THE GUIDE - The Rough Guide to Myanmar - page 361

TAKING A BOAT TRIP ON INLE LAKE
Itwouldbeapity-nottomentionratherstrange-toleaveInleLakewithouthavingtaken
a boat trip on its placid waters. This is not only a beautiful and thoroughly enjoyable ex-
perience, but by far the best and easiest way in which to see the various sights around the
lake, and take in its unique way of life.
Most trips follow a fairly standard route. Your boat will first spend some time chugging
along the canal joining Nyaungshwe to the lake. As soon as you hit the lake proper, you'll
see a bunch of fishermen, their boats surprisingly devoid of fish. They'll ask for money
if you take pictures; you'll get plenty of chances to snap “real” fishermen later on. Then
it's off south to Nampan ; if it's market day at Maing Thauk , you'll probably stop there
too. At Nampan there are a couple of good options for early lunch . After that, it's off to
the Phaung Daw Oo Paya , which features more lunch options , and possibly a side-trip to
Inthein . Then, after a trip to see the long-necked Padaung ladies and have a stroll on the
floating gardens , it's off to Ngaphe Kyaung , and finally off home; if it's before 4.30pm,
you could ask your boatman to aim instead for the Khaung Daing hot springs .
Lastly, on the way around, your boatman will inevitably call at various floating cottage
industries: lotus-fibre eavers , goldsmiths , cheroot-makers , boat-builders and the like.
These are all free to visit, and there's little pressure to buy souvenirs, but feel free to tell
your boatman if you've tired of these soft-sell activities.
Maing Thauk
On four days out of every five, the charming village of MAING THAUK is left off most
boat-trip itineraries. The exceptions are, of course, the day that the five-day market lands
here; at such times the market is a pleasingly photogenic throng of commerce. The village it-