To travel here is to encounter men wear

188

EASTERN MYANMAR

INLE LAKE

019; http://www.gicmyanmar.com; r $50-70; i) Owned

by a cooperative of Pa-O tribal people, the

Golden Island Cottages resorts provide some

of the best accommodation on the lake. The

Nampan resort has a great location over

open water while the Thale U resort is closer

to shore. Both resorts off er attractive, raised

cottages linked by wooden walkways, ar-

ranged around a central restaurant serving

good Chinese, Pa-O and Shan dishes. The

owners can arrange treks and boat trips to

Kakku and Sankar – they have an offi ce in

Nyaungshwe on Phaung Daw Seiq Rd.

Inle Princess Resort BOUTIQUE HOTEL $$$

(Map p 185 ; %209 055; http://www.inleprincessresort.

com; bungalows $160-250; ai) The Inle Prin-

cess is honeymoon material. The stylish

wooden cottages would not look out of place

in an Asian design magazine, with hand-

made furniture, luxurious fabrics, potted

plants and ethnic artefacts on the walls. The

more expensive bungalows have plant-fi lled

sun decks facing the lake.

Hu Pin Hotel Inle Khaung

Daing Village Resort HOTEL $$$

(Map p 185 ; %209 291; http://www.hupinhotelmyanmar.

com; Kaung Daing; r/cottage/ste $50-70/70-80/150)

Owned by the same people as the Hu Pin Ho-

tel in Nyaungshwe, this vast compound of 86

rooms and bungalows sits on dry land facing

the lake. The wooden bungalows are com-

fortable and well cared for and feature great

views over the lake.

Shwe Inn Tha HOTEL $$$

(Map p 185 ; %209445; http://www.myanmar-inleshweinntha

• fl oatinghotel.com; Nam Pan; bungalow/ste $80/150;
  ais) Open since 1996, this is the upscale
  version of the nearby Golden Island Cottages
  Nampan. Accommodation here takes the
  form of deluxe bungalows or suites elevated
  over water. Rooms are fully equipped and this
  is the only resort on Inle Lake with its own
  pool.

Inle Lake View HOTEL $$$

(Map p 185 ; %209 332; http://www.inlelakeview.com; Kaung

Daing; r $120-130, ste $155-165, villa $220; i) Lo-

cated on dry land at Kaung Daing, the rooms

here are spread over several buildings a short

walk from the shores of Inle Lake. There are

only two free-standing villas, but all rooms

are spacious and tastefully furnished.

Inle Resort BOUTIQUE HOTEL $$$

(Map p 185 ; %209 361; http://www.inleresort.com; Maing

Thauk; cottages $75-120; ai) Opened in 2005,

this handsome resort is centred on a palatial

wooden restaurant and lobby. The stylish

cottages feature huge picture windows and

private sun decks facing the lake.

Sky Lake HOTEL $$$

(Map p 185 ; %209 128; http://www.inleskylake.com; Maing

Thauk; bungalows $50-60) Sky Lake has the typ-

ical setup of a water-bound Inle Lake resort

but with a slightly more aged feel than its

direct neighbour, Paradise Inle Resort.

Paradise Inle Resort HOTEL $$$

(Map p 185 ; %209 586; Maing Thauk; bungalows

$60-100; i) Next door to Sky Lake, this new-

er fl oating resort is similar to its neighbour,

but feels comparatively overpriced.

 5 Eating

As well as the resorts, there are numerous

fl oating restaurants in stilt houses on the

lake that off er good Chinese and Shan food,

cold beers and English-language menus.

The greatest concentration of restaurants

is in Ywama, but there are also some good

choices around Nampan.

Inn Thar Lay CHINESE, BURMESE $$

(Map p 185 ; %209 451; Tha Ley; mains K5000-6000;

hall day) This restaurant, with two branches

near Phaung Daw Oo Paya, gets good reviews

and has its own vegetable garden.

Around Inle Lake

TAUNGGYI

etC='äkI"

%081 / POP C150,000

Although travellers make a beeline for Ny-

aungshwe, Taunggyi is the administrative

capital for the whole of Shan State. Perched

on top of a mountain, it’s a busy trading post

and the town markets are piled high with

Chinese and Thai goods, freighted in daily

via the border crossings at Mong La and

Tachileik. Unless you’ve spent too much time

in rural Shan State and are pining for the big

city and/or consumer goods, there’s really

little of interest here for the average visitor.

 1 Sights

Shan State Cultural Museum

& Library MUSEUM

rHm'" ̈p–'ny'yw'ekY"múu ̈ptiuk' NH=¾'

cCäk–¾'tiuk''

(Bogyoke Aung San Rd; admission $2; h9.30am-

4pm Tue-Sun) With such a strong emphasis on

tribal costumes, we reckon this place could