In western Shan State, you will find picturesque Inle Lake, famous for its floating villages and gardens and the unique way of life of the local Intha people, with their living communities based entirely on the water.

The lake, which measures 22 km long by 10 km wide, and sits in a valley between two mountain ranges, feels like a different world to the rest of Myanmar: in villages and towns across the lake, wooden houses are built on stilts and fishermen steer their one-man boats with a characteristic rowing style, wrapping one leg around their oar.

Inle Lake is known for the unique way of like of the Intha people, who have based their lifestyle around this beautiful body of water. They live in stilted houses built on the lake and even grow their vegetables on floating gardens that are secured to the lake bottom with bamboo stakes. Skilled boatmen and fishermen, the Intha, are famous for their unique style of rowing in which they stand on one leg while using the other leg to push the oar through the water. Tourists can stay on hotels on the lake and explore the villages and pagodas around and on the lake in traditional boats. 

Other areas of Shan State are fantastic trekking destinations. The most famous trek is from the town of hill town of Kalaw to Inle Lake, but other trails are available as well departing from Hsipaw or Pindaya. There are many trekking outfitters (based mainly in Kalaw or Nyaung U) who can support a multi-day trip. Trekkers sleep overnight in monasteries and eat lunch in villages along the way.
Heho is the main airport in Shan State and is about an hours drive from most of the major cities in the area.