Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Shwe Oo Min Paya
Shwe Oo Min Rd • Cave daily 5am-7pm • Free • From town, take Min St south and turn right onto University
Rd, then right again after 500m
Just over 1km south of town, the
Shwe OoMin Paya
is well worth the trouble of getting to,
especially if a visit to Pindaya is not on your schedule. Like the eponymous complex in that
town (see
here
), the most interesting part of this complex is a cave stuffed to the gills with
golden Buddha statues. With hundreds and hundreds of them here already, and more being
added all the time, it's almost like a Buddha warehouse; the path snakes around 150m into
the hill, with glittering, golden views at every turn.
Hnee Pagoda
Hnee Pagoda Rd • Daily 24hr • Free • From town, take Min St south and turn right onto Damasatkyar Rd, then
follow signs at the main junction after 1.3km; from Shwe Oo Min Paya, continue west along Shwe Oo Min Rd,
turn right at the end, then left after 500m
The charming
Hnee Pagoda
sits around 2.5km southwest of central Kalaw, amid rolling
countryside that simply begs to be delved into. The “Bamboo Pagoda” is named after a
Buddha statue fashioned from such material (and now, of course, heavy with gold leaf); it's
said to be more than 500 years old. Otherwise, the complex is a fairly modest affair, though
one boasting good views. Hang around for long enough and you'll likely be offered some
tasty green tea, and quite possibly some edible tea leaves to take it with; do some walking
around the area, and you'll see the tea itself being grown.
