Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, Myanmar

Located in the northeast of Yangon...

Inlay Lake measuring 22 km long, 10 km wide is shaped like a long, narrow channel; located in the heart of the Shan State amid hilly terrain that climbs up to about 900 metres above sea level.

For centuries, the local people known as the Inthas. who inhabit this area, have developed their own unique life style on and around the shores of this incredibly calm and clear Inlay Lake. They live in houses built on the water and grow their vegetables on the matted silt and weed floating beds, they secure to the lake bottom with bamboo poles. Travelling in Inlay Lake is a dreamlike adventure crisscrossing the lake on their way to the market or to the pagoda in their unique style of rowing which can be only seen in this area. They stand on one leg while steering the oar with the other and propelling their canoe with a conical fishing basket adding a picturesque attraction to the lake.

How to get there

Inlay Lake is easily accessible from Yangon. Bagan or Mandalay via Heho by plane. The flying time from Yangon is about an hour; and then by car or a distance of 35 km from Heho to Nyaung Shwe, which is on the northern tip of the lake.It is also possible to reach Heho and Taunggyi by rail or road, and then proceed lo Nyaung Shwe.

Where to stay

Inlay and its environs have accommodation facilities at reasonable prices.