Group 2 gives you the sense of how the jars sit within working farmland. The cluster lies near a village, with fields running right up to the edge of the cleared path, and as you walk you pass rice stubble, a small irrigation channel and perhaps a woman carrying a load of firewood. The jars here are of medium size, some pushed over, some partly buried, and they are mixed with outcrops of natural rock. It all looks quite casual, as if the landscape had not noticed it was famous.
The Plain of Jars is a plateau in the north of Laos, built of sandstone and limestone, with the old kingdom of Xieng Khouang at its heart. For centuries the region was the home of the Phuan people, who ruled from Muang Khoun and traded with both Vietnam and Siam. Powerful neighbours sacked the town more than once. In the twentieth century, the plateau lay along the supply routes of the Vietnam War, and much of the old capital was destroyed in the bombing campaign. The people who farm the fields today have lived through all of this, and many of them work in clearing teams or run small guesthouses.
For riders, the plateau offers good, quiet roads. Route 7 and Route 6 cross the high country in long, easy bends with views of pine and grass, and in the cool season there is a bite in the air. From Phonsavan the road to the sites is paved for most of the way, though the last part can be bumpy. The days are warm and the evenings can be chilly, with mist in the valleys at dawn. In the dry months, from November to April, traffic is light. During the rains, mud and slippery surfaces call for caution.
You will find fuel in Phonsavan, and a modest range of food, from noodle soup to grilled meat and sticky rice. The local rice whisky, lao-lao, is strong and often offered with a smile, so go gently if you have a bike to ride. Plan a slow day, with time to look at the stones and to sit under a tree and think about the people who made them.