STEPPING STONES SNAPSHOT
TO THE
ANCIENT PAST Journey deeper into southern Laos PHOTOGRAPHS BY PHOONSAB THEVONGSA TEXT BY JASON ROLAN
M
ost journeys to southern Laos include visits to the famous Wat Phou UNESCO World Heritage Site as well as the 4000 Islands in Champasak Province. But for a more eclectic holiday, visit Savannakhet and Salavan Provinces to see the lesser-known Heuan Hin (Stone House) and 4000 Holes. Like the Wat Phou temple complex, Heuan Hin is a stone temple. It is believed to be the northernmost Khmer structure in Laos, located along the Mekong River in Savannakhet Province. It is believed to be one of the rest houses constructed by Jayavarman VII in the 12th century. Originally a Hindu site, it was later converted by Buddhists. A bit farther to the south is the area known as the 4000 Holes along the Mekong in Salavan Province. Erosion over millions of years has caused peculiar formations in the seasonally-submerged sandstone here. These types of formations are known as "giant's kettles" or "potholes", and are formed from water flowing over rocks and debris. The flow causes them to spin around on the sandstone, drilling holes over many millennia. Some are quite shallow and small, while others make great swimming holes in the dry season.
