Inle Lake

Hidden in the blue mountains of the east is this fascinating Inle Lake that stretches nine miles in length and four miles in breadth. Locked inside the lofty mountain ranges of 5,000 or more feet above sea level, this watery expanse however is comparatively breezy. You’ll enjoy the romantic and breath-taking scenery of the Venice of the East, where everyone travels by boat. You’ll be thrilled by a powered boat ride weaving through the floating islands and villages. High hills rim the lake on both sides; the lake shore and lake islands bear 17 villages on stilts, mostly inhabited by the Intha people. Culturally and linguistically separate from their Shan neighbors, the Inthas are thought to have migrated to this area from Dawei (Tavoy) on the Tanintharyi peninsula in Southern Myanmar. The hard-working Intha are famous for propelling their flat-bottomed boats by standing at the stern on one leg and wrapping the other leg around the oar. This strange leg-rowing technique offers relief to the arms- which are also used for rowing- during the long paddles from one end of the lake to another. It also enables the rower to better see the floating islands and water hyacinth. It’s sometimes necessary to stand up to plot a path around the obstacles- and to spot fish. Although outboard motors are used for cross-lake ferries and for carrying tourists to the islands and lakeshore villages, most people still use oars and paddles, thus avoiding petrol shortages, saving money and precluding the hassle of hyacinth-tangled propellers. The entire lake area is contained in the township of Nyaung Shwe ad supports a population of 130,000 people that consists of Intha, Shan, Thaungthu (Pa O),Taung yo, Danu, Kayah, Danaw and Bamar people. The township seat of the same name sits north of the lake and is approached by road from Shwenyaung or from the lake to the south via a long narrow channel. Around 70,000 people live on the shores and islands of the lake. Interesting places in Inle: Floating market, Phaung Daw U pagoda, Thale Kyaung, Nga Phe Chaung Monastery, Khaung Daing, Indein Pagoda, Taung To and Sakar villages