I’m staying in the Inle Lake area for 4 days, which is a lot, but I always find something to do. On my second day, I did an Inle Lake boat tour. I did it with the hostel I’m staying in: ABC Hostel.
Honestly, if you are staying in the area shortly, this Inle Lake boat tour is the thing I would advise you the most to do. It is a must do in Inle Lake as in a day you get to see the major part of the things this place has of beautiful to show. I started very early in the morning and we watch the sunset on the boat and then get to the Hostel. I’m back at the hostel around 7 PM. It takes the whole day.
During this boat tour, you are lead to several different places to show you Myanmar’s industry and what’s those peoples’ supplies during the year. Meanwhile, you are riding among the floating village and get to see the Burmese houses surrounded by water. People move with boats in the village, there is no other way to do it. It’s such a calm and pleasant place. I loved to ride among the floating villages. It’s incredible how can humans adapt to any conditions and make their home anywhere, even in the middle of the water.
That was something totally new to me, that’s why it was fascinating for me. We have different stops during the ride: silver house, blacksmith house, to see the lotus flowers fabric, to see the long neck women, to see how they build boats, we go to the most famous monastery: Nga Phe Chaung, we visit a pagoda and we also go to Indein Village. So, it’s a complete day full of activities.
It stills take a while to reach the lake itself and it’s early morning so we have a blanket on the boat to warm us. You better take a nice jacket. The first stop is to watch the fisherman. We haven’t seen the emblematic fishermen on Inle Lake’s typical photos. Instead, we saw real fisherman fishing and collecting algae to fertilize their farming.
Then we stop at the floating gardens. They actually farm tomatoes and other types of vegetable in the middle of the water and the pattern it creates from a sky view is really beautiful. Only then we head to the paths among the floating village and that’s where we stop to watch the business of silver, blacksmith and boat making. We also stop to watch how they make fabric out of the Lotus flower. I had no idea that we could make fabric with the Lotus flower and it is an amazing process to watch. It’s such a delicate fiber… This fabric is more expensive than silk and they have some scarves made with it in case you want to buy after seeing how it’s made.
After this, we go have lunch at a floating restaurant with an amazing view of the surrounding area. In the afternoon we continue our Inle Lake boat tour.
