Xieng Khuang & Houaphan

Xiengkhoung and Hua phan

Xiengkhuang is most famous for the Plain of Jars, a mysterious collection of stone jars said to be about 2500 years old scattered across the vast plains surrounding Phonsavan.  Nobody is too sure of their origin, but it makes for a fascinating tour.  The area is also home to the Hmong people, and Xiengkhuang is the best province to visit the villages of this interesting tribe.  Further east lies the remote province of Hua Phan, close to the Vietnam border.  Anyone venturing this far is in for a treat; breathtaking mountainous scenery, colourful ethnic minority tribes and last but not least, the mysterious underground city at Vieng Xai.

What to see!!

Plain of Jars.  An amazing archaeological site containing clusters of stone jars varying in size from one to over three metres in height.  There are 3 main jar sites to visit which can be combined with a trek taking in the beautiful scenery in the area and some local villages.

Muang Khoun is located 30kms from Phonsavan  The former royal capital is now mostly ruined but still contains some French colonial buildings some towering stupas and Wat Si Phum, a huge sitting Buddha.

Vieng Xai is the location of the ‘Hidden City’ - a network of caves used by the Lao revolutionary movement during the USA’s devastating aerial bombing campaign.  At one point 23,000 people lived in the caves which included temples, a hospital, a theatre and several schools.  A tour of the caves today offers a fascinating insight into how the people survived under extraordinary conditions. .