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Voykit pocket guide · Laos
Phonsavan
ໂພນສະຫວັນ
Stay 2 nights: one full day for the Plain of Jars, one for the war sites. Skip if you only have a week in Laos — the road here eats 10+ hours each way.
Phonsavan is the gateway town for the Plain of Jars, a UNESCO site of megalithic stone jars scattered across a bomb-cratered plateau. The town itself is a long, low main street at 1,100 m with a cool climate, a handful of guesthouses and the best UXO education in Laos. Most travellers come for two nights, see the jars and the war history, then leave the way they came.
- Country
- Laos
- Local name
- ໂພນສະຫວັນ
- Best months
- Nov–Mar
- Avoid
- Apr–May (smoke and heat), Aug (rain on the jar sites)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- LAK
- Money
- Lao kip (LAK) in small notes for markets, tuk-tuks and food stalls.
- Daily spend
- Budget 250,000–400,000 kip excl. bed · Mid 400,000–700,000 kip excl. bed · High 700,000+ kip excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Unitel, Lao Telecom and ETL sell SIMs at airports and shops; passport registration required.
- Emergency
- Police 191 · Fire 190 · Ambulance 195
- Plugs
- Types A, B, C, E, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Most sockets take flat US and round European pins.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: Round up or leave LAK 10,000–20,000.; Guides and drivers: LAK 50,000–100,000 a day.; Massage: LAK 20,000–30,000.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; bottled and refill water everywhere.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels and cafés; squat toilets with a water scoop at bus stops and markets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or tea | 10,000–20,000 kip |
| Noodle soup or fried rice | 25,000–45,000 kip |
| Beerlao, bottle in a restaurant | 15,000–25,000 kip |
| Tuk-tuk around town | about 100,000 kip |
| Motorbike rental, one day | from 200,000 kip |
| Plain of Jars site entry | check at the site |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- XKH · Xieng Khouang Airport
- Lao Airlines, Lao Skyway and Lanexang Airways fly from Vientiane; about 35–40 min. Schedules change — check before booking.
Typical fares
- Tuk-tuk in town
- about 100,000 kip
- Motorbike rental, one day
- from 200,000 kip
- Minivan to Luang Prabang
- about 270,000 kip, 10–11 h
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The town is one long street; walk the centre, use a tuk-tuk for the rest (about 100,000 kip for a local run). For the jar sites and war sites you need a motorbike (from about 200,000 kip/day), a rented car with driver, or a guided tour. Nine travel agents in town arrange rentals and tours.
See and do
Known for
- Plain of Jars (UNESCO)
- UXO and Secret War history
- Hmong and Phuan textiles
- Cool highland climate
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Plain of Jars, Site 1 | Motorbike or tuk-tuk, about 15 min from town | About 30 min |
| Plain of Jars, Sites 2 and 3 | Motorbike or car with driver, 25–40 min each | Half a day |
| Tham Piu Cave | Route 5 towards Muang Kham, about 1 h | 2–3 h |
| Muang Kham hot springs | Route 7 east, about 67 km (42 mi)Route 7 east, about 42 mi (67 km) | Half a day |
| Nong Tang Lake | Route 7 towards Phou Khoun, about 48 km (30 mi)Route 7 towards Phou Khoun, about 30 mi (48 km) | Half a day |
Sleep
- Main street (Route 7) centre
- Guesthouses, restaurants and travel agents within walking distance; best for a short stay without a motorbike.
- Near the airport / north end
- Quieter, cheaper rooms; you will want a bike or tuk-tuk for the centre.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | ສະບາຍດີsabaidee |
| Thank you | ຂອບໃຈkhop chai |
| How much is it? | ລາຄາເທົ່າໃດ?laka thao dai |
| Where is the toilet? | ຫ້ອງນ້ຳຢູ່ໃສ?hong nam yu sai |
| I do not understand | ບໍ່ເຂົ້າໃຈbo khao chai |
| Please stop here | ຢຸດຢູ່ນີ້yut yu ni |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Nop (palms together) and 'sabaidee'; avoid: Loud greetings and hugs
- Temples: Covered shoulders and knees, shoes off; avoid: Pointing feet at images; women touching monks
- Keeping calm: Stay relaxed; 'bor pen nyang'; avoid: Anger in public
- Baci ceremony: Keep the white strings on your wrist for three days; avoid: Cutting them off
- Head and feet: Keep feet down; avoid: Touching heads
Scams and watch-outs
- Do not walk off the marked paths at the jar sites: unexploded ordnance still contaminates the plateau.
- Roads to Phonsavan are slow and rough; the Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang runs can take 10 hours or more.
- Buying spoons or pendants made from war scrap may encourage villagers to search for bombs — ask where the metal came from.
- Cash is king; ATMs are few and can be empty. Bring enough kip.
Phonsavan is calm and safe for tourists; the real hazard is UXO in the countryside — stay on marked paths at the jar sites and never pick up metal objects.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Phonsavan yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Plain of Jars (UNESCO)
- UXO and Secret War history
- Hmong and Phuan textiles
- Cool highland climate
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Lao National Tourism Administration: www.tourismlaos.org/
- MAG UXO visitor centres in Laos: www.maginternational.org/laos-visitor-centres/
- Wikivoyage: Phonsavan, revision 5333601 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5333601
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Phonsavanໂພນສະຫວັນ
ໄປບ່ອນນີ້ເດີ
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Phonsavan; Vientiane has the embassies. The US, UK and Australian missions are in Vientiane — check addresses before you travel.
Carry kip for the jar sites and markets; cards are accepted at some guesthouses only.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/phonsavan). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.