaurant’s walls were covered with pictures of Eminem and Eminem’s music played all night long.

Innlay Hut Indian Food House

Innlay Hut Indian Food House

More bizarre was the owner ‘Stan’ who spoke and acted as if he WAS Eminem! It was surreal. An Eminem-themed, Indian restaurant in a small city in Myanmar! ‘Stan’ was a great host: even spraying us with mosquito repellent as we sat and calling me ‘bro’ and throwing hip-hop gestures.

All of this would be a pointless gimmick if the food was bad. Thankfully, this was not the case. All the food was made to order. My mutton saagwala was delicious. You could really taste the mutton in the gravy. I asked for medium but it was very mild. I would have liked a bit more spicy but I was thankful that it was not too spicy, as is often the case in Indian restaurants in Southeast Asia. It was exactly what I’d been craving. My only regret was I didn’t get a photo with ‘Stan’. The man is a legend. Go visit him.

Curries from Innlay Hut Indian Food House

Curries from Innlay Hut Indian Food House

Cycling Around Inle Lake

By the time we got to our second full day, we were ready for something a bit more strenuous. Our hostel provided a cycling map of a 25 km route that took in local attractions based around Inle Lake. When we started, it looked like we were in for some grim weather.

Cycling out to Inle Lake

Cycling out to Inle Lake

We cycled to the east side of the lake then headed south. We were surprised to find a library in the forest on the way!

Forest library

Forest library

Cycling down the east side of the lake, we were presented with some amazing scenery.

View from east side of Inle Lake

View from east side of Inle Lake

Sunflowers

Sunflowers

Pagoda Viewpoint

The first stop on our map was ‘Khaung Daing Nature Hot Spring’ (map). We decided to skip this as it was $10 entrance and we had already visited hot springs in Lampang and Mount Kinabalu. Opposite the hot springs was a set of very steep stairs that took us up to a hilltop pagoda. From here, we took in the amazing views over Inle Lake.

Viewpoint over Inle Lake

Viewpoint over Inle Lake

Tofu Village

Our next stop was the ‘Tofu Village’ (map). Here you can take a guided tour around the village whose main source of income is making and selling tofu and other snacks to local businesses.

Tofu Palace

Tofu Palace

On arrival, we were welcomed by a very friendly local who explained the tour and gave us many snacks, including plates of deep fried tofu. The tofu here is made not from soya, but from chickpeas. The texture is nothing like the tofu I am familiar with. It is crispy on the outside and the inside is like mashed potato. It is absolutely delicious.

Deep fried tofu

Deep fried tofu

The guide then took us around the village. The first stop was to see where the tofu is made.

Making tofu

Making tofu

Making tofu

We then moved on to another house to see the production of steamed rice and brown sugar snacks. We were able to taste all the food. These snacks tasted like black treacle sponge. Delicious!

Rice and brown sugar snacks

Rice and brown sugar snacks

We then moved on to another house where they were making more sweets. This time, it was rice flour with brown sugar. They tasted like bonfire toffee; crispy on the outside and soft and chewy in the middle. They were also very delicious. These people make these all day long!

Making rice flour and brown sugar snacks

Making rice flour and brown sugar snacks

It was amazing getting up close with this local community and seeing how they produce the food that makes them a living.

You know those crunchy noodle-type snacks you get in bars and restaurants in Myanmar? They make those here too!

Cassava, chickpea and rice flour snacks.

Cassava, chickpea and rice flour snacks.

We came to one house where no one was working but our guide was very enthusiastic to show us how the food is made.

Tofu village guide

Tofu village guide

We then moved on to see how rice wine is made. We tried the wine. It’s not to my taste. It tasted like rum mixed with water.

Making rice wine

Making rice wine

Moving on, we came across a factory that prepared sunflower seeds and many other roasted peas and beans snacks. This was a big production line that provided snacks to the whole country.

Sorting seeds

Sorting seeds

Salting the chickpeas

Salting the chickpeas

As we walked back to the starting point, our guide started to explain that the price mentioned in the Baobabed map was out of date (the ‘price’ was actually a donation). He also talked about how the local community having to fund the new road that was being built. We knew where this was heading. I looked on Google Maps to see if anyone had commented on how much the tour cost. One review said 3,000 MKK.

When we finally sat down at the starting point (with more tofu and fried tofu) the guide said the tour was 5,000 each. On seeing my surprise, he lowered it to 4,000. We heard another guide offering the tour for 3,000. It all got a little bit awkward. I gave him the 4,000 each as it was good value for us, but it still left an unnecessary sour taste in the mouth. This was the first time in Myanmar where we felt that people were beginning to take advantage of tourists. I’d much rather they had a fixed price but then that would stop them from charging more, I suppose. They should probably agree a fee beforehand, especially when they know people are coming from hostels that give an incorrect price.

Regardless of the awkward fee situation, this was a fantastic experience. Our guide arranged a boat to take us across the river and we did get a discount for that. Boats are 10,000 and can take five people. As there were only two of us, we should have paid 10,000 but we paid 8,000.

Taking A Boat Across Inle Lake

We had the boat to ourselves which was more expensive but made us feel a bit special 🙂

Heading out to Inle Lake

Heading out to Inle Lake

We reached the other side of the lake and saw houses on stilts as we neared the mainland.

Inle Lake community

Inle Lake community

Inle Lake community

Inle Lake community

After a while, the houses became restaurants.

Inle Lake restaurants

Inle Lake restaurants

We left the boat and had to cycle along the ‘Maing Thouk Wooden Bridge’ (map).

Maing Thouk wooden bridge

Maing Thouk wooden bridge

Maing Thouk wooden bridge

Maing Thouk wooden bridge

Forest Monastery

After we finished on the bridge, we cycled across to the ‘Forest Monastery’ despite a local shouting we were going the ‘wrong way’.

Forest Monastery

Forest Monastery

We started the journey north back to our hostel. Along the way, we passed a cool looking cafe called ‘MOT’ that gives profits to the local school. I’m disappointed that we didn’t stop here as it looked a cool place.

MOT Cafe

MOT Cafe

The scenery was no less beautiful from the west side of the lake.

View from west side of Inle Lake

View from west side of Inle Lake

We also passed a very odd looking school!

Private school on Inle Lake

Private school on Inle Lake

We then cycled back to our hostel. As we hit the main road, we had to stop to let the children leave the local high school.

Stuck in traffic

Stuck in traffic

We spent the evening in the rooftop bar before venturing out for food. We basically went to the closest place that was still open which turned out to be ‘Golden Kite’ (map). I had a pork curry which was very tasty and reasonably priced. After this, it was time for bed.

Pork curry at Golden Kite

Pork curry at Golden Kite

Ancestor Restaurant

We had a lazy start to the day and eventually we had to pay attention to our stomachs and head out for food. I had saved ‘Ancestor Restaurant’ (map) into my Google Maps but didn’t know why. I’m presuming someone recommended it to me. We took the bikes there and I had pork and banana blossom which was very tasty. The portions are not huge and it is a little pricier than other places nearby but the food was good.

Pork and banana blossom from Ancestor restaurant

Pork and banana blossom from Ancestor restaurant

Red Mountain Winery

We decided to head to ‘Red Mountain Estate Vineyards and Winery’ (map) as the rain had stopped and we had the bicycles. Google Maps took us through woods and dirt roads. It was great as we saw some old pagados and a monastery that we would have never seen otherwise.

Monastery

Monastery

The things you find in the woods!

The things you find in the woods!

Red Mountain Estate Vineyards & Winery

After a half hour cycle, we reached ‘Red Mountain Estate Vineyards & Winery’ (map). The road up to the winery became too steep for cycling so we had to push our bikes up the hill. We were very hot and sweaty by the time we reached our destination.

The winery is free admission. There is no guide but you are free to wander around the winery and vineyards. There is little information other than a display describing the process which was a little disappointing but we were mainly here for the views, and the wine!

Views from Red Mountain Winery

Views from Red Mountain Winery

For just 5,000 MKK, you can sample four different wines (two red, two white). Whilst I would never call myself a connoisseur, I found all of the wines to be enjoyable and great value. It was a great way to spend some of the afternoon.

Red Mountain Estate Vineyards & Winery Opening Times: 9 am – 6 pm, every day.

Wine tasting at Red Mountain

Wine tasting at Red Mountain

Nyaungshwe Sunset

On our last night, we decided to stay in the hotel rooftop bar. Unfortunately, the place was completely empty. This didn’t stop us from enjoying a few beers as the sun set over the distant hills.

Sunset from Baobabed Hostel

Sunset from Baobabed Hostel

I enjoyed the beer a little too much and I missed last orders for food. I was going to skip the evening meal but decided instead to take myself back to ‘Pub Asiatico’ for a burger and one last beer. It was a pricier meal than we had been paying (western food usually is) but it was a decent enough burger to convince me I had made the right choice.

Burger from Pub Asiatico

Burger from Pub Asiatico

I left the pub, despite the offer of another beer, as we had a long journey the next day. Despite it not being 11 pm, the streets were all mine.

Nyaungshwe streets at night

Nyaungshwe streets at night

Is Inle Lake Worth Visiting?

Most people come to Nyaungshwe for Inle Lake, which is very beautiful. Seeing the houses and restaurants on stilts is a great experience. There are day trips on boats that will take you to many villages, each with their own trade such as blacksmiths, weaving, crafts, etc. We skipped this trip as we had already seen the beauty of the lake twice and it felt a little too touristy.

Nyaungshwe itself is quite a busy small city and we loved our stay here. So much so, we extended it by one more night. There are many food options, a small night market, lots of pagodas and the cycle around part of the lake and the visit to the tofu village was wonderful.

And who’d have thought there was an Eminem-themed Indian restaurant with a waiter called ‘Stan’ who talks and acts like Slim Shady himself, right here in a small city in Myanmar!

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