Photo Tour of Kalaw and our Trek to Inle Lake

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We always drew glances from the locals. Kalaw was not yet overrun by tourists.
We always drew glances from the locals. Kalaw was not yet overrun by tourists.

 
Baby Milo? The villagers at this shop thought it was funny that I wanted to take a picture of this guy's shirt.
Baby Milo? The villagers at this shop thought it was funny that I wanted to take a picture of this guy's shirt.

 
A cave full of Buddhas
A cave full of Buddhas

 

 
gold stupas outside of the cave of Buddhas
gold stupas outside of the cave of Buddhas

 
birthday cake on the menu. also… golf course in Kalaw, Burma. Doubley unexpected
birthday cake on the menu. also… golf course in Kalaw, Burma. Doubley unexpected

 
monks just want to have fun
monks just want to have fun

 
balancing two 5-gallon jugs of something, but still smiling about it
balancing two 5-gallon jugs of something, but still smiling about it

 
an engine strapped to some metal with 4 tires. crank start.
an engine strapped to some metal with 4 tires. crank start.

 
starting our trek. a kid walking a water buffalo
starting our trek. a kid walking a water buffalo

 
the path wasn't exactly clear. some bamboo helped us get over this marshy area
the path wasn't exactly clear. some bamboo helped us get over this marshy area

 
this cow just showed up with a bunch of friends wandering through the forest
this cow just showed up with a bunch of friends wandering through the forest

 
almost to lunch!
almost to lunch!

 
view from lunch
view from lunch

 
people slept in the building on the right and cooked in the building on the left
people slept in the building on the right and cooked in the building on the left

 
the huts we ate lunch in
the huts we ate lunch in

 
Lina in the hut
Lina in the hut

 
Our waitress hiding from the sun
Our waitress hiding from the sun

 

 
a hill village
a hill village

 
the village kids were pleased to meet us! although they wanted pencils. we were told not to give anything because it would encourage begging
the village kids were pleased to meet us! although they wanted pencils. we were told not to give anything because it would encourage begging

 
peace
peace

 
monks just want to have fun. the little monk played limbo with the other monk's leg
monks just want to have fun. the little monk played limbo with the other monk's leg

 
tea leaves drying. same tea as the delicious tea leaf salad
tea leaves drying. same tea as the delicious tea leaf salad

 
a home made sled. with no tv, videogames, etc, the kids here were always outside creating their own games
a home made sled. with no tv, videogames, etc, the kids here were always outside creating their own games

 
a stupa in the middle of nowhere
a stupa in the middle of nowhere

 
these girls were pounding the rice to make rice powder
these girls were pounding the rice to make rice powder

 

 
this was one curious/funny kid. at one point he was walking around town flashing everyone, including the locals. Kids are kids everywhere.
this was one curious/funny kid. at one point he was walking around town flashing everyone, including the locals. Kids are kids everywhere.

 
walking on the train tracks
walking on the train tracks

 
an old fashioned track switch
an old fashioned track switch

 

 
this cat owns the train station. or at least thinks he does
this cat owns the train station. or at least thinks he does

 

 
rice paddies beyond the tracks
rice paddies beyond the tracks

 
rice paddy upon rice paddy
rice paddy upon rice paddy

 
another engine strapped to some metal. this vehicle was a bit more refined than the one we saw in Kalaw proper
another engine strapped to some metal. this vehicle was a bit more refined than the one we saw in Kalaw proper

 
skynet. it's here.
skynet. it's here.

 
field surfing behind the water buffalo.
field surfing behind the water buffalo.

 

 
big buffalo, little house. but the house wasn't that little.
big buffalo, little house. but the house wasn't that little.

 
this is where we slept the first night of our trek. comfortable floor, but freezing cold mountain air conditioning
this is where we slept the first night of our trek. comfortable floor, but freezing cold mountain air conditioning

 
funny buffalo face
funny buffalo face

 
oh, the kid didn't like that last comment
oh, the kid didn't like that last comment

 

 
sunrise view from the base of our house
sunrise view from the base of our house

 
just walking the buffalo. like a dog. dogs walked themselves here.
just walking the buffalo. like a dog. dogs walked themselves here.

 
just a bunch of kids riding water buffalo
just a bunch of kids riding water buffalo

 
the Burmese are very comfortable sitting in this position
the Burmese are very comfortable sitting in this position

 
workers carrying bamboo over the fields
workers carrying bamboo over the fields

 

 
one of the last weavers in this one village. The kids in this town laughed when we asked if they knew how to weave.
one of the last weavers in this one village. The kids in this town laughed when we asked if they knew how to weave.

 
pretty much these faces
pretty much these faces

 
these kids were picking leaves off of trees with bamboo poles to make Peter-pan-like costumes
these kids were picking leaves off of trees with bamboo poles to make Peter-pan-like costumes

 
a coal mine. literally just a shaft that a person goes down to pull out buckets of coal.
a coal mine. literally just a shaft that a person goes down to pull out buckets of coal.

 

 
2nd night stay in a Buddhist monastery
2nd night stay in a Buddhist monastery

 
brotherly monks
brotherly monks

 
playing a game with a bushel of tree nuts
playing a game with a bushel of tree nuts

 
some Europeans introduced frisbee to the monks
some Europeans introduced frisbee to the monks

 
and this was where we slept on the floor of the monastery. much more comfortable than the family house because the building was more sealed
and this was where we slept on the floor of the monastery. much more comfortable than the family house because the building was more sealed

 
the simple farm life. one woman. one field. one hoe.
the simple farm life. one woman. one field. one hoe.

 
Lina and her new friends
Lina and her new friends

 
just some kids taking a smoke break at a motorbike stop
just some kids taking a smoke break at a motorbike stop

 
going crazy for our coconut! much needed electrolytes after 3 days of trekking!
going crazy for our coconut! much needed electrolytes after 3 days of trekking!

 
erosion. probably caused by the replaning of rice upon rice upon rice
erosion. probably caused by the replaning of rice upon rice upon rice

 
natural irrigation stemming from Inle Lake
natural irrigation stemming from Inle Lake

 
venturing out on to the canals to Inle Lake
venturing out on to the canals to Inle Lake

 
a bamboo frame house under construction
a bamboo frame house under construction

 

 
a man picking plastic bottles out of the water. at least someone cares about the environment around here.
a man picking plastic bottles out of the water. at least someone cares about the environment around here.

 
parallel parking boats isn't always so easy
parallel parking boats isn't always so easy

 
A fancy monastery
A fancy monastery

 

 

 
a smoggy boat
a smoggy boat

 
Reduce, Reuse, Reject?
Reduce, Reuse, Reject?

 
This boat was almost under water with whatever they were carrying
This boat was almost under water with whatever they were carrying

 
pink umbrellas keeping the passengers dry and out of the sun
pink umbrellas keeping the passengers dry and out of the sun

 
a local fisherman. this is how people fish by themselves on this lake. foot wrapped around an oar. opposite hand with a fishing net.
a local fisherman. this is how people fish by themselves on this lake. foot wrapped around an oar. opposite hand with a fishing net.

 
This boat raised Lina's bird fear level by several degrees
This boat raised Lina's bird fear level by several degrees

 
No cutting floating island.
No cutting floating island.

More Kalaw

Interested in more details or planning a trip? Check out our Kalaw tips page and read more on our trek from Kalaw to Inle Lake.

What was your favorite photo from our Kalaw to Inle Lake trek? Let us know in the comments!