The Kayin, of Thai-Chinese origin, settle in large number in Taungoo District of Bago Division, in the Ayerwaddy Delta and Tanintharry Division. Kayin may be divided into two main classes, the Plain and the Hill Kayin while the former is comprising the Pwo and Sgaw Kayins formed the bulk of the Kayin then are found near Taungoo, in the Delta and in the Tanintharry Division. Hill Kayins are mostly Buddhists while there are many Christians amongst the Pwos and Sgaws then animists as well. Even though Christianity has found a more respective audience amongst the Kayin than any other race in Myanmar, the Kayin remains preponderantly more Buddhist than Christian.
The Kayin State comprises Papun Township, Hlaingbwe Township, Hpa Aan Township, Kawkareik Township etc…, while Hpa An is the capital and administrative headquarter lied some 33 miles northeast of Mawlamyine.
Traditionally, Kayins are gardeners and peasants but perform fishing, hunting, breeding and trading on arts and handicrafts as well.
The harvest festival or Happy New Year of Kayins are really hilarious and most usually accompanied by ground dances, bamboo pole dance and don dance.
It is a site visiting worthwhile and a building having quite a large number of exhibition on traditional costumes, bags, looming sets, artifacts, weapons, musical instruments, religious items, literature, fishing equipments, photos, pictures, and illustrations so on at one spot. The gigantic frog drum may be the most interesting.
It is a natural cave and lake on the lime stone bed then located near Naungkyan village, about 3 miles away from Hpa An. The cave in and out around is fantastically set with religious monuments.
The focus is not on them but on the natural spring having hot side and cold side in the same circa automatically. Believing to have healing power, the hot water is applied as medication for skin diseases, eye diseases, pain killer and so on.
Unique composition of natural rock in the form of twisted spire, most probably by wind erosion for years, amidst the natural lake, it is now becoming a curious visiting spot and enjoyable place. If you are lucky enough, you can enjoy those of the harvest festival or Happy New Year usually accompanied with feasts, bilarious ground dances, bamboo pole dance and don dance so on.
Regarding to the evidences and records throughout the history, it is the oldest site of the region and best known since almost the entirely natural walls and ceiling are beautifully embellished with small Buddhas on votive tablets inset row by row like “Thousand Buddha Cave” in China. Among them, crown Buddhas and Hindu deities are also seen.
There are some more caves in the respective vicinity well covered with Buddhas and monuments as in Kawgoon Cave and they are Yathepyan, Wepyan, Saddan, Khron and so on. River cruise of Mawlamyine-Hpa An is also popular and the scenery along the river are of curious and just impressive.
