"Interesting Plain of Jar Day Tour ...really unforgettable !"
After doing some research in google and youtubes plus a high recommendation by our friends in Vientiane and Luang Prabang, we finally booked a day trip Plain of Jar tour arranged by World Heritage Network to see Jar sites 1, 2 and 3. A visit to a lao whiskey village, a rusty old Russian tank, and a noodle soup lunch were thrown into the package too. The enigmatic Plain of Jars is actually not one, but several (over 50) archaeological sites dotted around Xieng Khouang province. Thousands of giant stone jars lie scattered in clusters across the war-scarred region, although only 7 of the sites have so far been cleared of UXO so the majority are still too dangerous to visit (and also the main reason they can't yet get UNESCO world heritage site status). So to engage an experienced local guide with good local and historical knowledge is a must when visiting these sites and we were glad we did. If you are looking for one, look no further, just email them: worldheritage101@yahoo.com as these guides are highly recommended for their professionalism in ensuring tourist’s’ safety and comfort while visiting the Plain of Jar sites. Their website is very informative, try reading the “Facts & Information” section: www.whnpoj.blogspot.com In the tour, you will notice that these jars, made from solid stone (mainly a sort of sandstone and some granite) range in size between 1 and 3 metres tall and are quite spectacular to look at, a sort of Lao version of Stone Henge. Although possibly the most interesting thing about them is that nobody really knows anything about them; why they're there, when they were put there, who by, what for - all very mysterious. The most popular theory is that they are funerary urns, carved by Iron Age people between 1800 - 2500 years ago, and a few bits and pieces such as tool and beads, but strangely no bones, have been found to support that theory. Others believe they were used to collect monsoon rainwater for caravan travellers when water wasn't readily available as rain was only seasonal. Local Lao legend, on the other hand, has it that giants once inhabited the area, and an ancient king called Jeuam had the jars made of congealed water-buffalo skin in order to brew and store copious quantities of lao lao whiskey to celebrate after a long, victorious battle against his enemy. Far more likely story, I reckon. Or an industrial-scale giant jam-making factory, perhaps.
Site 1, about 15km outside Phonsavan, is the biggest site with about 250 jars, or remnants of them, lying near old bomb craters and trench lines. Most of them weigh between 600kg to 1 tonne, although one (the king's personal jar no doubt) weighs 6 tonnes alone - that's a LOT of lao lao.
There's also a limestone cave near the jars at this site which French archaeologists excavating in the 1930s discovered had two man made holes in it, so it's thought it may have been used as a crematorium and the jars used to keep the cremated remains. But locals believe the cave was a kiln where the jars were moulded. During the war the cave was used as a bomb shelter, and it now has a little shrine in it to placate the spirits.
Sites 2 and 3, a bit further out of town, are a lot smaller than Site 1 with around 90 and 150 jars respectively, but in much prettier, greener settings up hillsides spattered with a few pine and blossom trees, overlooking farmland and rice paddies. Most of them still stand upright, leaning over a little, mainly empty and lichen-encrusted. Some are filled with stagnant rainwater, used as rubbish bins, or are home to plants and a variety of creepy crawlies and other creatures - we found a handsome lizard in one of them. A few of the jars have toppled over and lie on their sides, many in bits - mostly because of the bombing, but some because trees growing inside them over the years have split them open. There are also a few 'lids' - stone tablets with crudely carved reliefs of human figures carved into them - although again what exactly these were for is controversial; some people believe they are lids belonging on top of the jars, whilst others believe they're grave markers and were never intended to be put on top of them.
Whatever, whenever, whoever, the jars certainly gave us plenty of food for thought.
The visit to the whiskey village which was also thrown into the package was quite interesting. We saw how the rice and yeast are fermented and then distilled to make the very potent (as we'd already discovered in Vang Vieng) lao lao rice whiskey that is sold around here for less than the price of a bottle of Coke. We really didn't fancy sampling any at 11 in the morning but it's considered very rude not to accept stuff you're offered so we had to oblige. It's also very rude to turn down a second shot, so we had to oblige twice. And finally the tank, which was - well, another old Russian tank, with a few flowers growing through the rusty wreckage. Overall, it was an interesting tour especially for the Plain of Jar sites coupled with a friendly, funny and sincere “anything can do upon request” local guide that made our trip unforgettable!
Sites 2 and 3, a bit further out of town, are a lot smaller than Site 1 with around 90 and 150 jars respectively, but in much prettier, greener settings up hillsides spattered with a few pine and blossom trees, overlooking farmland and rice paddies. Most of them still stand upright, leaning over a little, mainly empty and lichen-encrusted. Some are filled with stagnant rainwater, used as rubbish bins, or are home to plants and a variety of creepy crawlies and other creatures - we found a handsome lizard in one of them. A few of the jars have toppled over and lie on their sides, many in bits - mostly because of the bombing, but some because trees growing inside them over the years have split them open. There are also a few 'lids' - stone tablets with crudely carved reliefs of human figures carved into them - although again what exactly these were for is controversial; some people believe they are lids belonging on top of the jars, whilst others believe they're grave markers and were never intended to be put on top of them.
Whatever, whenever, whoever, the jars certainly gave us plenty of food for thought.
The visit to the whiskey village which was also thrown into the package was quite interesting. We saw how the rice and yeast are fermented and then distilled to make the very potent (as we'd already discovered in Vang Vieng) lao lao rice whiskey that is sold around here for less than the price of a bottle of Coke. We really didn't fancy sampling any at 11 in the morning but it's considered very rude not to accept stuff you're offered so we had to oblige. It's also very rude to turn down a second shot, so we had to oblige twice. And finally the tank, which was - well, another old Russian tank, with a few flowers growing through the rusty wreckage. Overall, it was an interesting tour especially for the Plain of Jar sites coupled with a friendly, funny and sincere “anything can do upon request” local guide that made our trip unforgettable!
...Commented by Joe Levin, Adelaide, Australia
"Never forget to visit the Jars & UXO sites while in Phonsavan…"
Last month I had an amazing tour to Phonsavan. It is quite a relaxed larger town in north east Laos. The main attractions are the many "jar" sites. It is very difficult to get a reason for their manufacture or a date but best guesses put them at about 3,000 years old and were made for water storage for the trade caravans the passed through the area way back then. The most outlandish explanation i found was they were to ferment the rice wine?? I engaged a local guide who was appointed by an international network called World Heritage Network which has good worldwide reputation in arranging tours for first time visitors like me for tours across South East Asia. Hence I did engaged their service in my previous trip to Mt Bromo, East Java, Indonesia last year and they were the professionals in terms of guiding as tour guides. If you want to find this network, just email them: worldheritage101@yahoo.com or read more information about the Plain of Jars tours in Phonsavan at their website: www.whnpoj.blogspot.com Besides the Jar sites, the resourceful Lao people recovered the aluminium fins from the 2-3 million tonnes of bombs dropped on them and smelted it down to make cooking and eating utensils, these are readily purchased at most shops in the area and are a worthy memento for my money. The most disturbing aspect of this region for me was the sheer number of UXO - Unexploded Ordinance. There are teams working all over trying to clear this region of all sorts of ordinance. It seems the most sinister are the tennis ball sized cluster bombs that are littering the region. If you come across a team and ask politely, they will show you the bombs laying in the grass Farmers are too afraid to cultivate their land, children find these things and start playing with them usually with fatal consequences. I would implore anyone with a social conscience who ventures into this area to visit the MAG museum and make a donation so their good work of defusing these lethal booby traps.
...Commented by Sharon B. Downing, New York, USA
I never knew that Plain of Jars is such a mystery. Lao’s Plain of Jars continue to dumfound experts in every field of archaeological science. Nobody really knows what they are! The closest anyone has gotten was a study in 1930! By a woman! A French woman! Ask a local & they'll tell you about giants! Who to believe?...the French or a story about alcoholic giants? At 2,500 years old, possibly created by an unknown civilisation with iron technology who lived or traded across the borders of northern India, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos & Vietnam where Jars have also been found. It's possible they developed Iron tech completely independently from Europeans much like the Dong Son civilisation nearby with Bronze tech from the Red River Delta from 1000 BC. Adding to the story, highly explosive cluster bombs from the 1970's litter the sites & could very well surprise you with a loud bang! You could find yourself waking up in hospital being called Lieutenant Dan. These bombs destroyed many Jars during America’s ‘Secret War’ & have virtually turned Laos into a minefield. Notice the landscape is devoid of tall trees, plants & wildlife, God bless America! The war is still officially ‘secret’ so they don’t really have to clean up their mess or answer for it, thats life if your poor. The majority of Laos’s larger jar sites are located in Xieng Khouang province in northern Laos with the capital at Phonsavan within 15-20kms of the 3 main tourist sites. Phonsavan is easily reached from Vietnam from Vinh & is an approximate 10 hour scenic bus ride thru windy mountain passes & ethnic villages. To visit this incredible site, I strongly recommend engaging a guide service from World Heritage Network. A popular network that specializes in arranging tours across South East Asia. More details of this place can be found at this website: www.whnpoj.blogspot.com or simply just email them:worldheritage101@yahoo.com Actually the way I see it, 2-3 days is ample, but if you really want to get in depth and see and experience more at a leisurely pace, you could easily spend 3-7 days...and more if you want to use this as a base for onward treks / journeys. Definitely worth the journey, but not just for the jars alone. For the educational tour about MAG and the past bombing in Phonsavan which definitely will open your eyes and mind. The historical facts and the true stories told to me by my guide about the truth of these historical sites are overwhelming.
...Commented by Phil Davidson, Toronto, Canada