Fodor's Expert Review Boating

Although the inboard motors make boat trips around Inle Lake loud (we recommend earplugs), they're still languid and, more importantly, the reason visitors come here in the first place. Inle is Myanmar's second largest lake, 44.9 square miles at an altitude of 2,900 feet. Boats leave from the jetty in the village of Nyaung Shwe, where you'll be dropped off after the trip in from the airport; the ride from the airport is an hour, and it takes almost an hour to get to the southern end of the lake. Lining the narrow road where the airport vans leave you off are a handful of tiny travel agencies through which you can arrange boat trips, bicycle hire, and airport drop-off service. Expect to pay around K25,000 for a full-day boat tour and K19,000 for half a day. The only way to get to hotels on the lake is by boat; depending on how far south you are, expect to pay up to K63,000, though the price will drop significantly if you're using the same boatman for touring.