An elusive experience
Indawgyi Lake’s best-hidden lakeside perch, the Pink Headed Duck Cafe, is now open to domestic tourists in Myanmar. Sitting on a quiet hillside overlooking the lake, this cozy cafe offers a selection of Myanmar specialty coffee and made-from-scratch cuisine in the heart of Lone Ton’s oldest neighborhood. It’s also the home for unique Indawgyi experiences like stand-up paddleboards, bamboo bicycles, and mountain treks.
The inspiration
The name honors the elusive Pink Headed Duck, a rare species native to the wetlands of eastern India and Myanmar and feared extinct since the 1950s. More recently, however, a series of credible yet unconfirmed sightings by fishermen in northern Myanmar has led some experts and hopeful bird watchers to believe it still might roam the impenetrable marshes and swamps of Kachin State.
Social impact
A venture headed by Face of Indawgyi, this social impact cafe where 25% of profits go to a community-led fund is the predecessor to the future social impact hotel that will occupy the same piece of lush green land. Our first project successfully built the first-ever concrete road directly connected to the lakefront so families can more easily and safely access their daily activities on the lake.
The menu
All menu items highlight local seasonal ingredients and the Shan-ni people, a subgroup of the Shan, from Myanmar’s largest lake. This is why Sawbwa Coffee, in addition to being an award-winning specialty coffee, is the cafe’s coffee of choice. Shan-ni Sawbwas, or princes, used to rule over Indawgyi and much of the lowlands of northern Myanmar as far back as a thousand years ago. The cafe staff also works with local farmers to produce the first Indawgyi coffee and qishr (coffee husk) tea blends, and both are available to try in-house for a limited time as we finish up this year’s harvest. You can also relish in the moment with a selection of freshly baked butter-crust pies and artisan breads topped with homemade jam using seasonal fruit, many times coming directly from fruit trees on the property.
Now available in Yangon!
7" Mango Pie
Baked with homemade butter crust and Sein Ta Lone mangos, this made-from-scratch seasonal dessert will melt in your mouth as you taste hints of vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Available for pickup or delivery.
9" Mango Pie (B2B only)
Looking for a delicious and unique dessert that is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser? We’re now selling direct to businesses to add extra variety to any menu.
The design
The renovated open-air cafe occupies the first floor of an original teak house and upcycles a variety of local wood materials into surprising and tasteful furnishings. Working with a skillful team of Shan-ni carpenters, we found two old slabs of teak left as waste by lumber collectors in the nearby forest and reused them as coffee bars. We remodeled three disused ox-cart wheels into circular tables and a neighbor’s derelict 20-year-old teak boat into a couch and high table for the cafe. Additionally, all fabrics for seating pillows have been sourced from Indawgyi’s traditional textile shop in Mainaung Village. From the menu to the cafe design, everything is meant to reflect both the beauty and mythology that lives on around the Indawgyi Lake Wildlife Sanctuary.
Getting here
Visiting Indawgyi and the cafe is now easier than ever with a number of Kachin-bound flights, busses, and trains that can fit any budget. The cafe staff is always available via phone or our website and can help answer any questions for organizing your trip. For your next trip, escape the city for an elusive experience at the Pink Headed Duck Cafe.
Pink Headed Duck Cafe
Opening Hours: 7AM - 7PM
Address: 104 Taung Tan Thar Quarter, Indawgyi Town (Lone Ton)
Mohnyin Township, Kachin State
Phone: 977-887-2956 (English), 925-318-4226 (Burmese)