Xieng Khouang Unlocks "Secret Tunnel"

A secret tunnel at the summit of the Phu Kheng Jar Quarry Site in Xieng Khouang, about a 30-minute drive from Phonsavanh, is now open to the public, who have to climb more than 1,000 steps to reach the passageway that played a strategic role for revolutionary forces during the Indochina War (1964-1973).

The hardy climb passes an odd mix of bomb craters and unfinished or broken jars destined for Jar Site 1. The steps get steeper at the end, but the reward is a magnificent view of the valley around Phonsavanh and the entrance to the "Secret Tunnel".

The narrow 70-meter tunnel chiseled through rock is around 1.6-meters high, and winds past a few reinforced concrete bunkers and sleeping quarters before exiting to a panorama of the Phoukoud Valley.

A visitor information center and restaurant are nearing completion at the base of the mountain, though a row of refreshment stands already serves soft drinks, beers, and snacks.

For more information on Xieng Khouang, click here.

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