Myanmar – Inle Lake 2016 — Carol & Scott On The Road

Hi, welcome to Blog #3 on our visit to Myanmar. This blog is about our visit to Inle Lake and the surrounding area.

Inle lake is a freshwater lake in the Shan State, about 150 miles south of Mandalay. It has a surface area of 45 square miles, elevation of 2,900 feet and water depth is 7 to 12 feet depending on the season.

Approximately 70,000 people live in the Inle Lake area, both on the lake shores and on the lake itself. Most of the Inle Lake people live in simple houses made of wood and woven bamboo on stilts. They are for the most part very self-sufficient working as fishermen and farmers. The farmers gather up strips of water hyacinth and mud and make them into floating beds in their garden areas, anchored by bamboo poles. The gardens rise and fall with changes in the water level resistant to flooding.

Local fishermen are known for practicing a distinctive rowing style which involves standing at the stern on one leg and wrapping the other leg around the oar. This style evolved as the lake is covered by reeds and floating plants making it difficult to see very well. Standing provides the fisherman a view above and beyond the reeds.

The local market rotates through five different locations around the lake area. A full variety of produce and hand-made goods for local use are traded or purchased. The markets are interesting given the variety of items for sale, but even more interesting due to the gathering of vendors representing many different tribes throughout the area. The tribe members typically identify themselves by the head dress they wear, tattoos or neck rings.

We also visited Kakku, which has over 2,000 Pagodas, some dating back to the 13th century. It is about a 3 hour drive from Inle Lake and is in the territory of the Pa-Oh people. Entering the area required a Pa-Oh guide to join us with our own guide to enter the area. The thousands of Pagodas in this small area is an amazing testament to the religious devotion of the Pa-Oh people. Many of the Pagodas have been damaged by earthquakes, breaking up the mortar and stucco and, in many cases, tilting the gilded metal hti on top. The hti is like a multi-tiered umbrella that has bells hung on it to attract the attention of good Nats (spirits).

Fishing on Inle Lake