A Hike in the Shan Hills of Inle Lake, Myanmar

Inle Lake is a fresh water lake located in the Nyaungshwe Township of Shan State and part of the Shan Hills in Myanmar . The  Lake is surrounded by the the Shan Hills.  There are a number of hiking trails starting in Nyaungshwe that will give you the rare opportunity to experience small village culture that is still intact.  I joined a local guide on a 12 mile hike starting in Nyaungshwe ending in Mine Thauk.  During my hike I had the pleasure of interacting with villagers who were heading to the morning market, ox carts walking out to fields to collect produce, school houses filled with children playing, and a visit with a family who provided me with both lunch and place to rest before hiking back down the hills.  The highlight of the day come from the children I met close to the end of my hike.  As I was walking down a narrow path I could hear giggling.  Five children who looked to be between the ages of 4-6 were hiding behind trees.  I started asking them to come out and they all come out shyly.  They spoke no english and I wanted to take their pictures.  So I took out my camera and pointed to them.  They were so excited.  The laughter continued after each image was shown to them from the back of my camera.