Kawgun Cave near the village of Kawgun, about 25 kilometres south of Hpa-an, is an extraordinary sight. The cave mouth opens onto the Thanlwin River, and the entire interior surface — walls, ceiling, every recess and ledge — is covered with thousands of miniature Buddha images pushed into the rock. Some are gilded, some painted, some weathered to bare terracotta. They accumulate in density that makes the cave feel more like a mosaic than a conventional pagoda.
The cave is entered from a small landing stage on the river; the boatmen at the junction below Zwegabin serve both Kawgun and the nearby Yathaypyan cave. The interior is lit by candles and natural light through the cave mouth. A large seated Buddha occupies the main chamber. The combination of Mon-era art, the river approach, and the overwhelming density of the Buddha figures makes Kawgun one of the most distinctive religious sites in Myanmar.