A day in the saddle around Inle. By Daniel Fisher, February 2013
This was my second trip back to the area, having visited before for a festival. We’d returned primarily to cycle around the area having read others reviews. Our start point of the day was Century Travel to hire bikes. We’d been there the evening before for dinner and they rented bikes for 1,500Ks which seemed the average price. Their bikes though were 5-speed and she also gave us a bottle of water each so done deal! We’d had a good chat the night before so knew our route already.
Setting off we headed back to the main cross-roads and back out of the town heading north by the Permit Booth (we were not stopped in either direction to see our ticket). Our destination was Shwe Yaunghwe Kyaung temple just a 10 minute ride out of Nyaungshwe. This section of the ride is very pleasant indeed. Dual carriageway means that you only have traffic heading in your direction and the water-ways along the side of the road give you good reason to keep stopping for photographs. As we arrived at the temple we spotted several tour group buses (Saga louts by the score!) so opted to carry on north to investigate another temple that we’d spotted on the way into Nyaungshwe the previous day.
We’d been to many temples in the country already and if I was to compare this to any, it would be the temple of the books in Mandalay. Lots of small Paya’s with images of Buddha all with different styles of cones and colouring. The two majestic lions that greet you at the entrance were also impressive. It was only a 15 minute ride from Shwe Yaunhwe Kyaung and worth it.
From here we headed back south to our initial destination. The oval windows of Shwe Yaunghwe Kyaung temple really make it something different. Young Buddhist monks sit in the windows studying, making for some fantastic photographic opportunities and don’t they know it! It all felt a little contrived. As a teacher to me it was clear that there was little, if any, learning going on. The “leader board” of donations in the same area listing names and domicile country of passing tour groups also gave it an odd feeling. You’ll have to make your own decision if you visit.
The ride back south into town was a pleasant one again with cool winds blowing in off of the water and fields. After the Permit booth you come to a cross-roads. Turn left (east) and cycle passed the market area. After the police station and the high school we arrived at a small, but distinct, cross-roads with signs to both the Red Mountain vineyard and the orphanage.
We opted to cycle all the way down to Maing Thauk and then visit the Red Mountain vineyard on the return for a sunset tipple. The road was smooth enough, only getting rough in one or two places and at the bridges. The surrounding fields housed lots of different birds, skitting between fields of sugar cane and dragon fruit. There were plenty of “restaurants” along the road and many smiling faces!
Main Thuak was very easy to find. The village itself is split by the road, with the locals either opting to live on the land or out on the water in their stilt houses. The 300m bridge that stretches out to the stilt houses was one of the reasons we wanted to take this ride. We’d planned ahead and used one of the several shelters on the bridge for a picnic. Well worth planning for as it was a great spot to watch the locals (and tourists) arriving from the other side of the lake and also the locals going about their daily business. The bridge is reminiscent of U Bien in Mandalay, though of course not as grand but a great spot for photographs.
After our late but extremely relaxing lunch we headed back up to the road and across and up the hill towards the Forest Monastery. The first part is a gentle up-hill gradient culminating in a more aggressive climb for which we dismounted. Well, we’d just had lunch and didn’t want to exert ourselves any more than we needed to! The views of the lake were pretty spectacular and worth the climb.
From here we headed back down the road and following the local boat guys directions found the local orphanage. Our timing was a little off and there were not so many children there. We were also arriving unannounced. Nonetheless, we were made welcome and our small gifts of fruit from the market, reading books we’d collected from friends in Malaysia and footballs we’d picked up in Yangon were all received with much joy and many smiles.
Back on the bikes and back north towards our final destination, the Red Mountain vineyard. We’d read that they closed at 4pm but you were allowed to stay up there for the sunset. We arrived shortly before, though many people arrived much later and were still welcomed in. We opted for the taster session of 4 wines for 2,000Ks per person. It felt very strange to be in Myanmar and sitting drinking reasonably good wines whilst looking out of over the northern part of the lake. With only 1 out of the 4 wines being rejected, we chose to order a full bottle of their red wine for 10,000ks.
Whilst enjoying the sunset we chatted with a young French couple who we’d met previously. They had cycled the west side of the lake first and taken the ferry across the river to Maing Thauk paying 7,000Ks for 4 people. The roads, they told us were much better on the eastern side (our route) and much better with the absence of both buses and lorries hurtling along.
We packed our wine after the sun started to hide itself being the ridge of the hillside and headed back for the last 20 minute ride into Nyaunshwe.
A very enjoyable way to spend a day in Myanmar and one that I’ll do again if I’m ever back this way.
| Cycling in Inle "A return trip to Inle" Daniel Fisher returns to Inle to take to the bike and investigate the local temples, vineyard and villages. [more] |
| Myanmar Guide Updated: March 2013 Travelling to Myanmar? Then get our latest guide for free by emailing us at NeSw365@gmail.com or visit our pages on-line. [more] | | Yangon City Calling! "Visiting Yangon but not the temples?" Wendy Merrett reflects on visiting Yangon again but without visiting the temples? [more]
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| City Maps The map for Bago follows the route described above for cycling. And now the "map man" is back from Myanmar all of our others will be updated soon. [more] |
| 18 Days "A travellers report" Suzanna Clarke shares her 18 days of solo travel with us from December 2012.[more] |
| Must see! Want to see the world through someone else's eyes, or at least their lens ? Check out our Must see! pictures of Myanmar. [more] |
For a full list of blogs relating to Myanmar click [more]
The Leaping Lemur Group - Charities.
There are no charges for receiving information on this site, because this is about sharing the latest information and not making money. That said, please take the time to look at some of the charities that we've highlighted beneath, and if you want to "pay" for the information you've downloaded, then look into some of these worthy causes. Elli xx
The Burma Children’s Fund supports orphanages and pre-schools in various parts of Burma in order to provide shelter, health care and education for orphans and children. We will only support orphanages, clinics and pre-schools for infants and younger children where we know that the staff are dedicated and that the money they receive is spent on the children and for the direct benefit of the children. Children in Burma cannot control their own destiny and this is why our goal is “To Support their Future". [more]
Burma Campaign UK works for human rights, democracy and development in Burma.Burma Campaign UK is one of the leading Burma campaign organisations in the world. We play a leading role in raising awareness about the situation in Burma, and pressuring the international community to take action in support of the people of Burma. Founded in 1991, Burma Campaign UK is one of the leading Burma campaign organisations in the world. We play a leading role in raising awareness about the situation in Burma, and pressuring the international community to take action in support of the people of Burma. [more]
Friends-International works with marginalised urban children and youth, their families and communities to become productive, independent citizens of their country. We do this by listening to and being guided by those who matter the most to us - the children and youth we work with everyday. Friends-International has been assisting marginalized urban children and youth across the world since 1994. We now run and support projects for these children and their families in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Indonesia, Honduras, Mexico, Egypt and Myanmar. Friends-International and its partners reach out to over 50,000 marginalised young people -particularly street children and youth – each year. We offer a range of comprehensive services as part of our holistic approach to assisting children and their families to improve their lives. [more]  Compassionate Hands is a home-grown charity, founded by Snow Aye after the cyclone Nargis struck the southern delta region of Myanmar on 2nd May 2008. Since the start of Compassionate Hands, many people have volunteered to help realise various projects, ranging from emergency relief efforts after the Cyclone, to digging wells and helping children with AIDS. Many volunteers are from Myanmar itself, but also foreigners from other Asian countries, the United States and Europe are involved.... [more] | | The Leaping Lemur
Myanmar Travel Guide Updated: March 2013 Travelling to Myanmar? Then get our latest guide for free by visiting our Download Zone or visit our pages on-line. [more]
Blogs Yangon City Calling! "Visiting Yangon but not the temples?" Wendy Merrett reflects on visiting Yangon again but without visiting the temples? [more]
Back again and loved it! "Travellers report from Feb 2013" Martin Clarke's second trip to Myanmar in 6 months, and once again we're getting hard facts with a few opinions. Useful & solid information. [more]
Follow us and like us to help promote us and to receive all of the latest updates.
If you've been to Malaysia and have a route that you could suggest then why not let us know? Otherwise, if it is your first time in Malaysia, have a look at some of our readers suggestions.
Looking for inspiration to travel to Myanmar? Then check-out these amazing travellers pictures. Or join the group and share your own. Myanmar We're always looking for more people to join our little group.
Myanmar Travel Guide Updated: March 2013 Travelling to Myanmar? Then get our latest guide for free by emailing us at NeSw365@gmail.com or visit our pages on-line. [more]
Blogs18 Days in Myanmar "A travellers report" Suzanna Clarke shares her 18 days of solo travel with us from December 2012. [more]
Biking in Bago "A day trip from Yangon to cycle around Bago." Daniel Fisher's first proper blog took that many hits we managed to talk him into doing another for us! [more]
Into the unknown? "Travellers report from Oct 2012" Travelling Asia is quite easy in comparison to India and Sri Lanka. Martin Clarke provides us with facts about his first trip to Myanmar. [more]
Follow us and like us to help promote us and to receive all of the latest updates.
Suggested Routes If you've been to Malaysia and have a route that you could suggest then why not let us know? Otherwise, if it is your first time in Malaysia, have a look at some of our readers suggestions.[more]
Looking for inspiration to travel to Myanmar? Then check-out these amazing travellers pictures. Or join the group and add your own.
Must See! Myamar 
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