Inle Lake’s local market

Inle Lake market, Myanmar

After complaining yesterday about the commercialisation which has come from tourism on Inle Lake, I felt it only fair to highlight something a little bit more real and local.

Well, as real as something can be when it’s still in one of the busiest tourism regions of the country.

From the town of Nyaungshwe where I’m staying, it’s about an hour’s bicycle ride south to the local market along the eastern shore.

This is one of the economic hubs of Inle Lake where the farmers from the land meet the fisherfolk of the water to trade their wares and use the profits to buy the other essentials of life on offer at the stalls.

Surrounding the market are small market stands offering tourist knickknacks to the foreigners who have ventured here. But take a few steps towards the centre and you’ll get lost in the labyrinth of local produce and find yourself surrounded by the Myanmar people, squatting down and negotiating their sales.

It’s nice to be able to get somewhere on my terms and not have the itinerary dictated by a boat captain.

It’s nice to know that it’s easy to get away from the people trying to sell me something and see those trying to buy something. And it’s nice to be able to take a few photos of local commerce in action.

I thought I might share a collection of my images so you can see it for yourself. Enjoy.

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT MYANMAR?

See my Myanmar Travel Guide

To help you plan your trip to Myanmar:

• Five ways to experience local Myanmar
• Why the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon is so important
• What to expect on the Circle Line in Yangon
• How to spend a day in Bagan
• Visiting Mount Popa Monastery from Bagan
• The best things to see in Bago
• The story behind the Royal Palace of Mandalay
• Don’t miss the U Bein Teak Bridge near Mandalay
• Here’s why I didn’t like visiting Inle Lake
• Hiking with locals in Shan State

Let someone else do the work for you:

You may also want to consider taking a Myanmar tour, rather than organising everything on your own. It’s also a nice way to have company if you are travelling solo.

I am a ‘Wanderer’ with G Adventures and they have great tours in Myanmar.

You could consider:

• Myanmar on a Shoestring (14 days)
• Classic Myanmar Adventure (14 days)
• The Heart of Myanmar- National Geographic (12 days)

When I travel internationally, I always get insurance. It’s not worth the risk, in case there’s a medical emergency or another serious incident. I recommend you use World Nomads for your trip.