If you want to escape from all the hustle, bustle and chaos of the daily urban life and immerse yourself in the peaceful and calm ways of the Inthar people, let’s come and experience the tour of the Inthar life in Inle Lake
You will be greeted at your hotel to embark on your Inle Lake day trip. To prepare for your morning ‘as a local’, your guide will have a pair of Intha trousers and hat. Then, you will board your private motorboat (on board are umbrellas for wind and sun protection, and blankets in the winter months, life jackets and cushioned wooden chairs)
Along the way, your boat can make a short stop for you to watch one of the lovely local Inthar fishermen. While one of their legs balances the boat, the other leg is supporting the fishing cage, one arm to steer and the other to aim the fishing cage. It is such a unique skill and practice that must be witnessed. Your tour guide will provide fishing poles to catch lunch the ‘easy’ way as it takes years to master this technique. Carp and catfish are the typically main catches although there are over 20 different species of fish in Inle. There is always an opportunity to buy fish at the market if your morning fishing is unsuccessful.
The floating gardens, which are used by locals, are another unique practice used on Inle Lake. Beds are created from weeds and local farmers weave them to bamboo poles that dig into the lake’s floor. On top of the bed, they plan eggplants and other produces by using the water and the lakes nutrients to speed up growth. Going through these gardens, you will have a great chance to select the produce for your lunch. (Which vegetables depending on seasonality).
After that, you will reach the local Inthar home, which is situated adjacent to Inle’s silk weaving factory, where you will meet your family host. Then, you will begin your interactive cooking class in the traditional Inthar kitchen. Depending on your catch, you will learn to cook local favorites like fried tofu cakes, Inthar tomato salad, stuffed potato rice balls, stuffed carp/catfish, steamed in banana leaf, and many others.
Finally, you will return to your hotel.