Sankar boat guide.
 

How easy and where could I hire a boat and guide to Sankar? We are staying at Inle Lake Resort, is this something the hotel can do or should I go through TA?

You can do it either way. We arranged it through our agent, but I really don't think it makes much of a difference. When you go to Sankar, you are required to use a Pa-o guide. So arrange for a boat, a driver and the Pa-o guide (no need for an additional guide).

I felt there was no need for a guide to Sankar. In the past (though I've heard from some this is no longer true) you had to pick up a Pa-O guide when you paid for your entry permit to Sankar. Ask your hotel if you want a guide, first clarifying whether you will automatically be assigned a guide when you stop at Golden Isle Cottages for the permit.

Thanks. Any clue if the people at the hotel will be able to help arrange the boat+driver?

Hotel arranged the boat for us, then we picked up the required guide. Just let the hotel know a day before you want the boat. No need for a TA

All of the hotels near Inle can arrange a boat and boatman. It's much cheaper to do it that was rather than though a TA.

Thanks. TA tells me I need 2 guides because the Pa-O does not speak English. Was communication an issue?

We had no problem with the guide's English.

Our Pa-O guide was difficult to understand, but it didn't really matter. I don't know that it would be any cheaper - hotel versus TA. Either way, it won't be much.

The advantage of using TA is that you'll know how much it is in advance and be able to pay them when you first get there. The rates that were quoted by our hotel were slightly higher than the TA, but more importantly, it would mean that we had make sure we had enough cash to pay them when we arrived.