Chill out on Inle Lake
Who needs a beach?!
Burmese temperatures often hike well into the upper 30s & even 40ºC+, so where better to cool off & relax than at your chilled out resort on the banks of cool, picturesque Inle Lake, 100 miles south of Mandalay. The area is home to at least eight different tribes, with the Intha people living on the actual lake, residing in stilted houses over the shallow waters. A colourful market is never far & you can cruise the tranquil waters, watch the fishermen & their unique foot-rowing technique, visit stilted villages & floating vegetable patches (!), & trek in the surrounding hills. Time your trip well to coincide with a vibrant festival like Hpaung Daw U ('Five Buddha festival')