Nyaung Ohak – the surreal jungle-village of crumbling temples
While it may not be one of the most popular travel destinations worldwide, Myanmar is definitely one of the most magical countries. Here, right next to the Inle Lake, lies an impressive series of history sightseeing objectives that would make anybody feel like they are part of a fairytale. Even though it is somehow difficult to reach this place, its unique combination of history, complex architecture and nature is worth the effort.
After riding the boat for approximately one hour over the calm local waters, visitors have to walk by the quiet, small village of Indein. Women washing clothes, children running around ruins and people of all ages selling souvenirs make out of this settlement a beautiful place with a calm atmosphere. Still, the best is yet to come. As they get closer to the crumbling old temples, tourists can enjoy the local floating market, where they can purchase fish and fresh vegetables. Also, here are a couple of renewed temples which are painted in white. After a short comparison between the new and the old temples, it is easily noticeable that the architecture of the new ones has certain contemporary influences – even so, the buildings are unforgettable.
Finally, the best is saved for last. After taking a stroll through the local market, visitors get to the most breathtaking architectural wonders which are at least a couple of centuries old. As they have never been renovated, several temples crumbled down over the years and special types of local plants grew on top of them. The details of every temple and the various representations of Buddha reflect the culture of those times, as well as the impressive abilities of people back in the day.
To conclude, this rarely-encountered mix of extremely detailed architectural constructions with pointed roves, interesting history and fresh air provided by the jungle provides any visitor with a memorable experience.
Images by James Charlick/Flickr, PPana, J Charlick, Artano, A Thompson, Abella, Shaun Dunphy, J Navarro.
UnusualPlaces Field Notes
- Location
- Nyaung Ohak Pagodas, Indein, Inle Lake, Shan State, Myanmar
- Coordinates
- 20.4594695, 96.841685
- Access
- Nyaung Ohak is among the pagoda groups at Indein on Inle Lake. Myanmar’s government destination guide says Indein is reached from the main lake circuit by boat through a narrow canal west of Ywama, when water levels permit; motorized boats from Nyaung Shwe are the usual way to explore the lake. The mapped pagoda point is not a boat landing.
- Location checked
- 2026-09-26
- Facts checked
- 2026-09-29
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