Hailed as the most beautiful banyan trees in Shan State, the centuries-old trees at the Pindaya Caves complex in southern Shan State provide shade for visitors and a refuge from the hot sun.
The trees also create the perfect atmosphere for a famous mile-long pagoda festival that is held at the caves in March, complete with markets and performances by Burmese traditional dance troupes.
The caves are a famous Buddhist pilgrimage site not far from the lakeside town of Pindaya, with limestone ridges nearby. Tourists frequently visit to see thousands of Buddhist statues that have accumulated inside since the caves first became a place of worship in the 18th century.
There are a total of three caves on a ridge which runs north-south, but only the southernmost cave can be entered and explored.
