Group 4 is one of the quieter parts of Site 3, and what makes it worth the walk is its position. The jars here sit on a slight rise with open views over the valley, so that on a clear day you can see across the rice fields and low hills to the line of the horizon. It feels more private than other sites on the plain, with fewer visitors and less sense of being on a trail. The jars are scattered across the grass in an irregular pattern, and a couple are heavily tilted or cracked, which gives the place a worn, old feeling.
The word plain is slightly misleading. The Plain of Jars is really a high plateau, around a thousand metres above sea level, set among taller hills of the Annamite chain. That altitude keeps the air cool and clear, with mist in the early mornings and, in December and January, chilly nights where a jacket is welcome. The soil is red and the vegetation is mostly grass and small pines, with rice paddies in the valleys and patches of teak and bamboo around villages. Hmong and Lao Phuan communities live in the district, and the Phuan are the traditional people of the old kingdom of Xieng Khouang.
Old Muang Khoun, the former capital, lies not far to the south, and it was heavily bombed in the war. A few stupas and a ruined temple remain, and they tell the story better than any museum. In Phonsavan, the Mines Advisory Group runs an information centre that explains the unexploded ordnance problem and the clearance effort, which is worth an hour.
Phonsavan is about eighteen kilometres from the site, with fuel stations, a market, and noodle shops that serve a good pho. The ride out from the town is on well-sealed roads with gentle gradients, and you rarely meet heavy traffic. The best months are October to March. In the wet season, red mud covers the tracks to the jar sites, and the going is slow. Wear sturdy shoes, bring a hat and water, and stay on the cleared paths.