Phonsavan serves as the gateway to one of Laos’s most mysterious and compelling archaeological wonders: the Plain of Jars. Spread across hundreds of square kilometres of rolling hills, this vast landscape is dotted with thousands of ancient stone jars—some towering up to three metres high—believed to be at least 1,500 years old. Their true purpose remains an enigma: scholars have suggested funerary urns or burial chambers, while local folklore imagines them as places where lovers sealed their union. The town of Phonsavan itself carries an old-world atmosphere, shaped largely by architecture built in the mid-1970s following the end of the Vietnam War. A visit to the area’s two UXO information centres provides a thought-provoking and sobering glimpse into the region’s wartime history, adding depth and context to a stay in this quietly intriguing corner of Laos.