Page 242 - The Rough Guide to Myanmar (Burma)

240 INLE LAKE AND THE EAST KALAW AND AROUND
ACCOMMODATION
KALAW Thein Dream Villa 7
Taung Eastern Paradise 3
Kyaung
0 200 Golden Kalaw Inn 5
Golden Lily 4
metres Honey Pine 1
Morning Glory Inn 10
Pine Breeze 6
Pine Hill Resort 8
THEIN TAUNG PAGODA STREET
Royal Kalaw Hills Resort 9
Thazi Thitaw Lay House 11
6 Winner 2
Bus
Tickets Fire Station
Bus
Tickets UNION HIGHWAY NH4
Soe Thein UNION HIGHWAY NH4
Massage
KBZ Sikh Temple
Bank Market
Aung Chan
Tha Zedi Heho Airport, Inle Lake & Pindaya
NATSIN ROAD
Eagle Trekking A1 Trekking
Green Discovery AUNG CHAN THA STREET Pick-ups to
ZATILA
Taunggyi DRINKING
YATANA STREET
Hi Bar 1
ZAW TIKA ST
Sam’s Family
THIRI MANGALAR STREET
KHONE THAE STREET STREET
EATING
Aung Nyein Chan Aung 7
AUNG THA PYAY STREET
MIN STREET
Shwe Lin Everest 5
Lun Paya Naing Naing Ma Hnin Si 3
N Hsu Taung Morning Star 4
Pye Paya STATION STREET Pyae Pyae 1
THIDAR STREET Red House 6
Sprouting Seeds 8
CHERRY STREET Thirigayhar 2
SHOPPING
Police Station
Rural Development Society 1
Hnee Pagoda (2.3km) (1km) & Shwe Oo Min Paya (1.8km) Train Station (400m), (1km), (1km) & (1.4km)
the hills beyond, and you can also take off into the countryside on tracks leading
away behind the complex.
Around Kalaw
There are a couple of diverting sights hidden away amid the gentle hills south of Kalaw,
easily combined into a pleasant two- to three-hour ramble. The highlight is the
Buddha-filled cave of the Shwe Oo Min Paya, while the quaint Hnee Pagoda is also
worth a detour. Much of the area is occupied by a large military zone, with an
incongruous golf course inserted in the middle, although the main roads through it are
open to all, despite the occasional checkpoint.
Shwe Oo Min Paya
• Shwe Oo Min Rd • Cave daily 6.30am–5.30pm • Free • From town, take Min St south and follow the road as it veers
right (becoming University Rd) after about 500m, then turn right again after 500m onto Shwe Oo Min Rd
Just over 1km south of town, the extraordinary Buddha-filled cave of Shwe Oo Min
Paya is well worth a look, especially if a visit to the eponymous Buddha cave in
Pindaya (see p.246) isn’t on your schedule. Dozens of golden pagodas stand clustered
in front of the entrance to the main cave, inserted into a jungle-covered rock face.
Inside, the cave is stuffed with hundreds of Buddhas inserted into every available
space, like some surreal, subterranean Buddha warehouse, with images in every
conceivable size and style – although virtually all are seated, with just a couple of
standing and reclining figures. The adjacent upper cave is significantly smaller and
claustrophobic, with narrow (and sometimes treacherously slippery) stairs leading up
and down between further statues, and a large empty space at the far end, still
waiting to be filled with images.