My best recollection of Myanmar would have to be the many stupas of Bagan and our stay in this wonderful floating hotel in Lake Inle. It sure pays to have (and spend) this “extra” especially after a tiring, dusty week in the land of gold. My advice? If you have the extra bucks, use it to spend at least a night here!

 

 

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First off, Lake Inle by itself is truly beautiful. Now, savor all that beauty by staying in this gem of a hotel. Huts on stilts, each with a porch or balcony. Our cottage’s balcony faces the entrance arch to the floating resort so it was fun watching those canoes sailing in and out, each batch of hotel guests seemingly “welcomed” by the resident seagulls who have each chosen a pole as their “sentry”.

 

 

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There’s a walkway towards the cottages, the spa, the dining area, and the swimming pool. Never had the chance to check the pool in this weather, but I’m hoping it’s heated considering the temp’s hovering around 7-10 Celsius. I can imagine it’s fun on summer nights. Yet I like the winter vibe in this lake area, and would in fact suggest a Myanmar visit during the cooler months of December and January. No worries — there’s a heater in the cottages. More than that, there’s a mosquito net too! The beds are not as comfortable but if you’re all curled up like a shrimp throughout the night, it hardly matters.

 

 

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Food was good. They served local cuisine along with continental dishes. Don’t miss the local noodle dish called Monhinga. It’s made with thin rice noodles steeped in fish broth, crushed lemon grass and shrimp paste. Very delicious! You can pair them with the local Myanmar or Mandalay beer or if you seriously need to keep warm, try the local wine.

 

 

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Now, this I’ve got to mention. Myanmar produces good wine! Red Mountain Estate imported grape plants from France and the cool weather and mountain soil on this side of Lake Inle must have conspired to produce this local wine at par with its western counterparts. Who would have thought? I was hesitant at first. The local wine is priced at half what a Bordeaux or Rioja would have cost you. But good enough that one of us mistook it for a rioja. So next time you’re in this area, enjoy a bottle of shiraz or cab sauvignon from Myanmar. Piode!