|
INLE LAKE ::
A very shallow lake, only 2 to 3 meters deep, surrounded by high plateaus and overlooked by the misty Shan mountains. The lake is home to the Intha people, among others, who have adapted to their watery environment by building whole villages rising in stilts from the shallow waters. Lake dwellers have become famed for their unique leg rowing technique, and grow an array of flowers and vegetables in picturesque floating gardens and fields, tended by workers in canoes. Inle Lake is 22 kilometers long, about 11 kilometers wide and lies a comfortable 875 meters above sea level.
(General Admission to Inle Lake: US$ 5)
SAGAR or SAMKAR ::
An old assembling of stupas at the edge of a picturesque wide lake between the Shan mountain ranges in the south of Inle Lake. A two-hour boat ride to Sagar is a fascinating one as it brings you down the river leading out of Inle Lake in the south, along old Nat shrines and lonely pagodas. It is a ride through the "watery Tuscany of Myanmar", lush colorful fields in green, yellow and brown along the mountain slopes.
(General Admission to Sagar: US$ 6)
TAUNGGYI / KAKKU ::
Taunggyi is a bustling Mountain town on one of the major trade routes to China, its markets a magnet for tribes people from all over. The famous but little visited site of Kakku with 2,478 stupas surrounding a 2000-year-old Pagoda is a 1.5-hour drive through Pa-O tribal villages to the south of the city.
PINDAYA ::
This peaceful little town in a beautiful rural setting is famous for its caves, home to a labyrinth of over 8,000 Buddha images of varying sizes. Pindaya is mainly inhabited by Danu people, and the villages around Pindaya are mostly Pa-O tribe villages, although the town is a starting point for treks further afield to Palaung, Taungyo and Danu hill tribe villages.
KALAW ::
Kalaw is a former popular British hill station on the western edge of the Shan plateau. It is a quiet town at 1,320 meters above sea level with an atmosphere reminiscent of the colonial era. It also serves as a very good starting point for interesting treks and hikes of anything from one to five days into the surrounding mountains, home to different hill tribes such as Palaung, Pa-O, Taungthu, Taungyo and Danu, to mention but a few.
After arriving in Heho and being picked up by our tourguide, we will drive 2 to 2.5 hours to Pindaya to visit the following sights:
Pindaya Caves :
This sacred cave complex features over 8,000 Buddha images made from alabaster, teak, marble, brick, lacquer and cement within its labyrinths. The caves burrow into a limestone ridge overlooking Pindaya lake and town. Unusual features are a set of stalagmites that can be struck with large wooden beams to produce tones like a gong. There are also the "perspiring Buddhas", which stayed wet because of condensation, but which are dry now, having been recently painted.
(Admission US$ 3,-)
Umbrella Factory :
A chance for a detailed look at the making of the famous Shan paper and beautiful Burmese umbrellas.
From Pindaya we will drive to Kalaw and check in to the designated hotel. On the way we will stop between Aung Ban and Kalaw to visit the:
Myin Mahti Cave :
A 1,020 feet long cave circling through the limestone. It offers a variety of different little stupas and religious images, illuminated weakly by an old generator outside the cave. The first stupa was built in the cave over 2,300 years ago by King Thiri Damar Thaw Kayarzar and has three tiers of umbrellas.
On the next day we will visit the quiet hill station before we proceed by car to Nyaung Shwe. In Kalaw you are able to visit a few interesting points as well as taking in the beautiful colonial flair of the town:
Market :
A good place for watching hill tribe people and the other varied inhabitants of Kalaw, Nepali, Indians, Gurkhas, Bamar and Shan. It also features a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Nee Paya :
Features a gold lacquered bamboo Buddha, about 20 minutes by car ride.
Kalaw is one of the best starting points in the Southern Shan State for trekking to many different tribes including:
Pa-O, Palaung, Danu, Taungyo, Kayah, Taungthu and Danaw, who inhabit the surrounding mountains. In the villages you will be able to observe traditional houses, weaving and the making of traditional costumes. We are more than happy to organize an amazing trekking tour over one or more days. For further Information please check our tour information:
Trekking in the Southern Shan State.
We can always tailor the itinerary to fit your individual wishes,
for example: if you want to visit Kalaw first and stay over night in Pindaya.
After arriving in Nyaung Shwe from Kalaw or Pindaya, you will board a motorboat and be ferried to your hotel on Inle Lake, and savour a taste of the charms this famous lake has in store. The very next morning we will start our sightseeing trip on the lake.
"For more information of Inlay Lake, please visit our Inlay Lake site."
After breakfast you will be taken by boat to Nyaung Shwe and we proceed from there by car via Taunggyi to Kakku. In Taunggyi we can visit the Shan State Museum, which shows the traditional dress of all different Shan tribes (interesting but not a must).
Kakku :
About 1.5 hours to the south of Taunggyi.
There are 2,478 stupas around the Pagoda, which contains a relic of the last Buddha. The first stupa is said to be one of 84,000 supposedly built by King Ashoka (King of India) over 2000 years ago. In the 11th century King Alongsithu from Bagan ordered each of the families in the surrounding area to build a stupa around the pagoda in honour of the Buddha.
Depending on the time you spend at Kakku we may have time on the way back, to enjoy a great view over Taunggyi, the Shan Plateau and Inle Lake from Shwe Phone Pwint Pagoda on top of a large steep mountain rising up behind Taunggyi.
We suggest another nice daytrip from Inle Lake to Sagar (Samkar). This fascinating boat ride leads you down the river leading out of Inle Lake in the south, between green, brown and yellow fields, along old Nat shrines and lonely pagodas.
 Sagar (Samkar) : The name is said to be taken from the Sagarbin (Frangipani tree - the champak). King Asoka is said to have built a pagoda in the center of Sagar with an image made of Saga wood (Frangipani wood) and built a town around it. Since the mid 1600's the area has been home to complex irrigation and agriculture systems. There are a few ancient pagodas, which are simple but beautiful nonetheless. The valley is entirely given over to paddy cultivation and the slopes have long since been cleared of all large tree growth for hill crops. It is worth visiting the area on the market day when people from local tribes come together. Although a bit longer boat ride, the trip to Sagar is a beautiful one that passes a number of tribal villages and is a perfect daytrip for the traveler wanting a relaxing day away from other tourists.
|
