When Traveling Is Caring ❤️
ຊຽງຂວາງNorthern Laos
Hundreds of ancient stone jars scattered across a high plateau, in a province still living with the legacy of war. Here is how to visit and what to expect.
The Plain of Jars is one of the great archaeological puzzles of Southeast Asia: hundreds of large carved stone jars, many over a thousand years old, scattered in groups across the hills around Phonsavan. They are generally linked to ancient funeral practices, and the jar sites were listed by UNESCO in 2019.
Xieng Khouang province is also one of the places most affected by the heavy bombing of Laos during the Indochina war, and unexploded ordnance is still being cleared today. Visit the UXO information centres in Phonsavan before you go to the jars, stay on marked paths at the sites, and the visit becomes far more meaningful. Be honest with yourself about the journey, though: it is a long road trip from elsewhere in northern Laos.
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The experiences our travellers enjoy most, in order of what we would not miss.
The largest and most visited site, with hundreds of jars on rolling grassland and a cave nearby. Stay on the marked paths, which have been cleared of ordnance.
Smaller, quieter jar groups on wooded hillsides and among rice fields, often combined in a half-day drive through village countryside.
In Phonsavan, visitor centres run by clearance organisations explain the bombing, the ongoing clearance work and its human cost. Essential context before the jars.
The old provincial capital, heavily bombed in the war, where a ruined temple with a seated Buddha and an old stupa remain.
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Customise My TripThe quickest way is a flight from Vientiane to Xieng Khouang airport, a short drive from Phonsavan, but schedules are limited. By road it is a long, winding day from Luang Prabang or Vang Vieng, so plan it as a travel day.
Places that pair well with Plain of Jars (Xieng Khouang), with approximate travel times.
October to March is dry, with clear skies and cool to cold nights on the plateau. April is warm and hazy. The rainy season brings green hills but muddy tracks and possible delays on the roads.
A general guide. Weather varies from year to year, and we plan each route around the season.
Quick answers from our local team. Anything else, just ask your travel specialist.
Ask us on WhatsAppFor travellers interested in archaeology and recent history, yes. For a short first trip to Laos focused on Luang Prabang, the long journey may not be worth it, and your time is better spent elsewhere.
Yes, at the main sites, where paths have been cleared of unexploded ordnance. Always stay on marked paths, never pick up metal objects and follow your guide's advice.
One full day covers Sites 1, 2 and 3 and a UXO centre. Add travel time each side, so two nights is usually the minimum if you come by road.
Fly from Vientiane to Xieng Khouang when flights run, or travel by road from Luang Prabang or Vang Vieng, which takes most of a day.
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