Three stops in a whirlwind introductory trip through Laos, the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Luang Prabang and the Plain of Jars, and the capital Vientiane. The alms procession in Luang Prabang is a tourist magnet and a bit of a circus but the more authentic, largely tourist free (very early, pre dawn) version in Vientiane has a much nicer feel.
The UNESCO World Heritage Plain of Jars extends over the Xiangkhoang Plateau with Phonsavan being the closest town. Sensible people would fly into Phonsavan from Vientiane but as I decided to visit it from Luang Prabang I went by "road", one day in each direction with one day at the Plain of Jars. This turned out to be a terrible idea as the road is destroyed by both the weather and the Chinese trucks leaving it a potholed dusty trail. Still I stayed at a fantastic B&B in Phonsavan and enjoyed my time at the three sites I visited. The largest (site 1) has a museum that provides background but sites 2 and 3 were largely unspoilt by any people leaving you to just take in the beautiful surroundings and wonder why?
