Vientiane (dpa) – North-eastern Laos' Xiang Khuang province has designated Keng Mountain, situated in the Plain of Jars, as a new tourist attraction, media reports said Thursday. “Although the site needs better road access and electricity, it is scheduled to officially open on January 18,” Xiang Khuang Tourism Department Director Khamphet Phommakaisone told the Vientiane Times. The mountain not only boasts Iron Age stone jars but also a tunnel network that was dug by soldiers during the Indochina War to avoid bombing raids by the US military. Xiang Khuang is famed for its Plain of Jars, an area in the centre of the province where thousands of large stone jars dating back to the Iron Age are now one of the country's leading tourist attractions. “The jars provide clues to the lives of people many centuries ago,” Khamphet said. “Many people believe they were made in the era when people first began using metal implements for carving.” It is believed the jars were used as burial containers. The Plain of Jars has been nominated for World Heritage Site status for its significant archaeological, historical and natural value, he said. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/DTAyY Tags: Laos, Plain of Jars, Tourism Section: East Asia, Travel
