Explore the floating villages and gardens of Inle Lake by riverboat, Shan State

The leg-rowing Intha people, the wooden stilt houses on water and the floating gardens are what make the Inle Lake so different and enchanting. This vast picturesque lake, 900 meters above sea-level, is home to Intha people who live and work on water. The Intha people go about their business on small wooden boats, row along the channels that separate their floating gardens with one leg around a long oar and the other foot firmly gripping the flat stern of the boat. A boat trip through Inle Lake gives you an interesting peek into life in traditional Myanmar.

If you visit Inle Lake in September or October, you may have the chance to witness the grandest event taking place in the region - the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival.

To get into Inle Lake, the easiest way is taking a domestic flight to Heho, which is about one hour's a car-ride from the lake itself. If you want to take a bus or train, you need to go via the nearby Shwenyaung Junction, from where it is a 20 minute taxi ride to the town of Nyaung Shwe near Inle Lake. A wide range of accommodations can be found in Nyaung Shwe.