The Plain Of Jars, Laos

Exploring the Plain of Jars, Laos

Xiengkhouang Province, and its provincial capital of Phonsavan, is in Central Northern Laos. It’s an off-the-beaten-track location which receives significantly fewer tourists than other popular areas, such as Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng.

The primary reason for its less popular status is it’s not on one of the major tourist routes and therefore, is a detour from most people’s travel itinerary.

Phonsavan

If you look at a map of Laos you’ll see the town of Phonsavan is well to the east of both Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng. Essentially it’s out in the middle of no man’s land, and getting there on a bus is an arduous undertaking. For any hardy travelers willing to make the journey from Luang Prabang in a minivan, be prepared for an eight-hour grind over some of the most mountainous terrain in Laos. I’ve never done it, simply because the round trip flights from Vientiane, with Lao Airlines, are so cheap.

Elevated area: The plateau is broad, some 20 km across, and sits approximately 1,000 meters above sea level. If you fly up from the humid plains of the Mekong, the difference in temperature and relative humidity is immediately noticeable when you step off the plane.

Even in November, the mornings are cool and the atmosphere is much drier than Vientiane. In January, I’ve been told reliably, there’s often frost on the ground.

Primary Attraction: The main attraction of Xiengkhouang Province is the world heritage listed PLAIN OF JARS SITES. There are other attractions to visit in the outlying areas of the province (caves and waterfalls), but the jars are the main drawcard.

For more in-depth info on the Plain of Jars Sites, click this link

The Plain of Jars is a World Heritage Listing

All jar sites have received World Heritage listing as MEGALITHIC SITES. With the size of some of the jars weighing in at over six tons, the sites certainly merit the megalithic designation.

From the small amount of info I’ve been able to gather so far, all the sites have been dated back to 2,500 years ago. Who the builders were is still largely undetermined. Local sources informed me they were most likely the original inhabitants of Laos; a megalithic society reaching back to the Stone Age.

PHONSAVAN – GENERAL INFORMATION

Phonsavan is the capital of Xiengkhouang Province and is accessible by road from Vientiane and Luang Prabang. However, with the new train line in place, the best option for getting there is to take the train to Luang Prabang, and then a bus to Phonsavan.

Click this link for travel options from Luang Prabang to Phonsavan

Bus from Vientiane:
The bus ride, depending on the time of year – dry or rainy season – can take anywhere between 8–12 hours from Vientiane. The road runs through a remote, mountainous area of Laos, so if you opt for the bus, be prepared for a long, bumpy ride.

Click this link for travel options from Vientiane to Phonsavan

Flights:
For those on a less stringent budget, and not having the patience for the bus ride, Lao Airlines fly to Phonsavan on a daily basis from Vientiane. It’s a thirty-minute flight (on a propeller-powered airplane) and current costs are approximately USD $30–70 for a one-way flight. Note: the local budget airline, Lao Skyways, also fly to Phonsavan on a regular schedule.

Click this link for flight options from Vientiane

PHONSAVAN ACCOMMODATION

Most of the accommodation in Phonsavan is of the hostel/backpacker style, with a small number of 2–3 star hotels also available. The Anoulack Khen Lao Hotel is one of the better three-star options in Phonsavan.

For booking inquiries, click this link

Budget accommodation:
An excellent budget accommodation choice in Phonsavan is the Jennida Guesthouse. Room rates are approximately 120,000 Kip per night for a spacious, A/C room with a hot-water shower. The guesthouse also has an excellent café attached – Uno Coffee. The property is centrally located in town and next to the Cranky-T Restaurant.

For booking inquiries, click this link

Where to eat:
For the best western food, coffees, and ambiance, go to the Cranky-T Restaurant – next to the Jennida Guesthouse.

Rental motorbikes:
These are available at limited locations in Phonsavan. With the long COVID era taking a toll on tourism in Phonsavan, a lot of the motorbike rental shops went out of business. Daily rates are approximately USD $10 per day.

Note: There’s a travel company to the right of Jennida Guesthouse (on the corner of Highway 7 and the next side street) which has motorbikes for rent on a daily basis.

SIGHTSEEING IN XIENGKHOUANG PROVINCE

The Plain of Jars:
As mentioned, these UNESCO-protected megalithic sites are the primary sightseeing drawcard for the area. The jars, some weighing up to six tonnes, are built from single pieces of sandstone rock and are located in many places around the plateau. There are several sites, and all have a designated number.

Multiple Sites:
More than 90 jar sites have been identified in Xiengkhouang Province. Each site has from one to 400 stone jars. Seven jar sites have now been cleared of unexploded bombs (indicated by a MAG marker) and are open to visitors. Of these, Jar Sites 1, 2, and 3 are the most developed for tourism, having safe access trails, parking areas, and visitors centers.

The Mines Advisory Group:
The MAG is essentially a mine/bomb clearing operation that has been actively working in the area for decades. This is due to the amount of unexploded ordnance (UXO) across the plateau farmlands. At the start and end of every day, a fleet of white SUVs—usually with some kind of UN designation—can be seen parked outside the Cranky-T Restaurant.

Independent Sightseeing:
This is easy enough to do if you’re confident about riding a motorbike around the area. Most of the roads are paved all the way to the jar sites. Using the Google Maps GPS tracker makes it even easier these days.

Guided Tours:
If you aren’t confident about riding a motorbike, then guided tours are the best option. If you’re staying at the Jennida Guesthouse, the tour desk immediately to the right is a convenient place to book a guided tour.

Note: The tour desk is part of the Kou Kham Guesthouse.

PHU KENG MOUNTAIN – JARS QUARRY

For anyone coming to the area to see the jar sites, Phu Keng Mountain is actually a good place to start. It’s designated as a quarry and, on the trail to the top of the peak, there are several examples of rocks which were partially carved into jars but left unfinished. This site is also known as Phu Keng Quarry on Google Maps.

Note: The quarry sites are situated at the lower half of the pathway up the mountain. If you only want to see the jars, there’s no need to climb to the top.

Click this link for directions from Jennida Guesthouse

To the top:
From the quarry area, a cement pathway/stairway leads all the way to the top of the mountain.

Note: The hike is quite arduous. The elevation at the top of the peak is over 1,400 meters. As you ascend, the change in temperature is noticeable and the terrain looks nothing like a tropical landscape. Instead of the broadleaf foliage common to this part of the world, there’s a forest of pine trees. It resembles a temperate zone of Europe.

PHU KENG MOUNTAIN – SECRET TUNNEL

Near the top, there’s a fork in the path. The right fork takes you to the highest viewpoint, which provides an exceptional view over the plateau.

Note: This location is over 1,400 meters in height and during the dry season can be quite brisk if there’s a wind blowing. There’s also a small cave just below the peak, which runs from one side to the other.

Historical War Site:
The left fork takes you to a lower viewpoint and also the Secret Tunnel. The tunnel was built by Pathet Lao Forces during their war with the Republican Army. It is a passageway that gave them shelter from bombing raids and also the ability to quickly move from one side of the peak to the other.

The tunnel is constructed from concrete and is approximately 100 meters in length. It has a zig-zag route, and there are also some bats nesting in it.

Note: There is no internal lighting, so for anyone wanting to walk through it, you’ll need your own flashlight. At the far side of the tunnel, there’s another exceptional view of the surrounding landscape.

PLAIN OF JARS – SITE ONE

This is the closest jar site to Phonsavan. Being only 10 km from town, it tends to get quite crowded, particularly on the weekends. It’s also the largest site on the plateau, with over 300 jars spread across a well-maintained parkland. The entrance fee for foreigners is 30,000 Laotian Kip.

Click this link for directions from the Jennida Guesthouse

Small Cave:
An interesting feature of the site is the small cave nearby the largest concentration of jars. This cave was used as a shelter from bombing raids during the war years of the 1960s–70s. The pockmarked landscape of bomb craters just in front of the cave entrance is a testament to the bombing that occurred in the area.

Viewpoint:
From the far side of the largest area of jars, a dirt trail leads up to the top of the peak. On the way, there’s evidence of more bombing. A partially damaged jar sits right next to a large crater. What’s surprising is how well intact the jars are, even though bombs landed right next to them.

Note: A late afternoon visit will also provide the added bonus of catching an outstanding sunset from the highest point of the site.

PLAIN OF JARS – SITE TWO

This is probably the most picturesque of all the sites. The access trail from the parking area goes up a small hill with lots of trees at the top. The jars are scattered among a wooded area, which provides plenty of shade. The jars at this site are larger in size and more impressive than those at Jar Site Three.

Second Smaller Area:
There are two viewing areas. The second, smaller area is on another small peak to the south of the main area. To get to it, you’ll need to walk down into a gully, then hike up the small peak. There are fewer jars at this second area, but there are some nice uninterrupted views over the surrounding landscape.

Click this link for directions from the Jennida Guesthouse

Note: Sites Two and Three are close together, so plan your day to do both. This way you only need to make one trip out from Phonsavan. It’s more rewarding to go to Site Three first, then do Site Two on the way back.

PLAIN OF JARS – SITE THREE

Jar Site Three, by road, is 7.7 km south of Site Two. There’s an alternate shorter route, however, this is a dirt road and if you’re on a motorbike, you’ll get coated in dust during the dry season and be riding through mud pools in the wet. Using the paved road takes less time.

Click this link for directions from Jar Site Two

On-site:
From the parking area, getting to the site involves a walk through rice fields and a small village. There’s a dedicated path to follow. It’s highly recommended not to stray off the path, as this has been cleared by the MAG and is designated as safe to use. There are a couple of fences to climb over on the way—ladders with handrails have been put in place to make this easier.

The area with the jars is completely fenced off, indicating it is safe inside this area. Going beyond the confines of this fenced-off area is not advisable, as the wider terrain may not have been cleared by the MAG.

The jars at Site Three are concentrated into one area and are smaller in size but greater in number than those at Jar Site Two.

THE PLAIN OF JARS – WHAT PURPOSE?

Food Storage:
There are a number of theories regarding what the jars were actually used for. One possible theory, due to its practicality, is that the jars were used for the storage of foodstuffs, rice, and water. There are several stone disks (resembling lids) lying around the sites, which make this theory plausible. However, the weight of the disks makes it a highly impractical idea, as it would take a large team of workers to move them even a small distance.

Burial Rites:
The most compelling theory, according to archaeological experts, is that the jars were used for cremation and burial purposes. Although the lack of human remains at all the sites might cast some doubt on this theory, according to Wikipedia, the human remains were kept in the jars for a period of time to allow the spirits of the deceased to ascend to the afterlife.

However, a more practical theory suggests that the bodies were placed in the jars long enough to allow rodents and insects to pick the bones clean prior to burial rites.

THE OLD CAPITAL OF MUANG KHOUN

Located approximately 34 km southeast of Phonsavan, the old capital of Xieng Khouang Province is an interesting half-day trip to see the remnants of bomb damage inflicted during the Second Indochina War.

Muang Khoun was the capital of the ancient Phuan Kingdom of the 14th century.

For directions, click this link

Piawat Temple

At the Wat Piawat Temple, destroyed during the conflicts of the First Indochina War (from 1946 until 1954) and the subsequent one that soon followed, the ruins of outer walls and pillars surround a large Buddha statue.

The statue is charred black – a stark reminder of the devastation caused by the bombing – and has a yellow diagonal sash to give it a semblance of dignity.

A new temple, decorated in the standard Lao configuration, has been built nearby.

In the center of the village, the ruins of a French Colonial Building, bombed in 1968, are still visible. There is little information on what these ruins originally were, but my Lao guide reliably informed me it was a hospital. Bombed over 50 years ago, it’s remarkable that it’s still standing.

That Foun Stupa:
Back along the road is the That Foun Stupa. Once buried in thick tropical forest, the stupa—dating back approximately 450 years—can now be seen near the road, approximately 300 meters north of the ruins of the French Colonial Building.

Note: The stupa is at the top of a small hill and can be seen from the main road. Although damaged and covered with plant growth, it’s worth a few minutes of your time and provides a nice opportunity for a sunset photo. There are often locals hanging about the base of the stupa who are friendly and full of smiles.

For a more in-depth look at the history of the area, click this link

THE WAR HISTORY OF PHONSAVAN

The Xiengkhouang Plateau, where Phonsavan City is located, has the unfortunate distinction of being the most heavily bombed place on the planet. The plateau is near the Vietnam border and, during the 1960s and 70s, was a conduit (known as the Ho Chi Minh Trail) for the movement of North Vietnamese military personnel and equipment to the south of the country. Hence, the heavy bombardment by the U.S. Air Force over a sustained period of time.

War Evidence:
As one travels around the sightseeing locations outside the city, swathes of bomb craters pockmark the landscape. The tourist area in town has several hotels and restaurants with impressive displays of bombs and war paraphernalia. One, the Craters Restaurant, has a wall of upright bombs cemented along the front edge of the premises.

Massive Bombing:
According to various documented sources, more bombs were dropped on Laos in a ten-year period than all that were dropped on Germany and Japan during World War Two. It is hard to contemplate—or conceive—of the idea of 90 million bombs being dropped on this small, and rather insignificant, corner of the world.

What is even harder to conceive is the insanity of the American government for even thinking a bunch of dirt-poor rice farmers could be a threat to the western world’s way of life.

Human Cost:
The cost in terms of human death and financial waste is difficult to justify when surveying the dusty, parched land around Phonsavan today. Unfortunately, the effects of ten years of unrelenting bombing are still being felt by the locals as they go about trying to make a life for themselves.

CLUSTER BOMBS – A DEADLY LEGACY

A high percentage of the bombs dropped over Laos were what’s known as cluster bombs. Of the total dropped, something in the vicinity of 20 million failed to detonate (estimates given by military personnel interviewed for the documentary).

Bombies:
Cluster bombs are a rather nasty type of bomb, as each large bomb unit contains approximately 300 smaller “bombies” within. The bomb unit has an outer casing which, at a predetermined altitude, separates—allowing the 300 bombies to fan out and drop to the earth. Each bombie had a triggering mechanism that activated as it spun toward the ground.

Click here to see a documentary about the military conflict in Laos during the 1960s and 1970s

UXO (Unexploded Ordnance):
If the bomb units opened too low to the ground, the triggering mechanism would not have enough momentum to activate, and the bombie would fail to ignite upon hitting the ground. A high percentage of these cluster bombs also failed to detonate due to dropping into waterlogged rice paddies.

The unexploded ordnance has had lethal consequences well after the hostilities terminated.

The MAG:
According to the Mines Advisory Group (MAG), the locals just lived with it for years. Death and maiming from dormant bombies were commonplace as people got on with the business of farming their land.

These days, things are a bit safer for locals and tourists alike, as MAG—over the past 15 years or so—has actively engaged in mine clearing and has instigated a program to train locals in the art of bomb disposal.

BOMB DAMAGE AT THE JARS SITES

As one wanders around the jar sites, there is stark evidence of the heavy bombing which took place in the area. Deep bomb craters pockmark the landscape and, in some instances, the damage to the jars is the direct result of powerful blasts.

What is also significant is how resistant solid rock can be to heavy bombing. Of the jars that were damaged, it normally only occurred as the result of a near or direct hit.

Caves:
Seeing this, it’s easy to understand why the Pathet Lao used caves to shelter from bombing raids. Caves were used extensively throughout the area during the war years as a means of protection.

There’s a small cave at Jar Site One, with a number of deep craters located within just a few meters of the entrance.

As a gesture to the memory of their deceased forebears, the locals have stacked small rock pyramids just inside the cave’s entrance.

Click this link for directions to the cave at Jar Site 1

THE USE OF CAVES AS BOMB SHELTERS

Another interesting cave used by the Pathet Lao as a shelter from bombing is the Buddha Cave. Located approximately fifty kilometers from Phonsavan Township, the Buddha Cave (Tham Phra) lies just beyond Nong Tang Lake.

When compared with other more spectacular caves in Laos, the Buddha Cave is unimpressive in terms of size and depth. However, the interest in the cave lies in its historical aspect and the artifacts from the war years, which can still be seen in the internal areas of the cave.

Aside from providing shelter, it was also used as a hospital during the war, hence its designation as the Hospital Cave.

For directions from Phonsavan, click this link

The Buddha Statue:
The cave entrance is easy enough to locate and access. Situated just inside the entrance, and reputed to be approximately 450 years old, is a large Buddha statue.

This is a common feature in many caves across Laos and Thailand—the placement of a Buddha statue at the entrance is believed to provide protection for those venturing inside.

A few meters beyond the entrance, there are other religious artifacts used by locals for worship.

Note: There is no illumination in the cave. To explore deeper, you’ll need your own light source. It is approximately 150 meters further in to reach the surgical area of the cave.

THE BUDDHA CAVE – HOSPITAL SHELTER

Surgical Bed:
Roughly halfway along the black interior of the 150-meter passage sits a rusting surgical bed. It is the only visible remnant of the war within the Hospital Cave and, according to my informative guide, was used for surgical procedures on injured Pathet Lao soldiers.

Medical Supplies Cave:
There are actually two caves at the Buddha Cave site. Approximately 100 meters around the cliff face from the entrance to the Hospital Cave lies the smaller Medical Supplies Cave. A narrow, cliff-hugging track brings you to its entrance.

A Cavern:
This cave is much smaller than the Buddha/Hospital Cave and would probably be better classed as a cavern. The main point of interest is the thousands of small, empty medical vials scattered across the cave floor.

Forty years on, the waste of man’s futile efforts to settle differences through violence remains in evidence as a silent marker, cluttering the cave floor—until they eventually disintegrate into the enveloping sands of time.

PIEW CAVE – A HUMAN TRAGEDY

This is a Laotian historical site of significant importance, located 57 km east of Phonsavan. The site was the scene of a human tragedy during the Civil War years.

In 1968, the U.S. Air Force fired a missile directly into the cave—which was being used as a shelter—killing 374 people.

Getting There:
For those interested in visiting this site, the best option is to book a guided tour from Phonsavan, which includes transportation via minivan.

For the more adventurous, going independently on a motorbike is doable. However, the journey involves riding over a mountain range, and even though the road is sealed, it is quite rough (and steep) in places. The access road turns off Hwy #7 at Nam Man Village.

Click this link for directions from Phonsavan

On-site:
If you travel by motorbike, there is a parking fee of 10,000 Kip for foreigners. From the parking area, it’s a short walk to the entrance of the site. Several information boards tell the story of the tragedy, and a statue serves as a memorial to those who lost their lives.

The stairway to the cave is a short ascent (100 meters).

The Cave:
Compared to other, more visually impressive caves in the country, Piew Cave is not remarkable in appearance. However, it is a memorial site where local people come to pay their respects. The interior of the cave is filled with small rock piles, built as a tribute to all those who died.