Inle
Inle Lake is famous for its unique Leg Rowers, floating villages and colorful markets held once in five days at village around the Inle Lake in interesting being full of pageantry and colorful splendor. Here, villages are built on stills over the lake waters and boats are the sole means of transport. Inle Lake is located in the Shan State and nestled amidst hazy blue mountains about 30 km to the south of Taunggyi. This vast beautiful picturesque lake 900 meter above sea-level, it is one of the main tourist attraction in Myanmar.


Phaungdawoo Pagoda
One of the famous principal shrines in Myanmar, this pagoda houses five small Buddha images. Once a year, in end Sept-early Oct., there is a pagoda festival during which the five Buddha images are rowed around the Lake in a colorful barge. Situated in Inle Lake, one of the most dazzling and magical places in Asia. It is held on a grand scale for 18 days, usually falls in October (sometimes in September). Four Buddha Images out of five from Phaung-daw-oo Pagoda are carried on royal barge and conveyed around 14 villages on the Lake. The barge is towed by the boats of leg -rowers and hundreds of boats follow the procession. The large crowds of people gather on the lake-shores to celebrate the occasion. It is really a splendid sight.


Mine Thauk Market
A large and bustling market where one can find a real local atmosphere with a variety of produce from the lake. Other places of interest near the market in the lake are Paya Pauk Pagoda, Zakah Village and Nga Phe Chaung monastery. It is Accessible by ferry boats in Inle.


Ngaphekyaung Monastery
Ngaphe Kyaung Monastery situated in Ngephe Kyaung Ywa Oo, Nyaungshwe Township, Southern Shan State. It is popularly known as the Jumping Cat Monastery. The monastery renowned for its artistic features is made even more famous by the cats in the monastery. The cats are family and are able to jump through hoops of rope. When they are told “Jump” they jump through the hoop of rope.So, The Ngaphe Kyaung Monastery came to be called Jumping Cat Monastery. When you are touring the Inle region, you are cordially invited to venerate the ancient Buddha images and observe the unusual jumping skills of the fascinating cats.


Shweindein Pagoda
This mysterious place is at the end of the marvelous Indein creek, which connected with Inle Lake just after the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda. The creek is narrow with many twist and turns. Since the both sides are paddy fields you can see the farmers ploughing and harrowing by water buffaloes. At the lunch time while groups of farmers having lunch the water buffaloes enjoy themselves dipping in the creek. At many places in the creek the farmers dam up the water by bamboo barriers to irrigate the paddy fields. It is compulsory to see Novice monks, buffalo boys and village girls wash and swim in the creek. The Shweindein pagoda and stupas built in the 8th century and rows of shops are famous. Trekking enthusiasts can climb up Mt. Shwe U Daung, 3000 ft above sea level, in 90 minutes.


Ywama Village
The largest village on the Inlay Lake; its streets are a web of canals. There is some beautiful teak houses built on large wooden piles driven into the lake bed. The main activity and attraction is at the floating market in the largest canal. You can visit the goldsmith workshops observe the sculpture and umbrella industries.


Inle Environments

Pindaya Caves
Pindaya means "I got the Spider", situated at the foot of Mene-Taung Range about 45 km north of Kalaw and 100 km from Taunggyi, is a picturesque place, keep so quiet and very small silent town, famous for its caves in which thousands of Centuries Old Buddha Images are seated. The images are at various sizes, some carved in the face of Rock and some deposited in riches in the wall. The road from Kalaw to Pindaya 38 km passes through a countryside of magnificent scenic beauty. The scenic road passes through fields of dry cultivated mountain rice along the way. Inside are more than eight thousand Buddha images made from alabaster, teak, marble, brick, lacquer, of all shapes and sizes.


Kalaw
Kalaw sits high on the western edge of the Shan Plateau and was a popular hill station in the British times. Many of the Tudor-style houses and English gardens of colonial days remain. It is still a peaceful and quiet place with an atmosphere remnant of colonial era. Kalaw is situated 70 km west of Taunggyi. Kalaw is 1320 m above sea level with a pleasantly cool weather and is a good place for hiking amid gnarled pines, bamboo groves and rugged mountains scenery. There are good accommodations in Kalaw and trekking into the surrounding mountains to take a look at the lifestyle of native hill tribes as Pa-O, Pa Laung and others. It is an ideal starting point for trekking to Palaung villages. You can go on trekking to ethnic villages nearby.


Taunggyi
Taunggyi, the capital of Shan State, has a small but exiting ethnographic museum devoted to the many tribes of the Shan State. In Taunggyi, the capital city of the Shan State, the people celebrate the Tazaungdine festival with November (offering of monk robes) as well as the releasing up fire-balloons into the sky. Balloons in the shape of elephant, ox, horse, water-buffalo, bird, pig, fish, owl and parrot are released. The Taunggyi festival is the biggest festival in the country. Taungyi's Kahtein tradition is amazing and worthy of reverence. So the best time to visit Taunggyi is for the yearly Balloon Festival in November which definitely is the highlight in Taunggyi!


Kakku
One of the Asia's largest and most spectacular ancient monuments is a wonderful Pagoda named Kakku. A unique temple complex of more than 2500 stupas has lied hidden in the Pa-O heartland of Southern Shan State for many centuries. It exists not only as an outstanding example of tradition art and architecture but also as a testament to the religious devotion of one of Myanmar's many ethnic minorities, the Pa-Oh. For many centuries, the Pa-Oh has lived in peace, cultivating their land and devoting much of their energy and limited wealth to creating monasteries and pagodas. Unknown to the outside world and to most of Myanmar until recently, these exquisite can now be visited. A day trip from Inle Lake is sufficient.