By Angie Kelly
A fisherman plys his trade on Inle Lake at sunset.
The rhythmic chug of the engine at the back of our longboat quietens to a gentle hum, signalling our one-hour journey across Inle Lake is nearly over.
Turning into a narrow corridor between floating sunflower gardens, a discreet sign on stilts in the water announces we're at the hotel, though its buildings remain hidden further up the tributary.
Our flotilla of four comes to a halt at the jetty of the extremely chic Novotel Myat Min, our pastel parasols making the arrival even more cinematic.
Thahara Inle Heritage School.Credit: iStock
Jeeps whizz us through a maze of over-water villas and frangipani trees and up a hill to the main building, giving us a view of life on the lake 880 metres above sea level.
Small floating farms, villages on stilts and golden stupas peeking above green hills provide a quiet contrast to the urban grit of Yangon and Mandalay, Myanmar's two biggest cities.
Softly spoken locals and bells from nearby pagodas lend a peaceful air to our stay.
Thahara Inle Heritage School's ample vegetable garden.Credit: iStock
Our suites are elegant and spacious, with just the right blend of Burmese objects d'art and mod con technology. Mosquito nets draped from the ceiling over king beds add wow-factor to the room.
The hotel is a perfect base for criss-crossing the lake: motorised canoes are the accepted way of seeing the sights here. Over the next few days we visit ornate pagodas, waterfront restaurants and a low-key local market where shopkeepers selling their wares from boats sail up alongside us.
On each sortie, we see the area's famous fishermen scattered in their solitary work in every direction. Their bamboo nets and distinctive stand-up rowing style, with one leg wrapped around a single oar, a signature image of the region.
A local woman collecting tomatos in floating tomato garden on Inle Lake.Credit: iStock
The highlight of our daily adventures out on the winding waterways is undoubtedly our trip to the Thahara Inle Heritage School, where we join a cooking class to create some of the region's traditional Inthar dishes.
Our classroom at the school on stilts is breezy and beautiful. It has rattan-covered walls, stylish black accents and modern cooking stations with trays of chef-chopped vegetables ready for us to toss.
After selecting fresh herbs from the school's organic garden, a delicious local curry takes shape under the skilled and friendly tutelage of our internationally-trained chefs.
Novotel Myat Min.
Following a period of rapid political change since 2013, tourism is booming in Myanmar. Though more than 3000 hotel rooms have sprung up on the waterfront in the past four years, strict design standards mean the development is hidden and the waterfront looks relatively untouched.
With a couple of thousand more rooms expected to be built in coming years, the hospitality school operators saw a need to prepare locals for jobs in hotels.
The classroom we are cooking in today, and the attached hotel rooms, are used for training in the school's 10-month course as well as experiences for the lake's growing number of tourists.
Novotel Myat Min offers stunning lakeside views.
Our lunch is reminiscent of neighbouring Thai cuisine with coriander, basil, chilli, local fish and home-grown vegetables fashioned into delicious stir fries and noodle dishes.
We share our banquet and enjoy a taste of local wine outdoors on the top floor of Thahara's over-water restaurant, shopping for souvenirs in a waterside boutique before heading back to the boats for the journey home.
TRIP NOTES
MORE INFORMATION
STAYING THERE
The four-star Novotel Inle Lake Myat Min has two restaurants, a pool bar, spa, free Wi-fi, gym and boutique.
TOURING THERE
Trafalgar's new 11-day Secrets of Myanmar itinerary taking in Yangon, Bagan, Mandalay and Inle Lake is priced from $4295 per person including internal flights.
10 THINGS TO KNOW
1. Be prepared with crisp US dollars only – folded or creased currency is not accepted.
2. You'll need British adaptors for your devices and small appliances.
3. Internet is slow and unreliable throughout most of the country, though improving.
4. Mosquito spray is essential day and night, plug-in room zappers are also a good idea.
5. Kissing in public is frowned upon.
6. Always cover shoulders and knees when visiting pagodas and other places of spiritual significance.
7. The word "mingalaba" is used as a greeting and a way to say thank you.
8. Take pens, pencils and exercise books to donate to schoolchildren.
9. Keep a torch handy for electricity blackouts, which can be common.
10. Take a hat and retro folding fan to beat the heat.
Angie Kelly was a guest of Trafalgar
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