lonely-planet-myanmar-burma-11-edition

From Nyaung Ohak, a covered stairwayclimbs the hill, flanked by stalls selling lacquerware,puppets and other souvenirs –quality is high but so are the prices. At thetop is Shwe Inn Thein Paya, a complex of1054 weather-beaten zedi, most constructedin the 17th and 18th centuries. Some of thezedi lean at crazy angles while others havebeen reconstructed (courtesy of donationsfrom local Buddhists), which may ultimatelybe the fate of the whole complex. From thepagoda, there are great views across the lakeand valley. For even better views, there aretwo more ruined stupas on conical hillsjust north of the village, reached via a dirtpath behind Nyaung Ohak. You could easilyspend a few hours exploring the variousruins here.Part of the five-day inshore circuit, themarket (see p 183 ) at Inthein is one of thebiggest and liveliest in the area.Nga Hpe Kyaung(Jumping Cat Monastery) BUDDHIST TEMPLE=:"fy'ekY;='"(Map p 185 ) On the eastern side of the lake, theNga Hpe Kyaung is famous for its jumpingcats, trained to leap through hoops by themonks during the slow hours between scripturerecitals. The monks seem happy to puton a cat-jumping show for visiting touristsand the cats get treats for their efforts, sothey seem fairly happy too. But don’t expecta show when the monks are eating or meditating.A better reason to visit the pagoda isto see the collection of ancient buddha images.Constructed four years before MandalayPalace, the huge wooden meditation hallhas statues in the Shan, Tibetan, Bagan andInwa (Ava) styles displayed on ornate woodand mosaic pedestals.YwamaVILLAGErâCm(Map p 185 ) Ywama was the first village to bedeveloped for tourism and, as a result, it hasthe greatest number of souvenir shops andrestaurants. It’s still a very pretty village,with winding channels lined with tall teakhouses, but the charm can be diminishedby the crowds of tourist boats and paddlingsouvenir vendors.The main attraction at Ywama is the famousfloating market (see boxed text p 183 ),though this has also been a victim of itsown success. Held once every five days, themarket is a traffic jam of tourist boats and0 4 kmInle Lake 0 2 milesNantheSizonHot SpringsInle Lake ViewInle PrincessKaung DaingResortHu Pin HotelTrekking Inle Khaung InleRoute Daing Village ResortKanywa Resort Maing ThaukInleh Bo TehInle Sky Lake,Lake ParadiseNga Hpe Kyaung Inle Resort(Jumping CatForestMonastery) MonasteryThale UThandaungTrailWalkingYan AungNan AungHsu TaungPyi PagodaNyaungshweFloatingGardensGolden IslandCottages Thale UYwama ZayatkyiNyaungTha Lay IngyingonOhak Phaung Inn Thar LayDaw OoAlodaw PaukInthein PayaShwe Inn ShwePagodaNampanThein PayaInnTha Golden IslandTo Kalaw In Phaw Cottages Nampan(37mi) Khone Naung TawTo Thaung Tho (1mi);Kyauk Taung (1.2mi); Thaung ThoKyaing Kan (1.2mi); KyaungSankar (10mi)Chaing Khamsouvenir hawkers, with a few local farmerspeddling vegetables in among the crowds.Phaung Daw Oo PayaBUDDHIST TEMPLEefC='etC'W".urC"(Map p 185 ; camera/video fee K200/300) A widechannel leads south from Ywama to the villageof Tha Ley and Phaung Daw Oo Paya,the holiest religious site in southern ShanState. Enshrined within the huge tiered pagodaare five ancient buddha images thathave been transformed into amorphousblobs by the sheer volume of gold leaf appliedby devotees. During the annualPhaung Daw Oo festival (p 194 ), the imagesare paraded around the lake in an ornatebarge shaped like a hintha. Local familiesoften bring their children here as part of theordination rites for the sangha (Buddhistbrotherhood) – a fascinating spectacle if youhappen to be there at the right time.185INLE EASTERN LAKE MYANMAR SIGHTS SIGHTS THE LAKE