The PLAIN of CANS - a collection of the big stone cans interspersed everywhere on the plain Seong Khouanga on the Laotian uplands. Stone structures are generally made of sedimentary rock and, ranging from 3 - 10 feet in height (1 - 3 meter), everyone can weigh up to 14 tons.

So far the origin of cans is unknown though archeologists believe that they were originally used between 1.500 and 2.000 years ago. Many researchers theorized that banks, perhaps, once served as funeral ballot boxes or storage of food. As the local Laotian legend would have it, banks were created by Hong Zhang, the ancient king of giants who lived in the mountain area. It is told that Zhang, after conducting long and victorious fight, created banks to cook huge amounts of festive Laotian Laotian rice wine.

The plain of Cans received a little Western attention to the 1930th when the French archeologist Madeleine Koleni began to consider area. Though the previous reports on banks quoted existence of goods, such as beads of a carnelian, jewelry and axes, the place was generally robbed by then when Koleni arrived. Despite this, Koleni found the neighboring housing of a cave remains of the person, such as the burned bones and ashes, having forced it to believe that banks were funeral ballot boxes for leaders. Koleni dug out artifacts some of which outdate to between 500 to N э and 800 AD, and I published her results in Megaliths of the Top Laos.

Though the plain Seong Khouanga remains the central place of cans, similar groups can be connected to create a linear way completely to northern India. Existence of similar groups also resulted banks in other parts of Asia in belief that banks were a part of a big trade way. Some researchers believe that banks collected rain water of a monsoon for tourists of a trailer to use during the dry season. Tourists would use water and then would leave behind beads or offers in banks, thus having explained the previous observations of jewelry and various goods.

Though inspectors for the Plain of Cans request the status as the UNESCO world heritage site, the area still remains one of the most dangerous places of archeological excavations in the world. Thousands of not detonated bombs remain from Confidential war of the 1960th, and some of these hands still put damages to this day. In fact, only Places 1, 2, 3 and the Pit are open for visitors while they of the organizations work hard to remove explosives and to request more financing.

Any visit of places banks takes last numerous big craters of a bomb and group of a crater. Further adding to mysticism of area, a lot of various cover of these American bombs are used extensively to decorate buildings and roadsides in nearby Pkhonsavan, the administrative center of the province. A scrap metal collection - one of the primary economic activity here.

Researchers tracked banks to a pit several miles outside Pkhonsavan. The area was also used extensively during war of Pathet by Laos (Laotian Country, the communistic political movement) who disappeared in the natural and made by the person caves here in career. 

Know before you go

Many visitors fly to Pkhonsavan from Luang Prabang on one of small, passenger planes of the driver of the propeller of national airlines. Cheap cost. Buses which operate daily from Vietiane, Vang-Vyeng and Luang Prabang in Pkhonsavan; there was local bus traffic earlier, but it stopped service, and now the only general motor transit from Pkhonsavan - minivans 9:00. Three main places banks can visit the jeep/taxi, arranged through one of boards or travel agencies, or motorcycles which are easy for renting in the city. Pay attention to that from 3 usually visited Places Banks (called the Place 1, 2, and 3 though there are more than 40 Places Banks of all), the Place 1 is certainly the most brisk and the most tourist, being the closest to the city and the containing small museum; Laotians and foreign tourists equally can be noticed often removing or friends of Facetiming and relatives, sitting on banks. Unlike it, it would be possible to carry out very well a half of day on Places 2 and 3, without seeing anybody besides farmers and cows. If you employ the going guide, they can take you at an excursion about 1 hour between Places 2 and 3; this excursion shouldn't be undertaken without guide as it passes private shipyards and buildings of local farmers. From the Place 2 there is a fine walking route through the pine forest - is cleaned from UXOs though the route not always remains - to the point of view on the hill.