Nyaungshwe is the customary embarkation point for Inle Lake travelers, and fast longboats are the customary vehicles.

The north end of Inle Lake is two miles south of Nyaungshwe via the Nan Chaung (Main Canal).

As we reach the lake we notice a rather large nest, possibly made by weaver birds, in a tree next to the canal. Entering the lake we immediately encounter leg-rowing fishermen with their canoes and traditional conical nets,

Our accommodations for 3 nights will be at the Golden Island Cottages 2, on the east shore of the lake. We are welcomed like royalty,

Above: Kevin and Maddy. The cottages are on stilts over the lake -- everything around the lake is either floating or on stilts.

After a brief rest we gather again for a tour of the floating gardens Inle Lake is famous for. Crops of vegetables are grown on floating rafts, in soil dredged from the lake bottom. Roots are naturally irrigated by the lake, and crop yields are abundant.

Adjacent to the floating gardens is this neat little village near Ywama, on stilts, of course.

There are no streets, just canals.

We return to the Golden Island Cottages in time for dinner and a nice sunset.