Laos
Thousands of megalithic jars whose origin remains a mystery, then a karst-ringed town on the Nam Song River
Laos
A journey through central Laos, far from Luang Prabang and the Mekong: the Plain of Jars, a plateau in Xieng Khouang dotted with over two thousand megalithic stone jars two thousand years old, whose exact purpose remains debated by archaeologists, then Vang Vieng, a town nestled between rice paddies and karst peaks along the Nam Song River, long favoured by backpackers for its spectacular setting.
When
Nov to Feb
Price
From 2 000€ excl. flights
(based on 2 people sharing)
How long
6 nights
Ideal length
Days 1-2
The first chapter unfolds on the Xieng Khouang plateau, where over two thousand megalithic stone jars, some over three metres tall and roughly two thousand years old, are scattered across dozens of archaeological sites still being partly cleared of unexploded ordnance left over from the secret war waged in Laos in the 1960s and 1970s. The exact purpose of these jars remains debated, between funerary hypotheses and ritual storage vessels, with no inscription ever settling the question.
Day 1
The main site of the megalithic jars
A visit to the main site of the Plain of Jars, the largest and most densely populated with stone jars, accompanied by a guide explaining the various archaeological hypotheses about their origin.
Day 2
The Hmong and Tai Dam villages of the plateau
A drive across the Xieng Khouang plateau to meet Hmong and Tai Dam villages, ethnic minorities who carry on a distinct textile craft in this remote region of Laos.
Days 1-2
The road to Vang Vieng, a town nestled in a spectacular setting of karst peaks overlooking the Nam Song River and surrounding rice paddies, long known for an intense nightlife before repositioning in recent years toward calmer adventure tourism. Caves, turquoise lagoons, and hiking trails through the limestone mountains now make up the bulk of activities in this region that has become more peaceful again.
Day 1
Kayaking the Nam Song River
A kayak descent of the Nam Song River among the karst peaks, with stops at caves and turquoise lagoons accessible only from the water.
Day 2
A hike to a karst viewpoint
A hike to a viewpoint overlooking the karst peaks of Vang Vieng, a panorama over the rice paddies and the Nam Song River winding through the valley.
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