When I decided to go to Myanmar, I know that I might take a lot of bus rides. I’ve read different blogs and forums on which bus companies have good services and satisfactory customer reviews. Since I started out in the University, I’ve been travelling by bus from Laguna to Rizal. Even until I started working, I was still travelling back and forth to my hometown. That’s why I’m so used in travelling by bus thus, the long bus rides in Myanmar were not so difficult for me.
I booked my first bus, Yangon to Bagan by JJ Express through their facebook page while the other midnight buses, I booked through my hostel/hotel.
As you’ve noticed, I skipped one of the famous cities in Myanmar, the town of Mandalay. It is actually because I did not have a good planning before I booked my flights. I should have booked separate flights going in and out of Myanmar rather than booking a return flight of Singapore-Yangon. So anyway, I don’t have any choice but, to take it out of my itinerary.
After my two-day stay in Bagan, I rode again a night bus and went to Nyaung Shwe. I actually didn’t know anything about this place, aside from the fact that this is the hometown of my good Burmese friend and colleague and Inle Lake is there (too bad, we didn’t meet at that time). There are a lot of good places to see in Shan State but I only got to see Inle Lake.
I arrived so early that my room is still unavailable when I reached my hostel. They were kind enough to let me sleep in the couch (haha, it’s payback time after having a good time in my luxurious hotel in Bagan). But, I am really grateful to the hostel owner cos he’s the reason I met a good friend there who travelled with me along the banks of Inle lake and the unpaved roads of Nyaung Shwe, because of him I met Lila 🙂
Boat rides around Inle Lake for one day will cost you 18000 kyats (this is the price from the hostel), but since I had another solo traveler with me, we only paid half the price!
start of the Inle Lake boat trip with the scorching heat of the sun, oh UV :))
our boatman 😀
Inle Lake landmark
Inle Lake is a freshwater lake in Shan state which is widely used by locals of Nyaung Shwe and Intha people, who are known to be the lake dwellers. Now, it is popular among travellers as they get to see up close the villages, temples and the people of Inle lake, especially the famous one-leg rowing of the Intha fishermen. For more info, visit this link: INLE LAKE
Intha fisherman and the one-leg rowing!
I cannot describe everything in writings but, again, let my pictures tell you the story!
fisherman in action!
morning market about to close cos we arrived late
coolest thing in Inle Lake followed by the villages
The above picture is one of the coolest thing in this lake, they turned water hyacinths into tomato plantation. FYI: water hyacinths, when they are too many are water pollutants in bodies of water particularly in lakes as they suppress the sunlight and oxygen for the animals living down under (source? I read it somewhere 🙂 )
selling silver, floating market
silverworks, but too expensive
Unending sightseeing of temples. What a country! simple but filled with good food, rich in culture and beautiful people, indeed!
Hey Lila! at Shwe Inn Tain Pagoda, endless pagoda
calm calm calm
Strolling around Indein Village
Indein Village in Inle Lake
more photos at Indein Village
still have celebrations after the festival
this busy temple, Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, in the heart of inle lake
last stop for inle lake tour: cat monastery, they are famous for “jumping cats” but they already retired to “sleeping cats”
free tea inside the monastery
Before going back to Yangon, Lila and I went up early in the morning to the mountain to look for the hot spring while riding bicycles.
clear view of the sky! good morning vibes in Nyaung Shwe
1.5hrs bike ride to hotspring
😀
much awaited morning dip! for the first one hr, the whole place were ours, perks of being early bird
dinner at a local resto near our guesthouse! Myanmar Lager is ❤
We parted that day filled with happy memories. It was a blissful and new experience for me. Meeting people and being actually friends with them…solo travelling is worth the risk!!
This trip made me realized that even if you have language barrier, it still won’t stop you from communicating. Language is the key for a better communication but, actions really speak louder than words, and I knew from that moment that I’ve met good souls. 🙂
