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The Plain of Jars in Phakeo village in Kham district of Xieng Khuang province is really beautiful, but many visitors won't go there as there is currently no road access.
About 416 jars are scattered under trees on the low mountain slopes, an official from the Provincial Department of Information, Culture and Tourism Mr Phousavanh Vorasing told Vientiane Times on Friday.
However, there is the possibility of building a road which is currently under consideration by the Xieng Khuang provincial authorities, he mentioned.
If the road construction goes ahead, this Plain of Jars site will become a major tourist destination in the province.
It is already of great interest to tourists from European countries visiting the province but there are not so many of them at the moment, just a few visitors per week, he said.
“The European people are there as they like to go trekking,” he pointed out. “They're very impressed with its diverse natural beauty of forests, limestone mountains, green valleys and rolling grasslands.”
Most visitors who visit enjoy a homestay in the households of the Hmong ethnic group, usually for two nights and three days.
The Plain of Jars in Phakeo village is located about 27 kilometres from the town of Phonsavanh, Xieng Khuang province.
When visitors wish to go there, they should take a motorcycle or car to Kha village, then they need to walk from there to Phakeo village, which takes about three hours.
As there is no road access to the Plain of Jars in Phakeo village, many visitors prefer to tour the Plain of Jars Site 1 in Paek district, Xieng Khuang province, because it's not too far away, about six kilometers from the town.
It also has an asphalt road linking it to town.
Each year, some 5,000 visitors from Laos and abroad visit the site, traveling mostly in families or as members of tour groups.
The larger tour groups typically come with a guide, but smaller groups do not hire a guide as they want to save money, Mr Phousavanh said.
According to the tourism information office in the provincial capital Phonsavanh, more than 28,000 tourists have visited Xieng Khuang province over the past few years.
The Plain of Jars Site 1 is one of the biggest attractions for local and foreign travelers, and will soon be declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Extensive archaeological studies have established that the large stone jars are about 2,000 years old on average.
Xieng Khuang authorities curr ently receive assistance from UNESCO and government agencies to develop sustainable and responsible tourism at the jar sites and other visitor attractions.
The goal is to develop locally managed tourism centred on the Plain of Jars, that involves and benefits local people, which will help the provincial authorities collect much needed revenue to protect historic sites and natural attractions.
The revenue generated from tour groups will help the authorities to achieve their visions of sustainable tourism, which will protect the cultural heritage of Xieng Khuang and provide a better life for nearby rural communities.
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