Around Inle - Ywama Village and floating market

Ywama (meaning main village) Village is famous for its daily floating market. There are other floating markets in other villages around Inle Lake but the floating market in Ywama is the largest of all. Sadly, once this famous floating market has now turned into a traffic jam of boat loads of tourists and souvenir hawkers, among which a few local farmers trying to sell their products to a few local buyers. The scene at Ywama Floating market, like any floating market in South East Asia, has turned into a tourist place now. On non-market days, it is even worse as there are only tourist boats and souvenir hawkers there. If you really want to enjoy this once famous floating market, you need to get up very early to get there. A little late and you will be in the traffic. The market is in full swing at around 8:30 AM so you should reach there before 7 AM.

The approach to Ywama village is quite beautiful, and it is a nice place to visit after morning rush hour. There are a number of restaurants along the canal to Ywama village serving Burmese, Chinese and Shan noodles.

Floating market in Inle, Shan State

Photo by AntwerpenR: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rwp-roger/ / CC BY 2.0

Other floating markets in Inle Lake rotate among Khaung Daing, Maing Thauk, Nam Pan, Indein and Thandaung in a five-day cycle. There are fewer tourists at these markets which serve mainly the local people. It is a better idea to enjoy the local way of life at these smaller markets than at Ywama.

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Related posts:

1. Inle floating gardens
2. Inle Intein (Indein) village
3. Inle Nampan village
4. Around Inle Lake
5. Inle Nga Hpe Chaung Monastery