Phonsavan

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The lively town of Phonsavan is the capital of Xieng Khuang province and is famous for two reasons.

Firstly, the area was one of the most heavily bombed in Laos, and that's saying something in the most heavily bombed country in the world. Today the region is littered with unexploded ordinance (UXO) and the evidence is everywhere. The resourceful locals use bomb casings and other remnants for every purpose imaginable: as fences and parts of their housing, as tools, vegetable planters, decoration and barbecue fireplaces.

Secondly, the province is the site of the mysterious Plain Of Jars. The centre of Xieng Khuang Province is littered with clumps of large stone vessels, believed to be ancient funerary urns. The origin of these enormous jars is unclear, inciting international debate.

The scenery in the province is very different to any you'll see in the rest of Laos. Rolling hills are covered in the wet season with green grass and sparse forests of pine trees -- a striking contrast to the usual high mountains and dense jungle.

The Jars aside, Phonsavan itself is a fascinating place to visit. It perhaps should not be the first place on any itinerary, but it's great if you're planning a fair amount of time exploring Laos.

The town is now experiencing a bit of a tourist boom and a considerable amount of infrastructure has been, or is being built. When we last visited, with the first top class hotel being under construction, coupled with the many restaurants, mid-range hotels and tour services, this town looks well on the way to securing its place on the Laos tourist trail.

There is any number of accommodation options in town, with a plethora of budget-range options and a healthy selection of mid-range places to boot. Most of the accommodation is centred around the main street running through town -- take a short walk along the main road and you'll see plenty of options from which to choose.

Orientation
A post office, banks and internet cafes are all available along the main street in Phonsavan. There is an ATM in town at the local BCEL bank close to the old bus station in the centre of town. Changing money is best done at the several banks and changes stalls are also littered along the town's main drag.

There is also a hospital in town, but as for most other places in rural Laos, this is best only used for more minor ailments. More serious injuries and emergencies should definitely be treated in Vientiane (or even better, Thailand).

Text and/or map last updated on 10th August, 2009.
Further reading
» The Phonsavan adventure
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Picture of Hotel Maly, Route 1, Ban Phonsa Aat, Paek District Phonsavan, Xiengkhouang province Laos P.D.R

Hotel Maly
Route 1, Ban Phonsa Aat, Paek District Phonsavan, Xiengkhouang province Laos P.D.R
From: US$30.00 with HostelWorld

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Fresh off our Asia travel forum

Here are some discussions off the Travelfish forum, perhaps related to Phonsavan. You can find the full forum here.

Topic	Replies	Views
Phonsavan In Laos: by acidliam, last reply by acidliam	7	424
Laos - Luang Prebang to Phonsavan In Motorbiking in Asia: by acidliam	0	230
Phonsavanh to Hanoi In Laos: by gillerz960, last reply by grasshopper322	2	332
Louang Phabang-Phonsavan-SouthernLaos- Hoi An In Vietnam: by jackieanddavid, last reply by jackieanddavid	2	648
travel Phonsavan to Luang Prabang In Laos: by travelfam, last reply by wanderingcat	3	764
Phonsavan, Muang Kham and Muang Sui updated In Laos: by somtam2000, last reply by BruceMoon	2	1286
from hanoi to phonsavan In Indochina and Thailand: by buecax, last reply by BruceMoon	1	598
Louang Prabang to Phonsavan or Vang Vieng? In Laos: by ChrisM48, last reply by PeterM	7	2368
Flights to and from Phonsavan In Laos: by Intrepid82, last reply by chrispyrolls	4	809
Phonsavan - Banna Plain of Jars House In Laos additions: by Ramblergirl	0	1165
flights to and from Phonsavan In Laos: by deb, last reply by deb	4	1071
Hanoi to Luang Prabang or Phonsavan In Visas and border crossings: by greentara68, last reply by somtam2000	1	3119
Phonsavan to Vientiane In Laos: by Jomcevoy, last reply by exacto	2	1146
Urgent! Phonsavan to Vinh - VIP bus scam? In Laos: by tombra, last reply by tombra	2	1497
phonsavan? In Laos: by VeganAlex, last reply by womblefur	3	945

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Phonsavan

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