Phu Keng Jar Quarry site, also known as Keng Mountain. Plain of jars on a big hill.
This Jar site is a little different to most, as the jars are located on the side on a very steep mountain.
Apart from the Quarry and the jars, there’s Secret tunnels with a hidden room that was used during the Vietnam war at the very top, as well as a cave.
I think this site has only been opened for about 8 months, but not sure. The Lao government 2 million dollars to make this an assessable tourist attraction.
I’ve read that there’s over 1000 steps from the bottom to the top, I would say there would be at least 2000-2500 steps… it’s a long way to the top, but well worth it.
Hot Tips. Take a torch, carry plenty of water, and don’t attempt the climb with a hangover.
The site is about 14kms from the centre of Phonsavan.
Once you have paid the 5000kip at the entrance gate, you can ride right up the start of the climb.
Looks like a walk in the park…don’t be fooled.
1200 metres, and all up hill.
The first of many stairs.
The first jar you come across is about 200 metres from the start.
Then some more stairs.
It’s a very peaceful place, I didn’t see anybody till I reached the top.
Oh yes..some more stairs.
One of the quarry sites where the Jars were made.
Tree growing out of one of the Jars.
Did I mention the stairs? I thought about turning back 3 times, the steps just went on forever.
1000 steps….pigs arrse.
I eventually came to this T intersection, and decided to head to the “Secret Tunnel” first.
No more steps, just a steep path lead my towards the Tunnel.
Hardly a “Secret/Scret Tunnel” with all these signs.
The entrance to the Tunnel. You can see the wire that was suppose to give power to a light, but there was no light on the end of it.
The flash of the camera showed what it was like. There is a room further on that the Vietnamese used during the Vietnam war, but as I didn’t have a light, I didn’t go in. It was pitch black only a few feet in.
The Secret Tunnel had 2 entrances, and you can get to this one by walking around to the other side on the mountain.
The view from the top.
The crater is under the growth.
I walked back to the T intersection and headed to the natural cave which was up these steps.
The cave entrance in only about 3 feet high, and went through the mountain to a back a entrance around 25 metres away.
There was no light in this cave, but you could see the light at the end of the tunnel, so it wasn’t a problem walking through.
View down towards Phonsavan.
So after checking out the not so Secret Tunnel, and Natural cave, it was time to head back down the mountain.
After a big day of steps, steps, and more steps, I made back down to the bottom of the big hill, where my trusty KLX was waiting.
Up and back took me around 4 hours, it was pretty hard going. In that time I only seen 4 people and that was at the very top.
While getting on my bike for the ride back to Phonsavan, these people walked past to start the climb.
Couldn’t help thinking do they know what there in for.
She’s not going to get to far in those shoes.
This is really a beautiful place, and will do it again, and Ill count the steps next time....1000..Yeh right.
Only a few kms away on the road back to Phonsavan it looks like a big stadium is to be built.
Moto-Rex
This Jar site is a little different to most, as the jars are located on the side on a very steep mountain.
Apart from the Quarry and the jars, there’s Secret tunnels with a hidden room that was used during the Vietnam war at the very top, as well as a cave.
I think this site has only been opened for about 8 months, but not sure. The Lao government 2 million dollars to make this an assessable tourist attraction.
I’ve read that there’s over 1000 steps from the bottom to the top, I would say there would be at least 2000-2500 steps… it’s a long way to the top, but well worth it.
Hot Tips. Take a torch, carry plenty of water, and don’t attempt the climb with a hangover.
The site is about 14kms from the centre of Phonsavan.
Once you have paid the 5000kip at the entrance gate, you can ride right up the start of the climb.
Looks like a walk in the park…don’t be fooled.
1200 metres, and all up hill.
The first of many stairs.
The first jar you come across is about 200 metres from the start.
Then some more stairs.
It’s a very peaceful place, I didn’t see anybody till I reached the top.
Oh yes..some more stairs.
One of the quarry sites where the Jars were made.
Tree growing out of one of the Jars.
Did I mention the stairs? I thought about turning back 3 times, the steps just went on forever.
1000 steps….pigs arrse.
I eventually came to this T intersection, and decided to head to the “Secret Tunnel” first.
No more steps, just a steep path lead my towards the Tunnel.
Hardly a “Secret/Scret Tunnel” with all these signs.
The entrance to the Tunnel. You can see the wire that was suppose to give power to a light, but there was no light on the end of it.
The flash of the camera showed what it was like. There is a room further on that the Vietnamese used during the Vietnam war, but as I didn’t have a light, I didn’t go in. It was pitch black only a few feet in.
The Secret Tunnel had 2 entrances, and you can get to this one by walking around to the other side on the mountain.
The view from the top.
The crater is under the growth.
I walked back to the T intersection and headed to the natural cave which was up these steps.
The cave entrance in only about 3 feet high, and went through the mountain to a back a entrance around 25 metres away.
There was no light in this cave, but you could see the light at the end of the tunnel, so it wasn’t a problem walking through.
View down towards Phonsavan.
So after checking out the not so Secret Tunnel, and Natural cave, it was time to head back down the mountain.
After a big day of steps, steps, and more steps, I made back down to the bottom of the big hill, where my trusty KLX was waiting.
Up and back took me around 4 hours, it was pretty hard going. In that time I only seen 4 people and that was at the very top.
While getting on my bike for the ride back to Phonsavan, these people walked past to start the climb.
Couldn’t help thinking do they know what there in for.
She’s not going to get to far in those shoes.
This is really a beautiful place, and will do it again, and Ill count the steps next time....1000..Yeh right.
Only a few kms away on the road back to Phonsavan it looks like a big stadium is to be built.
Moto-Rex
