Regarded as the virtual museum of war in city scale, Xieng Khouang was razed by American bombing in the 60s and has been replaced by the new town of Phonsavan. Today, Xieng Khouang is gaining recognition as home to the Plain of Jars, a little-understood group of archaeological sites of enormous stone jars, or drums, buried in the earth. Phonsavan, which has virtually no buildings remaining from the pre-war years, is merely a base from which to explore the area and not much else. The jars themselves are a fun and interesting mystery. A visit to this region is certainly educational: You'll learn about the Hmong rebels, the mysterious recent history, and the many demining projects. Spring for a good guide to take you around to the many sites
Phonesavanh
Phonesavanh city, also known as Xieng Khouang, is established at 1500m high, making its climate cool all year round.
Muang Khoune
Muang Khoune district (35km from Phonsavan town) was the ancient capital of Xieng Khouang province. Much has been destroyed by war bombardment yet the remaining Wat Sihom, Wat Phra and Wat That Chom Phet are still worth a visit.
Plain of Jars
The legendary Plain of Jars consists of hundreds of giant stone jars strewn all over the plateau at 1000m altitude. History has not been revealed yet but legends tell that these huge jars were used to store dead bodies of human as ancient customs. No one knows exactly.