TODAY

Location

750 km north of Yangon, and in the southern Shan State.

How to get there

From Yangon or Mandalay, you take a regular flight to Heho and from there motor down to Inlè lake. Or you can travel by car uphill and along the winding road over the Shan Plateau savouring the sights all round. Or you can take the train via Thazi junction to Heho and Shwenyaung, the nearest station to the Lake.

Where to stay  and where to dine

Inle Resort, Golden Island Cottage, Inlè Princess, Lake View Resort, and Ann’s Restaurant. At Nyaung Shwe, which is the gateway to Inlè  lake, modern-style hotels like Hu Pin, Gold Star, Aquarius Inn, Nan Da Wunn Hotel, and Primrose.

Why so special

Next to Indawgyi Lake in the Kachin State, the Inlè (Inlay) Lake is the largest lake in Myanmar, 22 km long and 10 km across. The population in and around the lake number some 150,000 many of whom live on floating islands of vegetation. Natural and unpolluted, Inlè Lake is the main tourist attraction in Myanmar for its scenic beauty and the unique way the native lake dwellers row their boats (for which the lake is also known as “the lake of the leg-rowers”).

Amarapura is an old royal capital, only 20 minutes’ drive from Mandalay. King Bodawpaya moved his capital from Innwa to Amarapura in 1883.

Amarapura is just 11 kilometres south of Mandalay, on the road to Sagaing. So tourists can seek overnight accommodation in Manda-lay to visit Amarapura.

Amarapura has several sites to attract the tourists. U Pein Bridge claims to be the world’s longest teak bridge (1 – 2 kilometres) set up on 1,186 teak pillars. Below it is Taung Thaman Lake where you can hire a rowboat. Amarapura Handicraft Centre and Restaurant offers a pleasant view over the Lake. Noteworthy pagodas are Kyauktawgyi and Nagayon. A visit to Mahagandhayon Monastery will show how Myanmar monks practise the Buddha’s Teaching for liberation.

Amarapura is famous for silk weaving. Both silk and cotton longyis are available. Along the main street are still seen lovely old brick buildings built in colonial  British style.