The Best of Cambodia & Laos

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PHONSAVAN & THE PLAIN OF JARS LUANG PRABANG & NORTHERN LAOS
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The Beauty of Vieng Xai
Vieng Xai, an incredibly beautiful area near the border with Vietnam, was the
base of the Pathet Lao during the ’60s and ’70s. The rugged limestone karst
formations that characterize the region are riddled with caves and it was from
these that the Soviet-backed insurgents fashioned a series of subterranean
complexes that enabled them to survive some of the most ferocious aerial
attacks seen in the history of warfare. A series of more than 100 caves
amounted to an impregnable fortress. After the Communist victory this remote
area became home to thousands of those perceived to be loyal to the former
regime and sentenced to “reeducation.” This actually meant disease, hardship,
starvation, and often death. It was these people who built the beautiful manmade
lake in Vieng Xai. It is a beauty tinged with real hardship and tragedy. For
years the closed attitude of the regime in Laos meant that this whole region,
and its history both heroic and vicious, remained off-limits to visitors. The caves
have been restored and are now opened to the public, though you must be
accompanied by a government-accredited guide.
The caves sit in a natural and steeply walled limestone valley that affords
them almost total protection from assault. The complex contained meeting
rooms, hospitals, barracks, markets, and temples. A few of these caves are
named for their celebrated former residents. Tours usually begin with Tham
Than Kaysone. This was the headquarters of Kaysone Phomvihane, the effective
leader of the Pathet Lao. From here he closely coordinated eventual victory
with his north Vietnamese comrades shuttling every now and then over the
border and on to Hanoi to receive direction. Inside the cave are a few relics of
the Kaysone’s time there including some appropriate Marxist reading. There is
a reception room, kitchen,bedroom, library, and emergency headquarters
grounds are old bomb parts and other war relics. There are rooms in the main house and
also newer bungalows at the rear, which are a better but more expensive option. It has a
balcony restaurant. They run well-reputed tours to the Plain of Jars with the owner acting
as guide.
When it comes to dining Phonsavan represents something of a black hole. Both the
Maly Hotel and the Kong Keo Guesthouse represent acceptable if not exciting options.
For Indian cuisine (which seems inevitable wherever tourists gather in Laos), head to
Nisha (main courses 15,000 kip). The Sa Nga Restaurant (Rte. 7 near the post office;
& 061/211-013; main courses 10,000 kip) serves reasonable Laos, Thai, and Chinese
fare. If you want pizza or burgers, head to Craters Bar and Restaurant (Rte. 7; & 020/
780-5775; main courses 25,000 kip).
ATTRACTIONS
Plain of Jars Scattered over a large area in the middle of Xieng Khuang province,
there are 160 individual jar sites on the Plain of Jars as a whole. The jars themselves are
curious, huge limestone containers. In total there are about 4,000 of these mysterious
objects. It is still unclear until what their purpose was, but the most likely accepted