Trip to Pindaya Caves Place guide

Myanmar is well known for its very spiritual nature. Aside from the many temples and pagodas that are found here, there are also other holy sites that people visit as a way to get in touch with the inner being. The Pindaya Caves and Inle Lake both bring their own brand of serenity to those who visit it. If you want to spend some quality time to get a quiet moment of reflection for yourself, then these two places are prime destinations.

Inle Lake has a budding community living around it, as it is part of the Nyuang Shwe township. You can really get in touch with the people here as they go about their daily lives and ply their trade of fishing and crafts making. The lake itself is also the venue of several holy ceremonies and festivals like Hpaung Daw U Festival and the Thadingyut festival of lights. This is why tourists flocks here during the months of September and October.

Similarly, the Pindaya Caves is also a sight of great spiritual importance. This 150 meter long cave contains thousands of Buddha images donated by different people throughout its long history. Each statue bears the person who donated it and this collection has continued to grow, with the current count at around 9,000 images. This gives this cave a sense of spirituality that is different from that of a temple, while giving it a more personal touch.

The fastest and easiest way to get to these destinations is to take a domestic flight to Heiho airport, which is one hour away to Inle Lake by taxi. The taxi fare can be a little expensive, sometimes reaching as high as 25,000 Kyat, but it is possible to split the fare if the taxi driver allows other passengers to join you on the way to Nyuang Shwe village near Inle Lake. It is also possible to take a bus from Mandalay to the village, but the trip takes around 7 to 8 hours. From Nyuang Shwe, you can continue your journey to the town of Pindaya and explore its famous cave.