Inle Lake's fishermen have a unique, almost acrobatic, rowing style that have have fascinated observers for years. It consists of standing on one leg on the extreme of the boat and wrapping their other leg around the the oar, as they expertly propel their boats around the floating islands of the 11 mile-long lake.
The technique allows the fishermen to see obstacles on the reed-filled lake and frees up their arms to handle the cone-shaped fish baskets they use to trap large fish. However, the leg rowing style is only practiced by the men. Women row in the customary style, using the oar with their hands, sitting cross legged at the stern.
The fishermen are Inthas, who have have lived, worked and worshipped on the waters of Inle Lake for generations, according to CNN. They usually catch Nga-hpein, which is a type of carp, selling for about $1 per fish.
In September and October the lake hosts the Phaung Daw U Pagoda Festival, where leg rowing competitions are held, according to InterstarTours.com. Four Buddha statues, mounted on a colorful royal barge, are towed by Intha leg rowers from the Phaung Daw U Monastery at the center of the lake and ceremoniously transported around its shores, staying each night at a different village.
"Get out at sunrise to see the Intha leg rowers in the best light," TripAdvisor user DennisUSA commented on the review site. "It is not to be missed."
The climate in Inle Lake can be described as monsoonal, as it receives an average of 1,370 mm of rainfall every year and the wettest period falls between the months of May and September, according to Visit-Mekong.com. However, dry season rain is quite frequent on the Shan Plateau, more frequent than in any other place in Myanmar. Because of the altitude (Inle Lake is located at an altitude of 2,800 feet), tourists can expect a cool climate, with especially chilly early mornings and evenings during the months of January and February.
source: Weather.com
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