Heho is the gateway to Lake Inle in the Shan mountains. Almost 100 km North to South but only 5 km wide Inle Lake supports a population of about 150,000 in 200 villages built on or around it. Most are lntha people (Intha means 'sons of the lake') who are of Mon rather than Shan descent, and are originally from South East Myanmar.

Inle’s central portion is devoted to floating gardens and newly reclaimed land. Travel is by boat, along a network of canals surrounded by vegetable gardens, vegetation and land being reclaimed. These channels are continually redredged by villagers and the army which co-opts local dredging parties every weekend.

As well as being accomplished fishermen and gardeners, the Intha are also talented metalworkers, carpenters and weavers. The people of each occupation live and work together, in a village.