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Plain Of Jars

Still unsure of their true significance, historians and lay people alike continue to be intrigued by the huge stones of the Plain of Jars in northern Laos, some of which weigh about six tons. Some stand tall as a man and tilted by time, others are eroded into the ground; many have moldered for millennia, perhaps the remnants of a trade route or the markers of burial pits. While the Plain of Jars' ancient origins remain cryptic, in the last century they have gained a different unfortunate notoriety. Between 1964 and 1973, American planes carpet bombed Xieng Khuang province, where the Plain of Jars is located, due to its close proximity to the North Vietnamese border. In just under a decade, Laos achieved the dubious distinction of being the most bombed country in the world. This sorrowful chapter in Laotian history is commemorated by the nearby Vietnamese and Lao war memorials.

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Chinese Market

Take a stroll through the Chinese Market and purchase anything from gold and silver to delicacies like wild mushrooms and ordinary items for daily use. The market has its own unique cultural bent, and is a good way to enjoy an evening.

Lao War Memorial

Erected in 1998, the Lao War Memorial, located on a hilltop, offers a picturesque view of the surrounding area. The Pathet Lao (Laotian communist) soldiers who died in the war have their names etched in stone.

Plain of Jars

The Plain of Jars is a peaceful but mysterious place, a vast open plain, dotted with odd giant stones, stretching to the distant mountains. Reminiscent of the fields of Naza Lines in Peru, the Plain of Jars piques our curiosity with the hint of ancient and esoteric human activity. European research in the 1930s found that the jars were used in prehistoric burial rituals and date back to the Iron Age of 500 B.C. The plain is a field day for photography enthusiasts.

Vietnamese War Memorial

Dedicated to the Vietnamese soldiers who fought and died in northeast Laos, the memorial was created as a gesture of solidarity between the two countries in the wake of the "American War."

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