Where to go for your autumn adventure
Autumn travel is for colour, culture and smaller crowds – as these six destinations prove. When Britain’s summertime ebbs away to autumn,
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One of Burma’s top five tourist destinations, scenic Inle Lake lies in Shan State and is famous for its floating gardens and villages, the leg-rowers of the Intha tribe, and a diverse mix of ethnic minority cultures. The main access point is Nyaung Shwe located at the north end of the lake. The town was once a sleepy village which has grown into a bustling traveller centre with many guesthouses and hotels, restaurants and cafés serving pasta and pancakes. The main means of transport for transfers and sightseeing around the lake is by long tail boat.
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The Inle Lake area is famous for its floating villages and gardens, and the iconic and much-photographed Intha leg rowers. A private cruise is the best way to see the lake, travelling with a local guide who will explain the traditions and way of life here. During the cruise you cansee villagers working in the floating tomato, chilli and flower gardens, the renowned Intha leg rowers, and fishermen going about their work and hauling in their nets. It is also possible to stop at various floating villages that specialise in different handicrafts, including silk weaving, metalwork and the production of cheroots (small cigars).
Enjoy some easy walking along the lakeshore from the village of Thale Oo on the eastern shore, home of the Pa-O ethnic group, to A Le Myaung village. This walk is an ideal way to observe local life in the country, the beautiful scenery of Inle Lake, and also a chance to spot some of the 254 species of birds that have been recorded here, including egrets, herons and kingfishers.
Journey by long-tail boat to the colourful market, which moves around Inle Lake on a 5-day cycle. This is a superb opportunity to encounter the various ethnic groups that live in the area around the lake, including the Intha, Shan, Taungyo, Pa-O, Danu, Kayah, Danaw and Bamar people. The market is used as an opportunity to meet, socialise and trade, with a huge array of local food and produce on offer. After the market, visit the home of a local Intha family, where you can see how they use ingredients sold in the market to prepare the renowned Shan dishes. Regional specialities include K'auq sen (rice noodles cooked with sauce) and lots of fresh fish from the lake.
Travel by boat to the Sangha area south of Inle Lake, home to some of Burma's many ethnic minority groups. Visit the market at Kyauktaing, a village of the Shan ethnic group who produce earthenware pottery, and stop by at the home of a local family who make robes produced from the fabric of thousands of lotus stems. Further visits can be made to villages of the Pa-O and Intha ethnic groups, where your guide will help you explore the villages and learn more about local daily life, such as methods of producing alcohol from the fermentation of rice. Throughout the journey, travel against the backdrop of beautiful landscapes of flowering trees and riverside scenery, a relaxing tour to a unique and little-visited area of Burma.
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