A LITTLE ECO LODGE

Rating: Basic

Half a kilometre west of Nyaung Shwe town, you’ll find A Little Eco Lodge, one of Myanmar’s best boutique, family-run and genuinely responsible eco lodges.

Set up by husband and wife team U Kyaw Swar and Ma Mee Mee, every bamboo pole, wooden plank and brick used for the construction of this property has been laid with purpose. There’s nothing excessive or wasteful about it, and you really do get that sense that it gives back more than it takes.

Actively recruiting and training staff from the surrounding communities, A Little Eco Lodge does more than just cater for tourists. It’s effectively a hospitality training centre, providing myriad developmental opportunities to those employed. Alongside the accommodation it operates ‘A Little Loom’ weaving centre, the Tree House Restaurant, a well-equipped spa, cooking classes, trekking activities and a spacious organic vegetable garden.

In keeping with traditional Inthar style, the lodge has been built on stilts using mostly locally sourced and sustainable natural materials. That theme continues inside each of the five en suite guest rooms, with the only non-traditional elements being the comfortable beds, air-conditioning units, glass paned windows and elaborately draped mosquito nets.

With its rain shower, stylish wash basin and large wall mirror, the bathroom in contrast is mostly modern in style; a sense of balance is retained thanks to the “traditional” sewerage system, which explains why no toilet paper can be flushed down the drains.

A Little Eco Lodge prides itself on being a quiet retreat, however it’s important to point out that during the day looms are in operation so it’s likely you’ll hear the clickety-clack sound of the weaving shuttle crashing back and forth. In the case you require an afternoon nap, these can be silenced on request, so we don’t feel this should be a cause for concern. You never know, perhaps you’ll even find the sound therapeutic.

No stay is complete without lunch or dinner at the eye-catching and architecturally brilliant Tree House Restaurant. Aiming to provide diners with a real taste of authentic, home cooked Inthar cuisine, this is possibly up there in the top five best Myanmar dining experiences. Even if you’re not staying at A Little Eco Lodge, it’s worth making a reservation here just to get a sense of the project first-hand. As an added bonus, you’ll get to taste some of the fresh garden vegetables.

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