A vast limestone cave system above Angels Lake, containing more than 8,000 Buddha images accumulated over centuries of pilgrimage. Donors have placed figures of every size and material — white marble, gilded plaster, bronze — in every chamber and crevice of the cave, creating a dense, glittering interior that takes time to absorb. The main stupa dates to the 12th century; some of the oldest images are several hundred years old. A covered walkway zigzags up the cliff face to the entrance, or you can take the lift.
Shwe Oo Min Paya (Pindaya Caves)
Limestone cave containing over 8,000 Buddha images accumulated over centuries
A story
According to local legend, a prince and seven princesses were trapped in the cave by a giant spider. A prince named Kumaritha shot the spider with an arrow and freed them. The gilded spider image at the cave entrance commemorates the story, and the town's name — Pindaya — is said to derive from the Shan phrase for "I've got the spider."