Watching basket fishermen gracefully cast out their fishing baskets while balancing on one leg is why people come to Inle Lake. We found these fishermen and even more remarkable sites on this fascinating lake in Myanmar.
After spending 3 days trekking from Kalaw to Inle Lake we arrived at one of the narrow channels that lead to the open lake. A boatman drove us across this huge watershed to reach the boat docks in the tourist town of Nyuang Shwe.
Dock, Inle Lake
Inle Lake is a massive watershed, but it is very shallow. At times the sea weed is only inches from the surface, even in the middle of the lake. The shallow lake has resulted in a unique fishing technique. Fishermen stand on the end of their long-boats to have a better vantage point to see air bubbles that indicate the location of fish. To keep this upright posture, they have an interesting way of paddling too. While balancing on one leg, they skillfully paddle with the other leg.
Basket fisherman, Inle Lake 
Leg padding, Inle Lake 
Net fisherman, Inle Lake
Once a fisherman thinks he’s above a school of fish, he gracefully uses his leg to swing a fishing basket into the water while balancing at end of his wooden dugout. The fishermen are so smooth, it’s as if they are dancing on the end of their boats.
Hoping that he’s trapped fish in the basket, the fisherman uses a long pole to excite the fish so they try to swim away. Instead of getting away though, the fish get caught in the basket.
Basket fisherman, Inle Lake 
Basket fisherman, Inle Lake 
Basket fishermen, Inle Lake 
Basket fishermen, Inle Lake
The basket fishermen are a dying breed as most of them now use nets. Some reports say that it isn’t worth visiting anymore because so many use nets instead of baskets. While it is true that the younger fishermen use nets, there were still plenty of basket fishermen. As well, the net fishermen have the same technique except they cast a net with their hands. We found both fascinating to watch.
Net fisherman, Inle Lake 
Net fisherman, Inle Lake
Much of the lake industry has moved from fishing to gardening. Locals have developed a unique solution to planting vegetables on this shallow lake by building floating gardens. Farmers build garden beds by piling layers of water hyacinth, seaweed and fine mud from the lake bottom. The result is hundreds of acres of vegetable garden beds floating above the bottom of the lake. The beds are 1 m thick, with 1/3 of it above the surface of the water. Beds are anchored to the lake bottom with bamboo poles. Farmers grow tomatoes, squash, cucumbers and beans in these specialized gardens.
In order to reach their gardens, farmers navigate beween the floating beds on wooden boats.
Floating gardens, Inle Lake 
Floating gardens, Inle Lake 
Floating gardens, Inle Lake 
Floating gardens, Inle Lake 
Floating gardens, Inle Lake
The vegetation used to build these garden beds is harvested from the lake. Standing on their long-boats they use long rakes to pull up plants from the bottom of the lake.
Harvesting seaweed, Inle Lake 
Harvesting seaweed, Inle Lake 
Harvesting seaweed, Inle Lake
It’s amazing to see the way these tribes, mostly Inda, have adapted to living on and near the lake and its watershed. There are at least 20 small villages on and around the lake. Most of the houses and shops are on stilts. A few are completely surrounded by water, even during dry season, while others have been built partially on reclaimed land. It was fascinating to take a tour up and down the ‘streets’ of water.
Stilt village, Inle Lake 
Stilt village, Inle Lake 
Stilt village, Inle Lake 
Stilt village, Inle Lake
There are many Buddhist temples and pagodas around the lake. Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda is the largest. It is on an island in the lake and therefore is only accessible by boat. The golden pagoda seems very elaborate in comparison to the modest homes. Inside the five Buddha statues have been covered by so much gold leaf that they are no longer recongizable as Buddha. Also docked at the pagoda is the Royal Karaweik Barge. This ornately decorated barge is used to carry the Buddhist statues accross the lake during Buddhist festivals.
Phaung Daw U Pagoda, Inle Lake 
Royal barge, Inle Lake 
Temple, Inle Lake
Here’s our YouTube video from Inle Lake
Where to stay and eat
The town of Nyuang Shwe is a cute village along the canals of Inle Lake. Here and in Kalaw, they seem to be the best prepared for tourists in Myanmar. They have signs in English, a good selection of restaurants and hotels and they have much needed laundry services. Somehow these two towns have been able to understand tourism before the rest of the country.
We don’t often recommend restaurants but Innlay Hut and Indian Food really stood out. Not only was it the best food we had during our entire time in Myanmar, the owner is an entertaining character.
How to get to Nyuang Shwe
Heho Airport is the closest airport to Nyuang Shwe. It is 45 km away and services both Nyuang Shwe and Kalaw. Overnight buses go to/from Yangon (9 hrs), Mandalay, (6 hrs), Bagan (6 1/2 hrs). Mini buses travel these routes during the day. Or do as we did and hike from Kalaw (3 days)
Tours
There are many boatmen at the docks offering boat tours. You can hire them directly or through a tour agency or your hotel in town. We hired the boatman that brought us to Nyuang Shwe after our hike.
Note – some of the basket fishermen are posing for pictures in exchange for a tip. Based on reports we thought they all would be fake, but in reality we saw a lot of basket fishermen actively fishing in the age-old technique.
Coming up next – The Roads Around Mandalay, Myanmar
For extra pics from this trip go to Gallery/Myanmar. For extra pictures from other blogs go to Gallery at monkeystale.ca
To read more of our stories from around the world go to Destinations.
If you like what you read, please share it, with credit, using one of the links below.
Monkey's Tale 
Great experience ! Thank you for sharing !
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, this was a great part of our trip. Thanks for reading! Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very cool! We were there in the 80s and were allowed a very short time in the country. I wish we could have visited for longer as it was one of the most interesting countries I’ve been to.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Other than the current uprising it probably hasn’t changed much since the 80s. It was one of the most interesting countries we’ve been to as well. There are so many amazing sites and their culture is fascinating. I hope the political problems get sorted out soon.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fascinating post and very interesting. Beautiful photos. I will have to visit Burma through your posts as I’m not going there anytime soon.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Unfortunately it’s not a good place to go right now, I’m so glad we visited when we did. Thanks for reading! Maggie
LikeLike
😎
LikeLike
That must have been amazing to watch.
LikeLiked by 2 people
It was truely unbelievable to see them in person. Thanks for reading! Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
Another fabulous post. Loved the video and the floating garden…ingenious way to garden! Always a treasure to read your posts. Thank you both. Cheers 🎣😊
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you Suzette, they are incredibly resourceful aren’t they? Thanks for your comments! Maggie
LikeLiked by 2 people
Pleasure🙏
LikeLike
The ingenuity of humans never ceases to amaze. Talk about having great balance. Love the gardens that you would never have to worry about watering. Thanks for sharing this part of the world. Allan
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was fascinating to see so many unique parts to this culture all within the confines of one lake. The gardens were fascinating and I read they supply much of that region with tomatoes becasue they grow so well. Thanks for reading! Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
wow, very nice pictures! I remember all! thank you!
https://www.youtube.com/user/bortocal/search?query=Inle
https://bortocal.wordpress.com/?s=Inle&submit=Cerca
My Myanmar, videos 51-61
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s a fascinating place isn’t it. I hope the political turmoil settles down there soon. Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
Considering the travel pictures I have seen, I assume Inle lake is an incredibly popular place among travelers. This does look like a great place to visit and capture some authentic pictures.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The people of Inle have such unique ways to manage living on the lake that it’s a great place to visit. So far it hasn’t been affected too much from tourists. Inle Lake is probably the second most popular place for tourists in Myanmar after Bagan. It was a little overwhelming to see so many tourists after traveling in other parts of the country. Having said that, there were (in 2018) very few tourists in Myanmar compared to neighbouring countries. Hopefully some day soon they will be able to bring back tourists again. It was a good revenue source for many areas. Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
Maggie, I always have this conflict in my mind. I’m thankful when there are less tourists as the overall travel experience is great. But when think from the perspectives of the locals, having more tourists is good for their economic well being. So I always find this contradiction; I find it hard to choose one. On another note, not having many tourists also allows places like Burma to retain their culture and charm. We have already seen how everything changes with the arrival of mass tourism. Just look at Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Tough choices!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I feel the same way, I’m sure many of these countries are hurting now with less international travel. And also as tourists we hate for places to assimilate and lose their uniqueness, but for the locals, their life is usually so much easier with some modernization. Than again it brings other problems, such as higher cost of living. It’s a very tough choice.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, it is chicken vs egg situation. Everything has cause and effect relationship. Maybe we just want change to reflect in just one way but then it isn’t so. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Maggie.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Inle Lake was such a fascinating place — it’s actually one of my favorites in the country. I still remember my excitement going around the village in the middle of the lake by boat as if the whole place was constantly flooded and people had learned to live with so much water around them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s really amazing how much they have adapted to living on the lake, from the homes to the gardens and the fishing technques. It’s understandable why it’s so popular with tourists, but it didn’t feel like it was touristy to us. I hope they are doing okay there now with the politcal problems. Thanks for reading Bama, Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
Another wonderful post, Maggie!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Jyothi! Maggie
LikeLike
It’s a very different lifestyle from what we see elsewhere, and beyond the aesthetics of the fishermen’s poses, it gives us a better understanding of the diversity of the world. Thanks for the post.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s very true, they have a unique way to live and thrive on the lake. It was incredible to see how they live and have adapted their lives. Thanks for your comments. Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, what a fascinating way of life! I would love to see the fishermen in action.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was unbelievable Diana, the fisherment were so graceful and the quiet lake added to it. I’m so glad we got to see it, hopefully you can go one day too. Maggie
LikeLike
Basket fishing is so elegant! I love the royal barge, so gorgeous!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes, they looked like they were dancing on the boat. The royal barge is beautiful. It would have been interesting to see it during one of the festivals when it goes out on the lake. I imagine they decorate it even more. Thanks for readiing Rebecca, Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s great that you got so much insight into these fishermens lives. I love hearing about local fishermen because all too often large fishing companies destroy local fishermen’s livelihoods. It’s great to see certain groups of local fishermen thriving 😊
LikeLike
It looks incredible – and the way it is still done the ‘original’ way and so manually is just great that they can still survive this way and in keeping with generations of tradition 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
That was the best part. Some people complained that they started to use nets, but it’s still by hand, on long-boats. You’re right it’s really incredible that they can still survive on these old techniques.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t usually think of fishing as being particularly graceful, but this post sure changes that. Those fisherman have such amazing balance (and strength). It looks beautiful. It’s interesting to read about the floating gardens, and how life and livelihood are adapted to living by/on the lake. I’d love to visit this fascinating place.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’d love it, even though it’s one of the most touristy places in Myanmar, there still weren’t many tourists and it retains its charming culture. We were so impressed by the fishermen, how lovely it looks. And how resilient they are to build the floating gardens. It’s truely a gem.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Basket fishermen are incredibly graceful. I was half-wondering while reading if the performance was just for tourists, but it’s good to hear that many of them still genuinely live and fish the old way. I can only hope that the current political instability will subside.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There’s one man at the beginning of the lake that doesn’t fish, he just performs. I think I’ve seen him on everyone’s Instagram 🙂 On the lake though there were dozens of real fishermen who really didn’t want much to do with tourists. I really hope the instablilty settles down and these people are able to return to their regualar lives. It’s so sad.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This lake is really interesting and a must see spot. Thanks for the tip on tourist friendly places in Myanmar.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is definitely worth visiting, there’s so much to see on one lake. Hopefully Myamnar will settle down soon and it will be open for tourists again. Thanks for reading! Maggie
LikeLike
Great photos. What an interesting place. It’s amazing how humans have learned to adapt and thrive in so many environments. And it seems as if theirs is a more sustainable adaptation than Western Culture.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, these people have really shown us what is possible with a litte ingenuity and work. They certainly are able to do a lot without modern equipment. It’s such a fascinating place. Thanks for reading! Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful photos! I was especially interested in this post because I was at one of the stilt villages during a time of year when the roads were not under water. Sadly, at the time I visited (about 5 years ago), Inle Lake was being polluted by chemical run off from fertilizers and pesticides used on local farms. The run off was affecting the fisheries in the lake. Hopefully, this is changing….
LikeLiked by 2 people
We didn’t hear about the pollution and the lake seemed very healthy, so hopefully it’s being managed better. We visited a different stilt village during dry season so I’m glad it was entirely in water when we were in Inle. Thanks for reading!
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a fabulous looking place to visit, looks pretty unique even by Asia’s standards. Posts like this really make us all yearn to be free again, I’m sure we all feel the same. Those fishermen must have the body control of ballet dancers or yoga enthusiasts!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Myanmar has a few of these spots that have a very unique cultures. The fishermen were amazing to watch. They could out do any yoga class I’m sure! Hope we all get to travel somewhere, anywhere soon. 😊 Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
A lovely post … I was listening to music while reading and it almost looked as if the fishermen were really dancing on their boats … I think you must have a lot of balance to master this way of catching fish!
Thanks for your YouTube video – it was great to watch after reading your story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! You’re right it was like we were at a dance performance, all across the lake. The long-boats are not the most stable boats either, so they really have amazing balance. Thanks for reading! Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
That would be fun to watch. I’d fall in!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha I would too. It was a lot of fun. Maggie
LikeLike
you’ve done so well to capture the lake without having 1000 tourists in shot at the same time. It’s such a lovely place, looks like you got a really authentic experience too
LikeLiked by 1 person
It really wan’t too busy when we were there. We saw quite a few people in town, but not many on the lake. Good timing for us I guess.
LikeLike
What a gorgeous and fascinating post!
I absolutely love to see such different cultures and once again, you have captured it beautifully.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, it was such an interesting place and very different ways of living. Thanks for reading! Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow. Really fascinating. Incidentally, I can see basket fishing morphing into the latest SUP workout here in the west. Goodbye SUP yoga, hello Basket Fishing SUP Pilates Fusion. Now, if they could somehow get goats or puppies in the mix they’d really have something.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Hilarious!! And probably not that far off the latest fad! If it had goats I’d try it 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Another wonderful read!! Like you, I was fascinated by how big some of the floating gardens were! One thing I never managed to establish was whether that crocodile farm in the floating village was actually a commercial enterprise or something for tourists.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We didn’t see or even hear of a crocodile farm. Strange that they would put crocodiles in a fishing lake.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh. Perhaps it pre-dates or post-dates our visits or perhaps it has gone. It was quite odd and they had a considerable number of them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We went in 2018. EIther we luckily missed them or they weren’t there.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah, ok, I was there in 2013 and 2014, so it obviously disappeared or was relocated in the intervening years 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hope they were taken somewhere where they would naturally live.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Magnificent post. Great photography as usual. Bravo!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, there were so many interesting things to see at Inle Lake )
LikeLike
This is quite fascinating to watch the fishermen balancing on one leg and casting the basket for fishing. The Buddhist Pagoda is so beautiful. It must be definitely an immensely interesting tour .
LikeLiked by 1 person
The fishermen are incredible, it’s like watching a show. Inle Lake and many places in Myanmar have such interesting customs unique from neighbouring countries.
LikeLike
Absolutely fascinating – a world on the water! The fishermen’s work does resemble a dance. Thanks for sharing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, it was like watching a performance rather than someone fishing. They have so many unique solutions to living on a shallow lake. Thanks for your comments 🙂 Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
What an amazing post!!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Stunning photos and videos of a unique culture and way of life. The fishermen are so agile and graceful. Some elements, such as stilt houses and dugout canoes are remnants of ancient times. Amazing post! ❤ All the best!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Inle Lake seems to be living in another time. Watching the fishermen were like a dance performance. Thanks for reading! Maggie
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fascinating!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!
LikeLike
Beautiful captures – wow, perfect poise and balance from those fishermen!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes they were like professional dancers on a bobbing boat!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cool post, those pictures and videos are amazing!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! Although it’s one of the most touristy spots in Myanmar it still has its unique local culture.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pictures look serene.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
It seems to be one of the beautiful parts of your trip Maggie, glad you had a good time and able to capture those moments through this beautiful post!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Inle Lake was definitely one of the top spots! Maggie
LikeLike