Page 250 - The Rough Guide to Myanmar (Burma)

248 INLE LAKE AND THE EAST NYAUNGSHWE

TREKKING AROUND PINDAYA
The two- to three-day trek from Kalaw to Pindaya is becoming an increasingly popular
alternative to the Kalaw to Inle Lake route; it’s normally done starting in Kalaw, which means
you’re walking downhill for most of the way. There are also a number of rewarding treks
around Pindaya itself, such as the five-hour hike up to Yazagyi, a Kayan (Padaung) village up
in the mountains. One- to three-day treks can be arranged through U Zaw Min Htike at
Pindaya Nature Traveller Trekking on Shwe Oo Min Pagoda St (T09 431 5490, Enature
6 travellerpindaya@gmail.com; around $25 per person per day), and through the Golden Cave
hotel on the same road (T081 66166, Wgoldencavehotel.com; K10,000 for a half-day trek,
K18,000 for a full day, K40,000 for two days).

Golden Cave Shwe Oo Min Rd T081 66166, Wgolden village you’re ever likely to see) set in gorgeous gardens.
cavehotel.com. Dated but personable mid-range choice, Accommodation is in a mix of rustic “huts” and larger suite-
with accommodation in the main building and in chalets sized chalets with fireplace (lit nightly on request) and
dotted around the shady gardens. Rooms are spacious and lovely wood-panelled bathtubs, and there’s also a
enjoyably old-fashioned, with little balconies, wood- wonderfully airy bamboo and wood restaurant, plus
panelled walls and the sort of bedspreads your granny used a small pool, gym and spa. Huts $95, chalets $120
Myit Phyar Zaw Gyi 106 Zaytan Quarter T081 66325.
to have. Staff can also arrange treks (see box above). $47
★ Inle Inn Mahabandoola Rd T081 66029, Wpindaya Pindaya’s only real budget option, centrally located close to
inleinnmyanmar.com. Pindaya’s top accommodation the market, lake and several restaurants. Rooms are well
choice, by a country mile, occupying an intimate little past their best but are clean and reasonably well
complex designed to resemble a traditional Burmese maintained. Rooms facing the lake have nice views,
village (albeit far cleaner and more luxurious than any local although can get quite noisy. Good single rates ($15). $25
EATING
Dagon Shwe Oo Min Rd. Either a restaurant or a beer local options including Myanmar chicken and pork curries
station, depending upon whether you’re looking at the (K5500) and Danu-style mashed rice with potato and fish
signboard or the menu, but it functions pretty well in both (K2000). Daily 9am–4pm & 6–9pm.
regards. As well as selling draught beer, it’s one of the Happy Cafe Shwe Oo Min Rd T093 623 3738. Not the
town’s more reliable places for food, with simple dishes best-looking teahouse in town, but the only one with an
such as fried rice or noodle soup (mains around K1500). English sign and a lake view, making it a nice place to linger
Daily 7am–10pm. over a drink. Daily 6am–5.30pm.
★ Green Tea Shwe Oo Min Rd T081 66344. A bit of a Pone Ta Loke Shwe Oo Min Rd. Cute little café-cum-
surprise in low-key Pindaya, this unexpectedly grand two- crafts shop serving up a short but authentic selection of
story wooden lakeside restaurant pulls in the coach parties Burmese dishes, including generous and inexpensive
at lunch but is a lot quieter and more pleasant after dark. Myanmar curry spreads (K3000), plus local specialities like
Food features a fairly stereotypical range of European and Inthar-style rice with fish and Danu-style rice with mashed
Asian (Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese) dishes, plus a few potato. Daily 10am–8pm.
DIRECTORY
Banks There’s a KBZ Bank at the northeast corner of the case their ATM’s out of service.
lake, although it’s best to bring all the money you need in

Nyaungshwe

The small town of NYAUNGSHWE is the main base for visitors to Inle Lake, whose
waters begin just a few kilometres to the south. The town has been one of the most
visible beneficiaries of Myanmar’s recent tourism boom, and the sudden inflow of cash
has brought jolting changes to the formerly sleepy streets, as made evident by the
mushrooming number of hotels and restaurants, as well as the multistorey buildings
which poke incongruously from the rustic surroundings. However, Nyaungshwe has so