Luang Prabang Regions Guide - excursions

Plain of Jars
The mysterious Plain of Jars in the Xiang Khouang province is an unusual sight. Hundreds of huge solid stone jars lie scattered about the landscape, some weighing up to six tonnes and about 6ft (2m) in length. They are believed to be over 2,000 years of age, although their origin or function is unknown. Numerous theories and legends have been fashioned - one such legend states that they were made to ferment rice wine to celebrate a victorious battle against a wicked chieftain in the 6th century, some theories claim they were used as sarcophagi, or funerary urns. They are divided into five major groups, with Thong Hai, or Site 1, the largest and most easily accessible site. The jars lie amid thousands of unexploded mines left behind by the war, and as a result only Sites 1, 2 and 3 are open to visitors; the rest are considered too dangerous and visitors should heed warning signs.