Pindaya is famous for its limestone caves housing over 9000 Buddha images. There are lovely walks to monasteries and you can visit villagers making mulberry paper and traditional umbrellas.

The legend tells of seven princesses who took refuge in these caves but were sealed in by a giant spider’s web!  A prince killed the spider and saved the princesses. At the entrance you can see the sculpture of the spider with the prince aiming his bow at it, before passing the Shwe U Min Pagoda.  Entering the cave, donated Buddha images of all sizes are everywhere along the maze of walkways and on stalagmite altars. Some smaller caves can be crawled into and you can wonder where the princesses hid peacefully away from the spider.

NOTE:  This page was written BC  ( Before Covid and Before the Coup 2021 )

Pindaya is an amazing place. From the quiet lake of the town you can walk up to the caves passing by huge old banyan trees, or drive up to the entrance way. A glass-covered elevator is also available if you feel the steps are too much.  Entrance fee is 3000 Kyats.
Take another covered walkway coming down passing by monasteries.

Food stalls cook up some great local Shan noodles with tofu!

Driving to Pindaya from Heho in the end of the rainy season are fields of sesame flowers.
It’s an approx  1.5 hour drive from Heho Airport, or coming from Nyaungshwe at Inle Lake, a new road branches to Pindaya.

Accomodations:
There are several small hotels in town.
Inle Inn Pindaya has a very charming atmosphere:
www.pindayainleinnmyanmar.com

Drive or  walk to  Kalaw:

From Heho Airport, the road branches out at Aungban, leading to either Pindaya or to Kalaw, another old British hill station.
Pindaya to Kalaw by road is about an hour, but if you have time, you can do a 1 or 2-night easy trek overnighting in villages or monasteries.

For more on Kalaw:  Click HERE

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– Pwin Oo Lwin and Train to Hsipaw and Story of the last Shan Princess