Myanmar Burma Packrafting

We just spent a month in Myanmar (Dec/Jan2013/14) and put in some paddle time packrafting Lake Inle and packraft on the Irrawaddy river or Ayeyarwady River near Bagan. Highly recommend it. We spent 10 days packrafting through small lake towns on lake Inle to the great amazement of villagers. Just rent a bike in Nyaungshwe and use google maps to find entry-points. You could also rent a longtail boat to take you to various towns.

We spent 8 days in New Bagan and used our packrafts around Bagan. There is an amazing island right across from town. I took our boats on the water several times. Once circumvented the island by heading up river (water levels were low and create isolated non flowing bodies of water) crossing by foot over the sand banks near Old Bagan. Launching onto the main river and floating south. Watch out for large industrial barges and ferries. There is a village on the northern tip of the island well worth a visit. Then continue south for 6-7 kms until you see an opening on river left (or another “lake”/oxbow from low water levels). Follow this for 1km then disembark and head up sand embankments and hike through fields heading NWW or heading toward the golden pagodas. It’s about 2 kms hike back to water on Eastern shore. I didn’t deflate my ALpaca packraft. Then back on water heading north to New Bagan. Took me about 5-6 hours but wish I started earlier in the day to explore some other towns. Island is entirely submerged during rainy season.

Recommend: At high water levels I would check out the Naw river flowing into the West bank of the Irrawaddy river at the town of Chauk (1 hr drive south of New Bagan).