Inle Lake & Shan Hills

Inle Lake is located in Shan State to the north-west of Yangon and is a large freshwater lake, home to the Intha people. They live on the lake, building their houses on stilts, with an array of cottage industries in evidence such as cheroot rolling, silk weaving and metal work. The five-day market moves from village to village, and you often see Shan hill tribes coming down to sell vegetables and goods. The best way to see everything is on private long-tail boat, and most the hotels are located around the lake, and opt for either luxury retreats or smaller boutique hotels. Spot unique leg-rowers criss cross the lake, catching fish as they go. Many guests use Inle as a way to relax after a tour including Bagan and Mandalay. You can take longer day trips into the Shan Hills to see the remote villages before seeing the another superb sight of Kakku. To the south of Inle, take a long day-trip down to Sagar where you can totally get off-the-beaten track away from other tourists. Inle also combines perfectly with Pindaya and Kalaw to the north, and Inle is accessed through flights to Heho Airport.