Phonsavan and the Plain of Jars
The Plain of Jars is Laos' most enigmatic ancient wonder. The small central Laotian city of Phonsavan is surrounded by giant stone-hewn jars. From small clusters huddled on a hillside to vast, hundreds strong stone forests, the vessels of the Plain of Jars are Laos' Stonehenge: mysterious, magical and steeped in little known history.
The Plain of Jars brings in tourists, scientists, archaeologists and conspiracy theorists from all over the world. The city of Phonsavan (sometimes spelled Phonesavan) is the base for exploring the various sites of the Plain of Jars, but it too is worth a deeper look.
This is our guide to the Phonsavan and the Plain of Jars; what history we know, what to do in Phonsavan town and whether it is worth the long ride to visit.
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. We will earn a small commission from any purchases made through these links. We have not received any financial incentive from Kong Keo Guesthouse or Mr Kong’s tour to write this article.
What is the Plain of Jars? A quick history
Strap in folks, its time for another Jellie attempt at history! Here is our very (very) brief guide to the known history of the Plain of Jars:
The Plain of Jars is one of Asia's most intriguing megalithic mysteries. The huge Xiang Khouang Plateau surrounding Phonsavan city is studded with vast fields of massive stone 'jars'. Towering up to three and bit meters (ten feet!) tall, these 'jars' can weigh nearly ten tonnes! No one is completely sure why, when or even how these jars came to be there but they can be found by the hundreds, spread over at least 90 sites throughout the region.
The Plain of Jars spans a huge swathe of history with jars being found from multiple ancient time periods. The oldest of the sites in the Plain of Jars has been dated to the the very earliest period of the Iron Age (1200BC). The massive scale of the jars, sheer number of them and the humungous effort it would have taken an Iron Age society to construct them shows just how important the Plain of Jars must have been to the people of the time.
They dont call them jars for nothing! This is the “Kings Jar” of Site 1 - the largest yet found.
The jars vary in shape, size and position throughout the site. They all are hollow with an opening at the top and were carved out of the rock in quarries in the surrounding hills. Some of the jars had to have been moved over 8km from the quarry to their final position - no mean feat for stones weighing up to 10 tonnes!
The exact use and purpose of the Plain of Jars is hotly debated. Archaeologists agree that the sites are all burial places, the stones marking huge ancient graveyards. This is where most of the agreement ends however. There is evidence of both cremation and 'natural burial' at multiple sites. Site One (see later about visiting the sites), even appears to have a 'crematorium', however even this is fiercely debated. No one seems to be able to agree on anything at the Plain of Jars. There have been human remains found inside and outside the jars, cremated, buried or even stored whole. The sites are a confusing mix of centuries of burial customs, making it hard to say what their 'true' use was.
Our wonderful guide to the Plain of Jars (more on him later) was full of theories, local legends and speculation. One old theory was that each jar was a family grave, where the dead were stored until they decomposed and then buried nearby. The size of the jar presumably indicating the wealth and importance of the family. Our guide pointed out the impracticality of this theory: "What if you have just buried grampa in the jar when suddenly dad dies? Do you squash down grampa to make room?!"
“Is there room in there for Uncle?”
Most of the jars in the various sites have 'lips' on the openings, meaning that, at one point, they had lids. Only a few stone 'lids' have been found in the Plain of Jars so it is thought that the lids must have been made of wood or something else that naturally decomposed. On the ground around the jars are circular stone tablets, not lids but grave markings. Human remains have been found under these stones, hinting that they buried people both in the jars and in the ground around them. Whether it was many different cultures all using the same sites across the centuries or a multi-stage burial process is another of the mysteries of the Plain of Jars.
One of the many cicrular stone grave markers you can find on the ground in the Plain of Jars - this one is from Site 3
The Local Legends of the Plain of Jars
One of the Laotian Legends about the Plain of Jars is that is was a prehistoric party site! No, we are serious!
Legend has it that the Giant King (Khun Cheung) wanted to celebrate a massive military victory. The King called a get-together for all the giants and stated the Xiang Khouang plateau as the party venue. Giants came from all around carrying their rice whiskey (Lau-Lau) in enormous jars. The largest site of the Plain of Jars is where the main party happened, with the giants leaving their empty whiskey jars all over the ground. The smaller sites dotted around the plain are explained away as being where giants from further away got bored / impatient and cracked open their whiskey early, drinking the booze and leaving the jars before they even arrived at the main party!
The Plain of Jars has been repeatedly fought over. From marauding bandits from ancient Southern China, to the much more recent mass bombings from the USA in the "Secret War" (check out our guide to the Victory Caves of Vieng Xai for more information) the lootings, battles and bombings meant that it is hard to say exactly what the sites originally looked like or what they were used for. For much of the recent past, the Plain of Jars was dangerous to explore due to the massive amount of unexploded bombs in the area. Even today you can see the remains of trenches, anti-aircraft encampments and even a couple of rusting USAF planes.
Nowadays a few of the sites have been meticulously renovated and opened to the public. This was no mean feat as the bombings meant that the sites had to be cleared by the brave people of MAG UXO Laos (more on them later). The main sites have now been made safe and the whole area has been given coveted UNESCO World Heritage Status due to its huge historical significance.
Where is the Plain of Jars?
The Plain of Jars is located in Central Laos. The 'Plain of Jars' is actually made up of many sites (over 90) but the most popular ones to visit are clustered around the city of Phonsavan.
Phonsavan sits around 165 miles east of Luang Prabang or 150 miles northeast of Vang Vieng.
You can find Phonsavan on a map here. The most popular sites in the Plain of Jars are sites One, Two and Three and you can find them here, here and here.
Just next to Site One is the Plain of Jars Visitors Centre which we would highly recommend visiting for a better explanation of the history!
How to get to Plain of Jars and Phonsavan City
The best way for most people to get to the Plain of Jars will be via a bus to the capital of the Xieng Khouang province Phonsavan. Once in Phonsavan you can get a tour to the different Plain of Jars sites or rent a bike and drive there yourselves - more on this later but we would actually recommend a tour - very out of character for us!
Luang Prabang to Phonsavan by bus
If you are starting your journey in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Luang Prabang (and why wouldn't you it is amazing check out our guide here), then you can take a minivan all the way to Phonsavan.
You can book a bus throughout the town at an agent or if you want it sorted in advance: book online with 12go here
Online shows three minivans per day and a 7-8 hour ride. However, this being Laos take the timings and duration with a pinch of salt! Always arrive early to the bus station to get a good seat.
Vang Vieng to Phonsavan by bus
This route is not shown online but is definitely possible - we actually did it in reverse, travelling from Phonsavan down to Vang Vieng. The trip takes around 8 hours and can be booked at travel agents throughout the town or in person at the Northern Bus Terminal in Vang Vieng. We paid 270,000 kip per ticket for the Phonsavan to Vang Vieng journey - we booked through our hostel and this price included a pick up to the bus station so was more expensive.
Vientiane to Phonsavan by bus or plane
The Laotian capital is over 300km by road away from Phonsavan. Buses take between 10-13 hours depending on the road conditions. You can book three daily buses online with 12Go here to guarantee a seat in advance. Two of the buses are overnight sleeper style, the morning departure is a minivan. Alternatively you could book this in person by heading to the Southern Bus Terminal - there are at least 2 more daily minivans that go to Phonsavan than are listed online and, if they aren't there, you can book the overnight sleeper bus nearby.
If time is of the essence and you don't mind the significant extra expense you can fly from Vientiane to Phonsavan (Xieng Khouang) airport. There is one flight daily and it cuts the journey from 10-13 hours to 30 minutes! Check out the flight prices here.
Phonsavan Airport is currently being renovated it is closed until at least the end of May 2025.
Vieng Xai / Sam Neua to Phonsavan by bus
The minivan from Sam Nuea (gateway to Vieng Xai) to Phonsavan runs in the morning at 8:30am. In busy times there may be a second minivan in the afternoons (around 3:30pm). The minivans take around 8 hours between Sam Nuea (sometimes called Xam Neua or Xamnuea). We paid 260,000 kip per person for our tickets. We bought the tickets directly from Sam Neua Western Bus Station, we couldn't find any way to book them online.
You can also get the daily coach bus from Xam Nuea to Vientiane as it stops at Phonsavan. The coach was listed as departing at 1PM but make sure you check with the bus station!
Xam Nuea, Vieng Xai and Nong Khiaw - A different route through Northern Laos
If you read the above and wondered what and where Sam Nuea and Vieng Xai are make sure you check out our article on the amazing caves and town of Vieng Xai.
For the adventurous Vieng Xai provides another possible route for exploring Northern Laos, one which connects Nong Khiaw to Phonsavan without having to double back through Luang Prabang. Read all about it here:
Which Sites should you visit in the Plain of Jars?
The Plain of Jars is split into over 90 sites scattered far and wide over the Xieng Khouang region. You cannot access all of them (not all have been cleared of unexploded bombs yet) and they vary wildly in how many "jars" they contain.
We spent most of a day visiting the Plain of Jars and got to three separate sites. We visited the three "main sites" (inventively called Site One, Site Two and Site Three). Site One is the largest of all of the Plain of Jars sites and contains the "Kings Jar" or "Victory Cup" (the jar the mythical giant king drank from), the biggest "Jar" discovered so far. Site 2 is a beautiful forested site split over two hills with jars in amongst the trees and, on the other hill, commanding amazing panoramic views over the countryside. Site 3 is stunning, a large collection of "Jars" on the side of a hill accessed via a short but beautiful walk through paddy fields. If you, like us, were limited on time then these three sites are perfect for a day of exploration in the Plain of Jars.
This is Site 3 - it really is a unique and beautiful place.
All three of the sites are within a short drive from Phonsavan town - find them on Google Maps here:
If you have a little longer and do not mind travelling a bit further then there are dozens more sites, quarries and ancient ruins to find and explore. Check out the brilliant Plain of Jars Archaeological Research Projects website for the most complete list. If you are looking for inspiration make sure you head to the Xieng Khouang Tourist Office where there is loads of information on the more accessible sites. We do not usually recommend tourist offices but this one was actually more of a museum - read more about it later in this article.
Visiting the Plain of Jars independently
You can absolutely make your own way to the various sites in the Plain of Jars. Just head into Phonsavan (or check with your accommodation) and rent a scooter or hire a driver for the day. The sites are too spread out to be walkable but with some motorised transport you can easily get between them.
Kong Keo Geusthouse will rent you more than just a scooter!
We would not recommend using a pushbike to get between the main sites as it would involve quite a while on large, traffic laden roads. If you are really dedicated and confident, Site One is only 10km from Phonsavan town and is the closest Plain of Jars...
If you are visiting without a guide then we would highly recommend stopping by the Xieng Khouang Tourist Office as well as the official Plain of Jars Visitors Centre. The Visitors Centre is next to the ticket office for Site One so is hardly out of your way! Both the tourist office and the visitors centre give a helpful overview of the known history of the Plain of Jars as well as the story of their recent war ridden past and current archaeological discoveries.
We never really bother with tourist offices but the Phonsavan one was much more of a museum!
We recommend the visitors centre and the tourist office to independent travellers as the sites themselves do not come with very much explanation! Site One (the largest) barely has any information at all and Sites Two and Three have none whatsoever. On one hand this is great as there are no placards or garish information boards to distract you from the amazing sights, however, it does mean that you don't really know what you are looking at.
Finding Sites 2 and 3 in the Plain of Jars
We had a guide so had no issues locating the “Sites” in the Plain of Jars, but one look at the Google reviews convinced us to add this little section:
Finding Site 2
(location)
Site two is actually 2 different sites on neighbouring hills. As you exit the carpark you follow a path between these two hills. On the left hand hill is the forest jars and the right hand is the panoramic view and hilltop jars.
Finding Site 3
(location)
This is the site most independant travellers found hardest to find. From the carpark (in the temple grounds), take the narrow bridge behind the ticket counter and you will find youself in a beautiful set of paddy fields with water buffalo grazing around. Head roughly straight forward (as straight as you can get following the paths in a paddy field). You should come to a small stream with a path and vegatable gardens on the left (this may be seasonal). Follow the path up the hill until you get to the gate to Site 3.
The Plain of Jar sites are incredible even if you have no idea what they are or the history, but to really get the most out of a trip to Phonsavan we would recommend a tour - more on that in a moment, we usually are very independant travellers but Phonsavan made for a worthy exception to our normal solo explorations!
Ticket Prices for the Plain of Jars
Each site in the Plain of Jars has a separate entrance fee. Luckily these are not very expensive! Some of the smaller “Sites” have no entrance fee at all (the ones we walked to after Site 3 for example - again see later), but most of the larger Plain of Jars will have a small hut or ticket office to buy your entrace ticket from.
Plain of Jars Site 1 entrance fee:
Entrance to the largest Site in the Plain of Jars is 35,000 kip for tourists. The entrance fee includes a ride to the Jar site (only about 500 metres) and access to the visitors centre.
Parking costs 5000 kip.
Plain of Jars Site 2 entrance fee:
Site 2 at the Plain of Jars costs 30,000 kip and parking is free. There are two “Sites” here on either side of the entrance path - do not miss either!
Plain of Jars Site 3 entrance fee:
Entrance to Site 3 costs 30,000 kip with no extra cost to park.
Booking a Tour for the Plain of Jars
Phonsavan is famous for the Plain of Jars, it is immediately obvious as soon as you get off the bus there. Every guesthouse, hotel, restaurant and tour office has multiple adverts for touring the Plain of Jars, it is basically the city’s entire tourist economy. Therefore, is not hard at all to get yourself a guided tour of the Plain of Jars. Just stop in anywhere and ask!
Before we got to Phonsavan we had done some research and booked a guesthouse (we will go into more details about accommodation in Phonsavan later) where all the reviews were glowing and singing the praises of the tour offered by the owner. Kong Keo Guesthouse would not only give us a place to stay but also sort our tour of the Plain of Jars.
Our Plain of Jars tour cost 1,800,000 kip per person. The price included the tour, all transport, entrance tickets to all the Sites, water and lunch out at a restaurant with drinks. The price seemed consistent with other operators in town but it looks like it is a little cheaper online (see below). Our price was only this high as we were the only ones in the guesthouse going on the tour that day, the price drops considerably the more of you there are on a tour. We effectively had a private tour so, when you look at it that way, it was a bargain!
Spoiler alert! We loved our tour with Mr Kong. You can book the tour even if you do not stay at Kong Keo Guesthouse, but he will always give priority to those staying with him so you might not get a space! Luckily (spoilers again), for backpackers like us, Kong Keo Guesthouse was the perfect accommodation choice in Phonsavan. To book with Mr Kong contact him via your booking app, WhatsApp via Google or head to Kong Keo Guesthouse when you're in Phonsavan.
If you want to book online and in advance for a tour of the Plain of Jars then we would recommend using GetYourGuide, as you can see reviews from other travellers and check the tour does exactly what you want it to. You can see some tour options here.
The Plain of Jars tour
This is our account of what we saw and what we got up to on Mr Kong’s tour of the Plain of Jars, if you want to skip this and go straight to the practical information about what to do in Phonsavan town and booking your accommodation - click here.
We got up early for breakfast at the nearby local market. After stuffing ourselves with barbecued pork and sticky rice we were ready for a day exploring the Plain of Jars. Our transport was a very posh minivan, reclining seats, arctic air conditioning, the whole nine yards. Our guide for the day was the guesthouses owner Mr Kong who spoke perfect English and was a fantastic fount of knowledge.
We were whisked away and, after a short drive, we were found ourselves at the Xieng Khouang Tourist Office. As we have mentioned, we do not usually do tours and definitely do not usually do Tourist Offices, mostly out of some kind of misplaced pride that we can do everything ourselves. The Plain of Jars was to be an exception and one that proved to us that we do not, in fact, know everything! The tourist office was full of history and information about the region, we quickly realised that there was so much more to the Plain of Jars and Xieng Khouang Plateau than we knew.
We had not allowed enough days to properly explore Phonsavan or the region around it, there is so much to see and do, even beyond the Plain of Jars! There are Khmer ruins, ancient temples, old colonial outposts and even the old regional capital to see.
The tourist office houses a worryingly large assortment of ordrinance from the many wars Laos has been through.
Around the back of the tourist office is a large collection of war remnants leftover from the French and American wars in the region. From huge gun turrets and bomber fuel tanks to hundreds of sharp tipped bombs, the museum / tourist office houses a depressingly large arsenal. Mr Kong walked us through a brief but surprisingly nuanced history of Laos and the Secret War with America. He was quick to point out where the history books had glossed over the facts and common misconceptions on both sides of the conflict. For such a messy and complicated conflict Mr Kong gave a clear, interesting and (despite the subject matter), often hilarious account.
After the tourist office we were driven to the Plain of Jars Information Centre and the entrance to the Plain of Jars most famous area - Site One. The visitors centre was again very useful with lots of information on the possible histories of the Plain of Jars as well as the story of the archaeological efforts around the sites. We wandered around and read all the information before making our way down a small winding road to the Plain of Jars itself.
Plain of Jars Site 1
Site one is the largest of the Plains of Jars, with the most Jars, the largest individual Jar and the biggest area to explore. If you have seen pictures of the Plain of Jars, it was probably from Site One. It does not disappoint, rolling hillsides sprout clusters of huge stone jars, it is bizarre but beautiful. You can see why the Plain of Jars is such a mystery, the jars are everywhere sitting in clusters without any obvious pattern or reason. The spaces between them are uneven, there is no uniformity in height or shape and no apparent design to their placement. Yet these are multi tonne megaliths, each carved elsewhere and hauled into place miles later. Looking at them we couldn't believe that so much effort would have been put into carving and moving these stone jars for them only to be placed at random.
You can clearly see the old bomb craters at Site 1.
Mr Kong also told us that no jar fragments - no evidence of broken jars - has ever been found on the routes between the quarries and Site One. Somehow all these heavy stone jars were moved, perfectly without incident, 8 kilometres! It really is a mysterious place.
Our guide also showed us some of the more modern history on display at Site One. You can see an old CIA airbase from the crest of one of Site One's hills. Old rotting planes sit outside the crumbling buildings and you can see the remanent of a runway. Inside the Plain of Jars itself Mr Kong showed us old anti-aircraft emplacements and trenches. Site One was a battlefield at various points in its history and you can see smashed jars and bullet holes all over the site. Mr Kong told us that various fighters would hide in the stone jars or use them as cover. He jokingly would point to a hole and ask us "bullet hole? No! This is just the emergency toilet!".
Imagine the force needed to crack this jar into pieces!
We came down a jar forested hill and made our way to the famous cave at Site One. The use of the cave is (like so much of the Plain of Jars), hotly debated. It may have been a store room for the giants liquor, a crematorium (some bones have been found) or a ceremonial space. There is no clear consensus, although most people don't think the giants explanation too likely. The cave now is full of small cairns, made by its many visitors, it is a very peaceful place with light coming in from the two large holes in the ceiling. Whilst we were there a beautiful girl in full traditional dress came by and started having a photoshoot with her friends.
We then followed a path that, unless we had a guide, we would have definitely missed. It wound up another hill through thickets of golden waving plants to a small cluster of mainly ruined jars. Here Mr Kong pointed out the deep military trenches you can still see today. The view from the top was beautiful, we could see back all the way across Site One. Across the hills from us the newly constructed golden Buddha sat serenely.
Next up was our lunch stop. We didn't hold out too much hope as tour lunches tend to be a little bland - they have to cater for fussy farangs after all. Again though, our cynicism was proved wrong. We pulled up to a small open air restaurant and had a fantastic beef stir fry. We asked for spicy and they definitely delivered! We had some soft drinks alongside it but if you were in the mood for it you could have got some beer - all included in the tour price.
Plain of Jars Site 3
After our lunch stop we moved on to Site 3. We were doing the Sites out of order as our guide said that the rains had made the usual road between Site 2 and Site 3 muddy and very bumpy.
We pulled up in the car pack for the Plain of Jars Site 3 and disembarked from our minivan. The small carpark didn't look much like an entrance to a UNESCO Heritage site, it seemed more like it served the small temple next door however, a faded sign and a ticket desk confirmed we were at the right place.
There is a short but gorgeous walk from the ticket desk to the Plain of Jars site. We crossed a rickety old wooden bridge and crossed streams and paddy fields. Our guide bringing over a friendly(ish) buffalo to explain the legend of why cows and buffalo don't have teeth on the upper side of their mouths and why horses smile whereas buffalo always look depressed. We won't go into too much detail here but it involves the Buddha stealing their genitals and a literal banana skin trip hazard!
The paddies are beautiful in October
And the water buffalo are sweet!
Site 3 sits on the slope of a hill underneath an almost orchard like forest. Moss grows on and in the Jars and the air was calm and peaceful. It is a beautiful area with loads of different styles of stone jar all sat in an amazing setting.
Site 3 of the Plain of Jars is really beautiful!
Our guide then took us off-piste, we wandered out the back of Site 3 and further up the hillside. On the crest of the hill was a swallow trap. A huge net that can be raised and lowered from hidden controls in order to catch flocks of birds. We had seen the buckets of pickled swallows in the market that morning (it certainly wakes you up seeing/smelling the tiny pickled birds) and had wondered how they catch so many. Now, with a demonstration from Mr Kong, we knew.
From a hidden hide, the nets can be suddenly raised to catch flocks of birds, also - Look at that view!
Just over the crest and down the other side of the hill we found ourselves in two other Plain of Jars Sites (Plain's of Jar's? We cannot work out the plural!).
One was almost lost in a small thicket of trees and the other sat in a dell with a small wooden fence all around. Neither looked like they got many visitors which really added to the mystery of the Jars. We cannot find which "Sites" they were as they do not appear on Google Maps. We wouldn't recommend going off-trail in Laos without a guide as you do not know which areas have been made safe from the unexploded bombs. Your best bet for finding these sites is to have a guide or, as the clever tourist behind us did, follow another group! The two unmarked sites we found were overgrown and clearly less visited but still stunningly beautiful, set in amongst the rolling hills and farmlands of the Xieng Khouang plateau.
After circling back to Site 3 and then back down to our minivan it was time for the last Plain of Jars site for the day, Site 2.
Plain of Jars Site 2
Through design or serendipity leaving Site 2 for last was a great finale for our days tour. Site 2 is split into two areas on neighbouring hilltops. The first is set in a shaded and moss-covered forest. We say it is set in a forest but you could more accurately say the forest is set in it. Trees grow up and through the ancient jars, sprouting out and prising apart the old stone vessels. It was the perfect visual clue for the vast age of the jars; a mature forest had grown up around and inside them.
There is something very aesthetically pleasing about moss on stone…
Our last stop of the day was the peak of the hill. A small stand of trees was surrounded by more ancient stone jars. The jars were, as ever, impressive but it was the location that truly sets Site 2 apart. Nearly 360 degree panoramic views spill out over the surrounding countryside that frame the historic site. Whilst we were up there flocks of bright white birds wheeled and dived around us. It was almost magical, you could see how myths get started.
The view from Site 2 of the Plain of Jars is simply amazing.
Site 2 is home to the most famous of the Plain of Jars "lids": a carved cover with a small frog-like figure engraved into the top. It is not the only carved lid in the Plain of Jars but does set it apart from the others at Site 3 and 1. Again, no one knows why this "lid" is decorated, or why the others are not. The choice cannot be random but remains a mystery.
Some of the views almost reminded us of Stonehenge in the U.K
The famous spread-eagled man…without a head…
After admiring the amazing view in the late afternoon sun, it was time to head back to Phonsavan. We has set out to see as much as possible of the Plain of Jars in one day and we had 100% achieved this. Mr Kong was fantastic and had crammed our heads full of facts, without ever making them feel like they would explode.
We had been proved to be wrong - sometimes it is well worth the money and time to take a tour!
Mr Kong also takes lots of fun photos for you! He is great at showing you the best places for selfies and photographs throught the Plain of Jars.
Where to Stay when visiting The Plain of Jars - Accommodation in Phonsavan
Phonsavan is a large town with plenty of places to stay whatever style of travel or size budget you are. We (as you may have noticed from this site), are long-term budget backpackers. We do not need much luxury but do like good basics. We go for private rooms in guesthouses over dorms in party hostels, not just because we are in our mid-thirties but because they are actually usually cheaper and better value for couples! We do however, occasionally treat ourselves to more luxurious rooms and, on the other end of the scale, will happily stay in a dorm if it is the best option. That all being said, these are our recommendations for accommodation in Phonsavan.
Kong Keo Guesthouse and Hostel
This was our choice. It fitted all our criteria - budget friendly private rooms within an easy walk of the towns restaurants, markets and museums. Our private room was a cute, good sized little bungalow, with its own front door, table and chairs and a comfy bed. The shower was hot and there was plenty of space to unpack and relax in the evenings. The hostel has a great common area with a campfire burning in an old bomb every night and cheap cold beers in the fridge. Mr Kong runs the fantastic tour we took to the Plain of Jars and rents bikes, scooters and even some more exotic transportation options!
Our cute little chalet at Kong Keo Guesthouse! A perfect hideaway after a day exploring the Plain of Jars.
We loved our stay at Kong Keo and would highly recommend it both for budget backpackers and independent travellers who just want a great place, great location and no frills for a good price. For even cheaper stays there are dorm beds available.
You can have a look at the guesthouse / hostel and check prices here
Favanhmai Hotel
For those who want a hotel over a guesthouse (what is the technical difference anyway?) The Favanhmai Hotel is located in central Phonsavan and is an easy walk from the markets or museum. We did not stay here but met a couple at the noodle restaurant (see later) who said it was very nice and perfect for their needs.
To check it out and see prices at the Favanhmai Hotel, click here
Other accommodation choices in Phonsavan
There are loads of other choices for accommodation in Phonsavan. Have a look at our hotel helper map below for all the options:
Phonsavan Town - What else is there to do?
Phonsavan is often seen as just the gateway to the Plain of Jars, simply a place to stay in order to explore the ancient site. We however, had a surprisingly great time exploring the town and finding what else it had to offer. There is definitely more to see in Phonsavan than just the Plain of jars.
We didnt know what to expect of Phonsavan but were happily suprised by the town. It is full of interesting corners and unique places.
Xieng Khouang Museum
This museum came as a complete surprise to us! We initially ducked in here to escape the sun and cool off but were really impressed by the museum. Full of interesting local history and artifacts. There was a wide range of exhibits ranging from prehisotric finds, through the Plain of Jars and the American Secret War to displays of all the different local tribes traditional dresses. The Xieng Khouang Museum was definitely worth a visit.
Museum opening hours: 9am - 4pm Everyday except Monday (closed) Ticket Price: 30,000 kip per person
MAG UXO Visitors Centre
You cannot visit Laos without being confronted with the ongoing cost of the "Secret War". America dropped the equivalent of two tonnes of bombs per person over Laos. Lots of this ordinance failed to detonate and now sits buried in the fields, forests and streams of the country. Since the end of the conflict more than 22,000 people have been injured and killed by these bombs. MAG UXO clears areas and makes them safe for people and animals to return to. The MAG UXO Centre is a small museum displaying the work the organisation does to clear the land. It is informative but sombre. When we were visiting the Plain of Jars the work of MAG was everywhere - we could see their old paths which marked where it was "safe" to walk. They have done an amazing job at the three Plain of Jars sites we visited and they are now all bomb free and safe to explore. To learn more about the work MAG does check out their website here.
You can still see these old path markers on the side of some of the routes around the Plain of Jars - These markers used to ( and in some places still do) indicate what had been made safe to walk over.
MAG-UXO opening hours: Everyday between 10am - 8pm (this will vary on holidays and staff presence - we visited over a holiday weekend and the centre was often closed).
Ticket price: Free but donations are welcome - you can also support MAG by buying a t-shirt or other merch.
Phonsavan Markets
Phonsavan is the capital city of the Xieng Khouang province, it is not just a tourist town for visitors to the Plain of Jars. As such the city is full of interesting local markets. We love having a nose around markets so explored all the ones we could walk to.
Just to be confusing, all the markets are named Phonsavan Market on Google, so we have named them based on where they are relative to each other.
Phonsavan Market (east)
This local market runs all day but is at its best in the mornings, where it spills out onto the surrounding streets. The market is packed full of colourful fruit, fresh vegetables and local specialities. It is a true Laotian market, full of people going about their day and buying what they need for dinner.
Phonsavan east market was always a rainbow of colour!
We went to Phonsavan Market most mornings for breakfast. Around the outside of the market are sit down diners serving fantastic noodle soups and, best of all, barbecue stalls where we would buy our favourite Laotian breakfast: Grilled pork belly and sticky rice! Everything was freshly made and very cheap!
Don't miss picking up some doughnuts from the deep-fried sweets lady inside - they were delicious especially the pandan filled ones!
The markets of Phonsavan always have some tasty deep-fried goodness for sale!
Phonsavan Market (central)
Set just off of the "main" road, we found this market on our first days wander about town. Whereas the east market was full of fresh produce and food this market specialised in clothes and goods. We wandered down crowded aisles full of gold shops, clothes stalls and tailors weaving traditional Hmong dresses. It was really interesting and fun, just what we like about market exploration. This again is not a tourist market, there was no souvenirs on sale, it was a local market where as a visitor we got a small glimpse into Phonsavanian local life.
The central market had many tailors and clothes stalls specialising in the local traditional dresses and headpieces.
Phonsavan Market (west)
Further down the main road from the "central" market this market was another fresh produce and food market. We arrived a little late in the day to see it at its best but it was still a lively place full of Laotian specialities - pickled sparrow anyone? There were plenty of good looking places to grab a bowl of noodles or pick up some fresh spring rolls to take away.
The markets of Phonsavan are just what we like - Real, down to earth and full of delicious suprises!
Phonsavan Morning Market (south)
Ok, full disclosure - we didn't get to this one! We were only in Phonsavan for a few days and didn't manage to go to this morning market. It was the furthest away from our guesthouse and we just didn't have the time. It looks fantastic though, please let us know in the comments if we missed out!
From what our guesthouse owner said, it is very much a morning market and is better the earlier you go.
Eating and Drinking in Phonsavan
Phonsavan town is set up for travellers heading to the Plain of Jars and there is no shortage of places to grab a meal. We ate out every meal during our stay in Phonsavan and would recommend the following:
See You Again - Chinese style noodles
We love noodle soups, possibly to an unhealthy degree. We also love dumplings, so a shophouse restaurant that served Chinese style noodle soup and steamed dumplings was an instant win for us.
See You Again has a small menu, predominantly it serves massive bowls of steaming spiced noodle soups alongside piles of juicy pork dumplings as well as having fantastic chilli oils and Chinese dipping vinegar - we absolutely loved this place.
You know it looks good!
A bowl of noodles costs 50,000 kip and a plate of the dumplings costs the same. You could easily have had just a plate of dumplings as a meal but we are greedy so had them on the side of our noodle soups!
The Morning Market
We loved heading down to the market for our breakfasts. There are loads of stalls all set up around the outside of the building serving delicious delicacies from morning to afternoon. We especially recommend heading to one of the barbecue stalls, selecting a meat or fish of your choice and grabbing some sticky rice (all sold from the same stall). It is such a simple meal but utterly delicious. We always go either for pork belly or chicken and they were grilled to perfection, with a sweet marinade. It was a massive breakfast but kept us full for a days exploring.
1kg of sticky rice and a two skewers of bbq pork costs 50,000 kip - an absolute bargain.
You just pick your protien and it goes back on the barbecue to crisp and heat up. Just look at those pork belly skewers!
If you are more in the mood for noods, then the market still has you covered.
We had two amazing bowls of chicken pho from a busy restaurant for the incredibly cheap price of 25,000 Kip (0.85p) each!
The noodles were a cross between Vietnamese Pho and a Thai clear soup, taking some of the best of both but ending up with something purely Laotian!
Fried Rice and backpacker favourites
All along Phonsavan's main road are dozens of restaurants all serving a similar menu. The traditional tourist mix of fried rice, pad krapow, Western options and noodles. We are not so up ourselves as to pretend we don't love a good fried rice and these places all were cheap cheerful and no nonsense. We can definitely recommend the chicken fried rice at Phonxay Restaurant, it was smoky from the wok and full of chickeny goodness!
A plate of chicken fried rice from Phonxay Restaurant costs 40,000 kip
There are a few other “backpacker institutions” in Phonsavan that we didn’t have the time to get to. Let us know in the comments if Bombies Restuarnt or Craters live up to their fame!
Coffee and comfort food - Cranky-T Café and Bar
We are caffeine fiends, if Ellie doesn't get her cup of coffee she is at real risk of hulking out and going on a rampage. So for the safety of all we always find a good coffee shop wherever we go. Luckily Cranky-T Café was only a short walk from our Guesthouse. Serving great coffee along with cakes, cookies and separate breakfast and dinner menus. We didn't eat a meal here but can confirm the brownies were great! The food that we saw being served looked lovely and very nicely presented. The shop has lots of imported ingredients and serves a range of wines and beers in the evenings.
A hot coffee from Cranky-T costs 30,000 kip. Iced coffees are around 45,000 kip.
Cute coffee - JL22 Cafe
We found this by chance on our morning market wanderings. A small cutesy coffee shop right on Phonsavan's main roundabout. The coffee was cheap, sweet and lovely, just what we needed. An Iced espresso from JL22 cost 31,000 kip.
Conclusion - Is Phonsavan worth the trip?
The obvious answer is YES the Plain of Jars is amazing and the town has enough going on to justify staying a few days to investigate what is has to offer. We loved our time in Phonsavan, we ate at local markets, drank good coffee and explored amazing mysterious megalithic sites. We would go back again, stay at the same guesthouse and explore more of the further flung sites if time permitted.
"If time permitted" however, may be the deal-breaker for some travellers. Phonsavan is out of the way; a good long journey from any of the main backpacker / traveller hubs in Laos. If you have a limited time to spend in the country Phonsavan will use up two days just travelling to and from it. We think that this is 100% worth it, but we are travelling long term with time only constrained by our Laotian visa. If you only have a week, or have a tight itinerary travelling through Laos on your way elsewhere, it may be hard to fit in.
If you can spare the days to get to Phonsavan, do! It being harder to get to means there are less crowds and you really do feel more (sigh) "off the beaten path". The Plain of Jars is incredible, a fascinating, sprawling sea of mystery. It really is hard to explain. Before we had visited we were jokingly keeping our expectations down, reminding ourselves that: it is after all a plain, with some jars in it! Luckily for us the Plain of Jars was amazing, much more than we expected, much bigger, much more impressive and a whole lot more intriguing.
From the ancient jars to the modern war remnants, from the markets of Phonsavan to the hilltop sparrow catchers, we had loved our time in this corner of Laos.
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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