The Plain Of Jars, Phonsovan

The perplexing Plain of Jars covers hundreds of kilometres of countryside in the town of Phonsovan and is perhaps one of the greatest mysterious of Asia. The area is surrounded by spectacular mountainous scenery, however the large stone jars that are scattered throughout the area are what attracts the curious travellers, historians and archaeologists alike. It has been estimated that they date back to the Southeast Asian iron age between 500 BC and AD 200. The purpose of the jars, thought to have been carved from solid rock, remains a mystery to this day. There have been recent UNESCO sponsored projects to determine the history of the jars, though popular theory is that they were used in elaborate burial rituals as funerary urns, with the lid of each jar depicting who was inside.

The sites are located 6 hours from Luang Prabang by road with many small ethnic minority villages along the route, or a 30 minute flight from Vientiane. While exploring the mystery that is the Plain of Jars, you’ll have the opportunity to wander around three main sites where over 500 jars are spread, varying in height from 1 to 3 metres tall, the largest over 2.7 metres wide. It is said that the heaviest jar weighs an impressive 6 tons.

During your visit to Phonsovan, you will also visit the local market with your guide where ethnic minorities from the surrounding villages usually gather. There may also be some time for more exploration of the township or the surrounding region where the affects of the Secret War are still visible.