Xiangkhouang

Phonsavan is the capital of Xiangkhouang Province in north-eastern Laos, set on a cool highland plateau at around 1,100 metres. The town was rebuilt from the late 1970s after wartime destruction and is best known as the gateway to the Plain of Jars, a UNESCO World Heritage archaeological landscape of ancient stone jars.

The region's identity is shaped by its layered history, from the Phuan kingdom and the French colonial era to heavy bombing during the Second Indochina War. Today the MAG UXO Visitor Centre in Phonsavan explains ongoing clearance work, while the old royal capital of Muang Khoun, with its weathered stupas and temples, lies southeast of town.

Around the town, visitors can explore Jar Sites 1, 2 and 3, each with clusters of Iron Age stone jars in different settings, along with waterfalls such as Tad Ka and Tad Lang, hot springs and ethnic Phuan, Hmong and Khmu villages. The central market and broad avenues give Phonsavan a low-key, provincial character.

Xiangkhouang is an important agricultural and trading centre, known for maize production and, increasingly, mining and development projects. Phonsavan hosts provincial administration, businesses, NGOs and a growing number of guesthouses and restaurants serving both Lao and international visitors.

For leisure travellers, Phonsavan offers archaeology, highland scenery and rural culture, while business and project visitors find practical services, an airport and road links to Vientiane, Luang Prabang and Vietnam.