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