The ride starts out with enough tarmac to warm up our legs (around 14km) as we move quickly out of town with grand views over patchwork fields and a backdrop of high mountains. Local farmers and villagers from the Pa-O and Danu tribes go about their daily life, quick to return a smile and a wave as we roll by. There are four sustained but steady climbs to tackle as we leave the tarmac and move onto a wide gravel road. We'll be stopping at times to catch our breath and see local highlights such as basket weaving, an activity that supplements local farming income. The landscape opens up to expansive views over the Shan Plateau. Amid the scenic rural landscape and cabbage fields we see towering shady trees that are sacred and believed to be the abode of Nat spirits.

After around 25 km we'll stop in one of the local villages for a snack stop before riding into scenery that gets more and more dramatic. Some small climbs en-route present a moderate challenge, but soon we are rewarded with our most exciting descent - one that extends for 12 km - giving scenic views of the lake and distant mountain range.

We reach the lake at Indein Village where we'll enjoy a hearty lunch in a typical restaurant. We will visit the romantic stupas on Indein before loading our bikes and ourselves into a long-tail boat for a thrilling trip down the Indein Canal. This narrow, jungle-lined waterway has a unique set of bamboo weirs through which we will drop before heading out across the open lake. We'll pass by villages of the Intha People and see their unique farming and fishing methods. Floating vegetable gardens, anchored by bamboo stakes grow delicious tomatoes, and conical framed fishing nets provide us the iconic image of the famous leg rowing fisherman. There is plenty to see as we make our way across the lake eventually arriving back in Nyaung Shwe.