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Exploring Phaung Daw U Pagoda
Inle Lake, Myanmar

Your base for exploring this destination is Inle Lake. For travel information about Inle Lake, go to Inle Lake Travel Guide To find budget accommodation here, go to Budget Accommodation Guide. For more about Myanmar, read AsiaExplorers Myanmar Travel Guide.


Phaung Daw U Kyaung, or Phaung Daw U Pagoda, is an imposing Buddhist temple in Ywama Village, Inle Lake. The Phaung Daw U is the venue of one of Myanmar's most important festivals, the Thadingyut, or Festival of Lights. This festival marks the beginning of the Buddhist Lent.


Tourist gondolas parked at a lakeside restaurant at Phaung Daw U Pagoda, Inle Lake.
Tourist gondolas parked at a lakeside restaurant at Phaung Daw U Pagoda, Inle Lake.


During the Phaung Daw U Festival, four sacred images of the Buddha are paraded for two weeks. These are four of five Buddha images which were brought back to Myanmar by the widely travelled King Alaungsithu, upon his return from the Malay peninsula, during the 12th Century. They were deposited in a cave, and was only rediscovered many centuries later. Since then, devotees have placed so many layers of gold leaves on these images, totally transforming them into lumps of gold.

During the festival, only four of the five images were paraded. This is due to an incident that happened in 1965, when a storm capsized the barge carrying the images, and it sank to the bottom of the lake. Only four of the images were recovered. When these were brought back to Phaung Daw U Pagoda, surprisingly the fifth image was also found, still covered with weeds. Since then, the fifth image has never left the pagoda. Today the site of the boat capsize is marked by a pole crowned with the sacred mythological hintha bird.

The Phaung Daw U Festival draws visitors from all over Myanmar who come not only as a pilgrimage, but also to witness the famed leg-rowing boat competitions.


AsiaExplorers tour guide Henry placing gold leaves on the Buddha images.
AsiaExplorers tour guide Henry placing gold leaves on the Buddha images




Sights at Inle Lake

Exploring the Sights at Inle Lake

Inle Lake is a picturesque lake in central Myanmar. There are many worthwhile sights to visit around it. Click enter to view them.


Sights of Inle Lake



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How much have you explored Myanmar? Through AsiaExplorers, you can now explore these places in Myanmar from the comfort of your desk: Myanmar, People of Myanmar, Myanmar History, Bagan (Ananda Temple, Bagan Plains, Dhammayangyi Pahto, Gawdawpalin Temple, Htilominlo Pahto, Kyanzittha Cave, Manuha Temple, Mingalazedi, Nanpaya Temple, Nyaung U Market, Shwesandaw Temple, Shwezigon Temple, Tharabar Gate, Thatbyinnyu Temple), Bago (Htaukkyant World War II Cemetery, Kanbawzathadi Golden Palace, Kyaikpun Pagoda, Shwemawdaw Paya, Shwethalyaung Buddha), Inle Lake (Kalaw, Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery, Padaung People, Phaung Daw U Pagoda, Shwe Yaunghwe Kyaung Monastery, Ywama), Kyaiktiyo, Pagoda of the Golden Rock, Mandalay (Amarapura, Mahagandhayon Monastery, U Bein Bridge, Atumashi Monastery, Ayeyarwady River, Inwa Bridge, Kuthodaw Paya, Maha Myat Muni Paya, Mandalay Hill, Mandalay Palace, Shwenandaw Monastery), Mingun, (Mantara Gyi Pagoda, Mingun Bell, Myatheindan Pagoda), Mount Popa, (Popa Taungkalat), Pindaya Caves, Sagaing, Yangon (Botataung Pagoda, Kyaukhtatgyi Buddha, Shwedagon Pagoda, Sule Pagoda)
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