Kakku Pagodas

Kakku is an extensive Buddhist pagoda complex in Shan State, Myanmar, characterised by thousands of small stupas clustered on a ridge. The site is notable for the density and uniformity of its stupa fields.

Rows of more than 2,000 closely spaced stupas create a visually striking landscape that visitors can walk among on stepped terraces and narrow paths. The arrangement gives a very different experience from single-temple sites because the stupas form continuous fields stretching across the hilltop.

Most of the stupas at Kakku were erected between the 16th and 18th centuries and the complex has been maintained by local communities since then. The site remains an active place of worship and pilgrimage for local ethnic groups.

Kakku sits on a ridge near the village of Kakku in Shan State, Myanmar, and is accessed via local roads from nearby towns in the region.

• Number and age of stupas: The site contains more than 2,000 small stupas grouped tightly on a ridge; many of the structures date from the 16th to 18th centuries.
• Cultural sensitivity: An active religious site for local Pa-O and other communities; visitors should dress respectfully and note that parts of the complex are used for ceremonies.

What to See #

• Main stupa field: Expansive field of densely packed small stupas that line terraces and platforms, forming closely spaced rows across the ridge.
• Entrances and terraces: Entrance terraces and stairways that lead up to the stupa complex and to the principal pilgrimage areas used by local worshippers.