Innlay Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival is one of the popular festivals in our country. During the festival time, it was very crowded while Phaung Daw Oo Buddha images toured around the lake.

At this festival market, there are many to buy. Local food and snacks are mostly found. Especially a white sticky rice balls can be said a favourite snack and you can get it at almost every shops. Since this pagoda festival was held in Thadingyut, the festival of light, various multi-colour lanterns can be found at the festival.

Different kinds of blacksmith ware shops lined up the market. Innlay blacksmith wares are of fine quality and long lasting, that's why it is liked by customers and the price is reasonable.

As time goes on, the festival is crowded with sellers and buyers making it more alive in the evening. Local snack shops such as MontLoneGyiGyaw “fried dumpling of glutinous rice dough”, YayMont “Paper thin crisp pan cake of rice” and HtoMont “pudding made of glutinous rice, sugar, coconut and oil” are packed with buyers.

We also can be seen one of the local snacks the roasted sunflower seed at the festival. I’m also had to rush to see the local costume shops that are very interesting. Attractive designs of cotton clothes, which I like best, are good for health and price is reasonable!

After turning and gazing round the rows of cloths racks, I’ve come to local snack shops. The rice rapped with lotus leaves and weighed by scale is very inviting. The sweet aroma of steamed warm rice is very delicious.

Another popular regional food in Southern Shan State is rice kneaded in fermented pork. It is a favourite among all age. The taste is amazing when having the warm rice and kneaded fermented pork with Innlay traditional bitter soup.

With sheer luck, I met one of my friends and now I’ve a companion to enjoy at the festival market together. The crowded pagoda festival market of a hilly town was a great surprise to me.

The pagoda festival market, which I had the chance to visit, was so special. Because I’ve the opportunities to observe and study the simple and honest life of local nationals and also their traditional costumes, culture, local food as well as arts and crafts.