Plain of Jars Laos: Sites, History and Visitor Tips
Contents
On a plateau in central Laos, the Plain of Jars takes its name from more than 2,100 tubular stone jars made for burials in the Iron Age.[1] The World Heritage property has 15 components with 1,325 of these carved jars, plus stone discs, secondary burials, grave markers and quarries dated between 500 BCE and 500 CE.[1] Little is known about the people who made them, which is part of the pull: you walk across grassy hill slopes among jars that have stood there for around two thousand years.
Choose a site by the landscape you want to see
Sites 1, 2, 3 and 21 are the most visited.[2] Site 1 is the main destination and the closest to Phonsavan, with a large visitor centre, an electric shuttle, displays, a ticket booth and shops.[2] It is also the most researched: its finds include terracotta jars used for secondary burials, stone jars holding human remains and glass beads, and a cave that may have served as a crematorium. Site 21, linked to Site 1, is the largest quarry, with evidence of every step of the quarrying process.[2] Site 2 has a small information kiosk, and Site 3 has a ticket booth, a restaurant and a kiosk.[2] Choose Site 1 for the biggest cluster and the most context, and Sites 2 and 3 for quieter hillsides.
Look, take photos and leave the stone alone: climbing on the jars and stepping on the discs has damaged the sites.[2]
Things to Do
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Keep to the marked visitor routes
Laos is the most heavily bombed country in the world, and unexploded ordnance (UXO) is still found in rice fields, on hillsides and along paths, including in Xiengkhuang.[3] Clearance of all 15 jar components was reported complete in 2019, and clearing in the buffer zones continues.[2] Even so, stay on the marked paths, follow the instructions of site staff and never touch an unfamiliar metal object: UXO remains a danger in 10 of Laos' 17 provinces.[4]
Add a town history stop
The Provincial Museum in Phonsavan has been rebuilt and shows recent archaeological finds from the jar sites.[2] It makes a good first stop to understand what you are about to see. To go deeper into the UXO story, MAG's free visitor centre is in Vientiane, on Chao Anou Vong Road.[4]
Plan your base and your day
Base yourself in Phonsavan, the provincial capital, and ask your guesthouse or a local agency about transport to the sites. Start early, so the jars are yours before the heat and the tour groups arrive.
For more destinations and planning ideas, browse GoAsia's Laos travel guide.
Sources and background
Numbers in the text such as [1] refer to these sources.
- [1] UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Megalithic Jar Sites in Xiengkhuang - Plain of Jars. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
- [2] ICOMOS, advisory body to UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Evaluation of Megalithic Jar Sites in Xiengkhuang - Plain of Jars (2019). Retrieved October 22, 2026.
- [3] Lao National Unexploded Ordnance Programme (UXO LAO): The Most Bombed Country in the World. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
- [4] Mines Advisory Group (MAG): Laos Visitor Centres. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
An archaeological landscape on a plateau in central Laos, named for more than 2,100 stone jars from the Iron Age. The World Heritage property has 15 components with 1,325 carved jars, dated between 500 BCE and 500 CE.
Site 1 is the main destination, with a visitor centre, shuttle, displays and shops, and the most research. Site 2 has a small information kiosk and Site 3 a ticket booth and restaurant. Site 21, linked to Site 1, is the largest quarry.
In Phonsavan, the provincial capital. Site 1 is the closest to town, and local agencies and guesthouses can arrange transport to the other sites.
Stay on the marked paths, follow the instructions of site staff and never touch unfamiliar objects. Clearance of all 15 jar components was reported complete in 2019, but unexploded ordnance remains a danger in 10 of Laos' 17 provinces.
Yes. The Provincial Museum in Phonsavan has been rebuilt and shows recent archaeological finds from the jar sites.
No. MAG's UXO visitor centre is in Vientiane, on Chao Anou Vong Road. Entry is free.
No. Climbing on the jars and stepping on the stone discs has damaged the sites, so look and photograph without touching.
