THE Indawgyi Lake in Mohnyin Township, Kachin State, received more than 10,000 tourists in 2019, according to data provided by the Indawgyi Wetland Education Centre.

The tourists enjoyed boat tours in the lake, trekking along the mountain near the lake, and observing bird species and monkeys, and traditions and customs of the local ethnic people, said Daw Phyu Ma Ma from Fauna & Flora International (FFI), who is serving at the Indawgyi Wetland Education Centre.

The Indawgyi area is being conserved with the help of a German development partner, and majority of the visitors are German, said U Khin Maung Win, head of the Indawgyi Wildlife Sanctuary.

Two towns and 33 villages are located within Indawgyi area.

Indawgyi Lake is one of the largest freshwater lakes in South East Asia. It was designated an ASEAN Heritage Park in 2013, a Ramsar Site in 2016, and a Biosphere Reserve in 2017. The education center features the history of the wildlife park and Indawgyi Lake, a biosphere map, Wetland and Fly network site, forest ecosystem, muddy delta, Ramsar site, eco-tourism in Indawgyi, tradition and culture of locals, and fish conservation in the Indawgyi Lake. —Win Naing (Kachinmyay) (Translated by Ei Myat Mon)