WITH blue mountain ranges in the background, the great expanse of the lake – its shores lined with rows of fishing boats and its surface dotted with small vessels pushed along by means of long poles – looks like a scene in a giant landscape painting.

This is not the famous Inle Lake of southern Shan State, but rather a body of water near Sung-ye-inn village, 50 kilometres southeast of Mandalay.

This little-known oasis of idyllic beauty attracts locals and tourists who are looking for fun and relaxation, as well as a place to see traditional methods of fishing and rowing.

Sung-ye-inn village consists of nearly 50 houses. Most of the people who live there are farmers, although there is an active fish market nearby. Along the shores of the lake are several small hamlets, each made up of a cluster of five to 10 houses.

About two miles east of the lake is relic hill that rises nearly 70 metres above the surrounding plain. At the top is a natural cave filled with stalactites and stalagmites. It is said to be a site where the Buddha – in a past life as a mythical Hinthar bird – rested with his retinue of 90,000 birds of the same species.

Travelling north from Mandalay can also bring visitors to spots of serene beauty.

Beyond Mandalay Hill, green rice paddies stretch to the horizon. Past the rice fields are the Tha Kin Ma Hills, at the foot of which is the ancient toddy palm garden of a crown prince from the Konbaung dynasty (18th and 19th centuries) of Myanmar.

A two-hour car ride north of Mandalay will bring travelers to the village of Latekya, where prospectors can be seen panning for gold in area waterways.

In the deep forest beyond town is a quiet stream and a serene lake cradled by rocky shores, its cool waters suitable for a long, relaxing swim.

Not far from there is a series of waterfalls, including the beautiful Sin Hmway Yaytagun, or Elephant’s Hair Falls. It is a pleasant and lovely destination for those who need a break from the urban density of Mandalay, and a showcase of the kind of natural splendour that is making Myanmar an increasingly important destination for ecotourism.