🛶 Inle Lake

260 km from Mandalay is Inle Lake, the journey to it took us 10 hours by bus! Why so long? Because of the poor roads (but still better than in Laos😏) and military checks along the way.
Inle Lake is located 1,328 meters above sea level. It is vast and shallow and surrounded by mountains on all sides. Its charm lies in the unique villages that seem to float atop its surface. Houses, schools, temples, and shops all stand on stilts, with boats 🛶 replacing bicycles as the primary mode of transport. The canals connecting these villages add to the magical, Venice-like vibe.

The locals are very friendly, surprisingly many of them spoke English, we had some time to chat - not only about their lives but also about the civil war and the great flood that had hit them a few months ago - but despite these inconveniences they were very smiley and curious about the newcomers.

The lake's inhabitants are known for their unique way of propelling their boats. Standing on the stern of their flat-bottomed boats, they use one leg to row while balancing with the other, creating a rhythmic, mesmerizing motion. Their skill in fishing from these boats is equally impressive.🐟.

Our tour also took us to a textile factory, where women weave patterned materials in hand-made looms. It takes them about 20 days to weave material for a monk's robe. We also met a woman with a long neck - a member of Kayan people.

The area has already seen its heyday but is still ready to welcome many tourists - but there are none - we’ve met only two groups of Chinese (yes - they were wearing life jackets🦺).Weiterlesen