Laos - Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Northern Thailand - page 673

Plain of Jars
The Plain of Jars represents a huge area of Xieng Khuang scattered with thousands of
limestone jars of undetermined age. Thought to be funerary urns, after bones were dis-
covered within them, the jars have been divided into 160 sites, three of which represent
the greatest concentration. These are the designated UXO-cleared tourist areas you should
visit.
Site 1 (Thong Hai Hin; admission 10,000K) , the biggest and most accessible site, is 15km
southwest of Phonsavan and features 250 jars, most of which weigh from 600kg to 1
tonne each. The largest jar weighs as much as 6 tonnes and is said to have been the victory
cup of mythical King Jeuam, and so is called Hai Jeuam.
Two other jar sites are readily accessible by road from Phonsavan. Site 2 (Hai Hin Phu Sal-
ato; admission 10,000K) , about 25km south of town, features 90 jars spread across two adja-
cent hillsides. Vehicles can reach the base of the hills, then it's a short, steep walk to the
jars.
More impressive is 150-jar Site 3 (Hai Hin Lat Khai; admission 10,000K) . It's 7.7km south of
Site 2 (or 35km from Phonsavan) on a scenic hilltop near the charming village of Ban Xi-
ang Di , where there's a small monastery containing the remains of Buddha images dam-
aged in the war. The site is a 2km hike through rice paddies and up a hill.