|
Plainly an Adventure to See The Plain of Jars
The Cover
Feature of Good Morning Laos
Phonsavan, Laos
Billy & Akaisha Kaderli
The heat in Chiang Mai was becoming oppressive, and Song Kran was
right around the corner. Wanting to escape both, we decided a trip to Laos would
fit the bill quite nicely. We had heard of the Plain of Jars -- hundreds of jars
scattered over extensive rolling grasslands -- and their history and mystery
were appealing.
|
However, one cannot fly directly from
Chiang Mai to Phonsavan where guided tours are available. So we flew Lao
Airlines, via Luang Prabang, Vientiane and finally to Phonsavan. Since
this route cannot be completed in one day, we opted to layover both in
Luang Phabang and Vientiane, taking advantage of Laos’s fine French
restaurants and wonderful wines. With a full belly and a pleasant
attitude adjustment, we boarded Lao Air flight #402, the only flight per
day to Xieng Khouang (also known as Phonsavan).
Let it be noted that Phonsavan is no me-tropolis. The airstrip is smooth
and straight, but once departing the plane we felt out in the middle of
nowhere. At 1125m elevation, the notably cool breeze from an approaching
rainstorm felt delicious, and the bruise-colored skies told us it would
be arriving momentarily. |
LOADED UP WITH OUR TRAVEL GEAR |
However, our fist step was to check in with
immigration. Though we arrived via Vientiane and had not left the country, the
Laos Government likes to keep track of foreigners, so we must have them sign and
stamp our papers on each domestic flight. These bureaucratic governments love
stamps and the people who know how to use them!
Before long, our baggage arrives from the plane by way of a small pickup truck.
Though there are maybe only twenty passengers, this event quickly becomes a
chaotic free-for-all. Boxes, bags and miscellaneous wrapped items are deposited
willy nilly on the floor and we tripped several times as we reached for our
backpacks. Meanwhile, during all of this bedlam, the local touts are desperately
trying to get our attention by telling us about their brand new guesthouse and
offering us a ride into town.
Noticing the advancing storm only adds to the drama.
|
NEW GUEST HOUSE, PRICE INCLUDED BREAKFAST |
We took the bait from one of them as
he offered a very cheap fare, $.50pp, for the five Km ride into town.
The driver turns on his windshield wipers and Vong, our self-appointed
guide, begins to show us hotels and guest houses along the way. We feel
a bit scooped up and harangued, but with the menacing weather and the
obvious desolation of the area, choices were limited.
Initially, we researched a place in the center of town, and we made it
clear to Vong our desire to see this place before we decided on any that
he recommended. After all, we are seasoned travelers, and have met pushy
vendors before!
Oddly, all the guest houses in town
were not able to supply running water for showers since their supply had
run out 3 days before. It seemed a bit incongruous with the rain pouring
down now like it was, but how could we argue? We decided on a newly
built place
|
| called Banna Plain of Jars House, a short walk into town.
|
For $10 a night, we had a good mattress, hot
shower, a desk in the room, satellite TV, and a window to the street below.
Breakfast was included in the price served on a lovely terrace overlooking rice
paddies with water buffalo grazing casually below. Although it wasn’t the place
we researched, this would do satisfactorily.
After quick arrangements with Vong about a tour to the Plain of Jars for the
next morning, he offers to drop us in town at a restaurant for dinner.
|
The Sanga restaurant near the Post
office, well, actually everything is near the Post office, serves an
extensive menu of Chinese, Thai, and Laos food, with a few Western
items. For a couple of Dollars you’ll receive plenty of food, though not
the same quality as in Vientiane, and the beer Lao was almost cold.
For the next morning, we wanted to get
an early start, and ap-parently to Vong, that meant 8:00AM. We agreed to
a price of $60 USD per person for one and a half days of his services
which included three jar sites, a small village, and what’s left |
CULTURAL INFLUENCES HERE INCLUDE VIETNAMESE AND
FRENCH |
| of a Russian tank. Lunch, water, a van and driver
plus entrance fees were all included. The following day we were to go to a Sunday Hmong market and their
Village of 700 inhabitants. |
We admit to being a bit skeptical that our
guide would show up at all after giving him half the agreed amount for a
deposit. Remember, this is Laos, and sixty US is a lot of money. In fact, with
one hundred US you’re a Laotian millionaire.
|
THE JARS SPAN MUCH LAND AREA |
But as sure as Laos is the “Land of
Mines,” Vong was right on time. After filling up with petrol, and Vong’s
comment “This is Laos, P.D.R. That means, Please Don’t Rush”, we were on
our way. Only about 12 Km out of town we arrived at Site Number One.
Due to its significant location between Myanmar, China, Vietnam and
Thailand, the Plain of Jars has |
| seen extensive warfare from the early
20th century until the 1970’s. |
The Mines Advisory Group (MAG) has performed
UXO (unexploded ordnance) clearance on these three sites only, out of the sixty
that have been discovered, all located in Xieng Khouang Province. A billboard
sized notice explained that the colored concrete markers at ground level
indicate the places that have been safely rid of explosives for tourists to walk.
White shows the area that has been sub-surfaced cleared and red signals where it
has been visually checked only. Our guide highly recommends that we walk between
the white lines.
Since this removal of UXO was only completed one year ago, neither of us felt
compelled to stray off course to test the Laotian healthcare system.
|
Site One is the largest both in size
and in number of jars available with 24,000 sqm cleaned of 127
unexploded ordinances. Knowing this gave us a warm feeling inside.
These jars were made during a time when long distance overland trade
between India and China was transforming the local societies across this
trade route. The jars themselves, weighing over three tons each, are
carved out of both limestone and sandstone. Some are as tall as two
meters and are over a meter in diameter. However, this is where fact and
fiction part.
No one is certain as to what their purpose was or why they are here, but
one theory is that they were used as fermentation jars for the deceased
of a prehistoric civilization. Upon passing on to the spirit |
JARS SITE NUMBER TWO |
| world, the body was placed into a jar
and left to rot until only the skeleton remained.
|
The accompanying stench of this process might
explain why the jars are located on hill tops as compared to valleys. The
skeletal remains were then cremated and buried ceremoniously at an offsite
location. These mortuary practices of both cremation and secondary burial
suggest the sophistication of thought and belief of this ancient civilization.
To further this theory, a cave is located nearby, with carved out chimneys to
create a draft for kilns where human bones and ash have been discovered. This
explanation made the most sense to us as compared to local tradition saying the
jars were for making rice wine or that giants used them for eating utensils,
placing them here on the plains.
|
SOME JARS ARE LAID IN CLUSTERS |
Whatever the reason for the existence
of the jars it certainly makes for eye-catching landscape and lively
conversation.
We continued our tour to Sites Two and Three, the furthest being 34 Km
out of town. At the Third Site we enjoyed our lunch of noodle soup,
while the local villagers were testing their sound system for the day’s
party. After all, it was Laos New year too.
Refreshed, we made our way to the bombed Russian tank and a nondescript
Lao Village before returning to our guesthouse.
Our general skepticism had evaporated. Vong turned out to be not only
responsible, but a very informed guide and attentive to our questions
and concerns. In |
| fact, he offered to pick us up at our Guest House and
take us back to the airport at no
charge, when he returns to find his next customers, beginning the
touring cycle once again. When you arrive in the
airport in Xieng Khouang, if he’s not approached you already, ask for
him by name, and he will appear in no time. |
Billy and Akaisha continue to journal and
photograph their world travels.
HOME
-----------------------------------------------------
Travel Info:
The airfare for this trip was 14,625 Baht pp, 6 flights to 3 cities on Lao Airlines. The
tickets will read Xieng Khouang, which is another name for Phonsavan.
$30 USD for 15 day Laos Visas pp, upon entry, plus you must bring a passport
size photo of yourself. The Immigration officials take Thai Baht and USD. Some
vendors in town will too. Use up all your Kip before you leave Laos, as you will
not be able to exchange them in Thailand. USD in small denominations will prove
useful to you in any of the cities or towns in Laos.
Vongsavath Doungdara Travel Guide
Mobile # 856-20 5661217, 7661217 This is Vong's personal mobile phone number and
can be reached here at any time. His command of the English language is quite
good. He speaks English, Lao, and the local Hilltribe dialect.
Banna Plain of Jars House, Rd.07. Ban Tuern, Peak district, Xiengkhouang, Laos,
PDR, Tel/Fax: 856-61212484, Mobile: 856-20-2482816 Email:
chansmon@laotel.com ,
Vilai Thipphavone, General Manager
The Maly Hotel has the best food in Phonsavan. It is a short distance out of the
center of town, but is worth the tuk tuk drive to have lunch or dinner. Maly
Hotel, Ban Phonsa aat Paek District, Phonsavan, Xiengkhouang province Laos,
P.D.R. P.O. Box 649 a Phonsavan Tele (856) 061312031, Fax (856) 061 312031,
mobile: (856) 0202203355, Email: sousathp@laotel.com
|
