Ban Hai: Jar Site in the Surrounding Area
Accommodation in Ban Hai
Ban Hai and the archaeological site of the same name are two distinct reference points for your trip: the archaeological site is about 2 km from the village. The fragments of the clay jars are on a wooded hill. This connects Ban Hai as a place with an archaeological site in the surrounding area.
The jar site near the village
The Ban Hai site comprises four groups with a total of 21 conglomerate clay jars. The number of groups and the total number of jars describe different aspects of the site: its layout, on the one hand, and the number of jars, on the other. Together with the wooded hill, they provide a concrete picture of the archaeological site without equating the village with the site.
The approximate distance of two kilometres is especially useful for getting your bearings. It locates the site in relation to the village, while the hill describes the surrounding landscape. So, when considering Ban Hai as a travel destination, you can treat the village and the nearby jar site as separate points of reference in your planning.
Xieng Khouang as the wider setting
In the wider destination of Xieng Khouang, the Plain of Jars offers another perspective on the region’s archaeology. It comprises more than 2,100 tubular megalithic stone jars that were used for burial practices during the Iron Age. The archaeological sites of the Plain of Jars date from 500 BC to 500 AD. This dating refers to the sites of the Plain of Jars and complements the closer look at the site near Ban Hai.
The landscape of the Plain of Jars is also described as diverse: grassy hills lie between steeper wooded hills and higher mountains. Xieng Khouang Province is located on the mountainous Tran-Ninh Plateau at an altitude of more than 1,000 metres; mild temperatures prevail there for most of the year. The landscape and archaeological heritage thus offer two different perspectives on the wider destination.
Other jar sites for regional comparison
Other sites in Xieng Khouang include Jar Site 1, with 334 jars, and Jar Site 2, also called Ban Na Kho. Jar Site 2 is in Phaxay District and comprises 93 jars on two neighbouring hills. Jar Site 3 is also known as Hai Hin Lat Khai and Ban Xieng Di. It consists of seven groups; the main group comprises about 150 jars and is located on a hill with a scenic outlook. The numbers and groupings offer different points of comparison without equating the individual sites.
Culture and history in Xieng Khouang
The region’s cultural heritage extends beyond the jar sites. In Khoun Town, visitors can see surviving buildings from the former Phuan Kingdom on foot or by bicycle. An easy trail near Khoun Town leads to the seated Buddha at Vat Phiawat, built in 1564. In Ban Xang, visitors can also watch Khmu and Tai Phuan handicrafts being made. Thus, in addition to archaeological sites, the wider destination offers surviving buildings, a historic Buddha and handicrafts as distinct cultural themes to explore.
When choosing a hotel for this trip, it may help to decide on your main focus first: would you like to focus on Ban Hai and its nearby site, or would you prefer to plan your trip around other places in the wider destination of Xieng Khouang? The location information and regional examples offer two different scales for making that choice.
Discover more destinations: Phonsavan, Ban Chao Lao, Ban Khon
Return to the main travel overview: Xieng Khouang.
