Phonsavanh: Plain of Jars

Laos has the unfortunate distinction of being the most heavily bombed country on the planet thanks to a secret war that ran parallel to the one in Vietnam. The war’s lasting legacy can be seen all over a countryside peppered with UXOs (Unexploded Ordinance), particularly in the region surrounding Phonsavanh.

Other reminders of the war include bomb casings, which are often repurposed as shop front decor:

...and husks of Soviet era tanks and trucks on the roadsides:


Three sites in the Plain of Jars have been cleared sufficiently to allow visitors but their safety is only guaranteed on a few marked paths. Demarcations are sometimes so sporadic that it isn’t difficult to stray into dangerous territory. This tile indicates which side has been cleared – white denotes a “decontaminated” zone and red means that danger is still present. I didn’t step here on purpose:

It happened again at jar site number 2 when I followed what I believed was a trail leading to another section of the park. After a few minutes of walking, with no jars, tourists or signs in sight, I realized that something wasn’t right. Explosions could be heard in the distance as I walked back. Hopefully it was an NGO decontaminating the area, but I’ve read that UXOs still claim victims on a regular basis here.

The origins of the massive stone jars dotting the landscape are a source of speculation for experts. Some argue that the ancients used them to brew lao lao whisky, others say that monsoon rainwater was collected in them for the dry seasons. The most popular theory, however, is that they were used to inter the dead.


On an unrelated note, poultry has been effectively removed from my diet as of this afternoon. I listened in as a tour guide talked to his group. Verbatim:

“I have many chickens die every day but all I can do is make soup.”

Also, because I don't know where else to put this picture, here's an old man in Phonsavanh: