Lunch is provided free by hospital staff at the Metta Hospital on Lake Inle (we suggest you give a donation to the hospital at the end of the trip of about US$4 per meal). Ay Thar Yar committee will do the same thing and refuse to take a donation!
The food is home cooked and absolutely delicious. They will cater for vegetarians. Elsewhere we have found that the locals will consider it their duty to provide you with food, we always try to recompense them in some way by making a donation.
Dinner will be available at the remote stations as above where you will be asked to join in family or institution meals. There are always plenty of vegetarian options as the people are poor and meat is a luxury.
In the towns such as Nyaung Shwe there are many of bars, restaurants and hotels serving a whole range of foods and a good meal can be had for US$10. Myanmar beer is cheap and a very good lager. There are Burmese wines, all three vineyards are located around Lake Inle (no, that is not why we choose to operate there!). You can visit one of the vineyards which is no more than 15 minutes’ drive from the Ay Thar Yar Clinic where tapas, meals and wine sampling can take place overlooking a magnificent view.
Water should ONLY be drunk from unopened bottles.