Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery

Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery is considered the oldest and largest one among the Inle lake community. This wooden temple was built on stilts at least 200 years ago. Set among the floating gardens, the fascinating monastery is surely worth a visit, especially if tourists are planning on visiting Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda or just getting back from there.

Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery from the boat view

Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery is famous for cats that have been trained to jump over small hoops. There is a tale that one day, when the monk’s mind had fully been enlightened by the Dhrama of Buddhism, he saw a small cat jumping up. Ever since, he has trained about 20 cats to jump through these small hoops. While sailing on the lake near the monastery, tourists can enjoy the cat jumping shows held many times a day.

Unfortunately, when the head monk passed away and the trained cats also died or got retired, there is almost no more cat shows to see as the new monk thinks it is improper to train the cats for entertainment. However, tourists can still see cats jumping scenes occasionally coming to this destination. The good thing is they are well fed and get used to human interaction so tourists can feel free to have some cuddling with them when entering the monastery.

Young Samaneras (novice monks) and their mothers are listening to Bhikkhu Monk

No more cat show? Quite sad to hear that but there is a better reason to visit this 19th-century monastery. This attractive wooden monastery is home to impressive collections of Buddha images respectively in Shan, Tibetan, Bagan, and Inwa style. The tall, mosaic-decorated pedestals and cases were built for the Shan and Northern Thai Buddhist art showcases.

The collection has a history of more than 100 years. Tourists can learn about Buddhist historic culture and enjoy the masterpiece created by talented artists. Outside the monastery, tourists can sit and enjoy the beautiful view of the tomato farm with majestic mountains in the background.

Series praying golden Buddhas inside the Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery

To reach this monastery, tourists can take a long-distance flight or bus from Yangon city to Inle lake. The best way to visit Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery is by boat. There are many tourist agents offering boat tour that pass through other floating sightseeing places of Inle lake including this monastery. For those who want to enjoy the trip privately, you can hire a private at local hotels.

The best time to visit this place or Inle Lake, in general, is from October to February when the water level is high, the weather is manageable and there is a blooming season for some beautiful flowers.

The opening hours of this monastery is from 6 am to 8 pm but tourists should visit and leave before 10 am to enjoy the fresh, beautiful and lively landscapes on the lake. From 11 am to 4 pm it is very hot. The temperature drops from 5 pm onward but some activities are stopped by that time.