Huế, Vietnam

Gate to Imperial Citadel

Huế is a city with a long and distinguished history and despite the bitter battles that have taken place here in recent times, during the Vietnam. War, it has kept its air of romance, refinement, scholarship and spirituality. The founder of the Nguyễn dynasty, Emperor Gia Long, made Huế his capital in 1802, and it soon became known for its cultural activity. On the north bank of the Perfume River, the Emperor built a huge citadel in the Chinese style, with a Forbidden City at its heart, reserved for the sovereign's use. The Imperial City which surrounds it was the hub of the administration, and the whole complex is enclosed by a wall 7 m (23 ft.) high and 20 m (66 fl) thick, surrounded both inside and out by a moat and a canal.

Imperial Citadel.

The Imperial City was devastated first by fire in 1947, and later by some of the most terrible battles of the Vietnam War. However, some of the buildings remain and have been perfectly restored. Rebuilding has been continuous since 1975 and received a boost when Hue became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. The Ngo Mon Gate and the Thai Hoa Palace are two of the highlights but there are ancestral altars, Chinese assembly halls, pagodas, temples, royal mausoleum and fascinating museums to be explored too.

Huế is not simply a city of glorious historic relics; it is a lively thriving place, home to five universities. In 1995 it was given independent city status by the government to mark its growing economic importance.

Royal tomb.

Royal tomb's gate.

The Plain of Jars, Laos

The Plain of Jars is a large, rolling plateau in the north-east Laos, named after the mysterious groupings of stone jars to be found there in over a dozen sites. Others lie strewn across the plain and the surrounding hills. At Thong Hai Hin, or Site 1, there are 250 jars that range from about 600 kg (1,300 lb) to l tonne, and the largest jar on the plain weighs 6 tonnes. Some have stone lids lying nearby.

Many different theories have been advanced regarding their purpose, but as no other material has been discovered, they remain a mystery. They may have been storage vessels, or possibly funerary urns. Even dating them reliably is difficult, although archaeologists seem to agree that they are about 2,000 years old.

Although this is a site of intense interest to archaeologists, and has been for decades, the Indochinese wars have prevented much work
being done here. As the flattest area in northern Laos, the plain has been extensively fought over for centuries, and during the Vietnam War it was heavily bombed by the US. Local legend has it that the jars were made to ferment the rice wine needed to celebrate victory over a cruel Chieftain — even this story reflects the war-torn history of the area.

The plain itself is often forgotten, as visitors concentrate on the jar sites, but it is beautiful in its own right, with its grassy meadows and rolling brown and purple hills. Villages have been rebuilt, and rice and fruit trees planted. Sadly the area is still not free of unexploded ordnance and only the main three jar sites are considered reasonably clear, so stay on the footpaths or take a guide.

Ayutthaya, Thailand

An old city since 400 years ago (1350 AD), Ayutthaya was the capital of Siam, and the home of 33 kings. Wealthy and powerful, merchants from all over the Europe and the Far East came here. During a brief Burmese invasion in 1767, the city was all-but destroyed and the new capital was established at Bangkok. The ancient city is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a canal has been built to connect the three rivers that join where it stands, thus creating an island.

They’re many ruined temples scattered across the site, and there are others on the river’s edge too. The main temples can be visited on foot, but if you hire a bike you will be able to see much more of this extensive site. Wat Phra Si Sanphet was the largest temple in Ayutthaya, and also served as the palace. Built in the fourteenth century, it has three magnificent stupas. The adjoining Wat Mongkhon Bophit contains one of Thailand’s largest Buddha figures, which was cast in bronze in the fifteenth century.

Some of the temples are built in Khmer Style. Many are ruined but still magnificent, and there are a great many Buddha figures, including one in Wat Phra Meru from Sri Lanka that is said to be 1,300 years old. Sadly, many figures were damaged by the Burmese invaders, and more recently art thieves have stolen some of the heads. Nevertheless, this is a sacred site for Thais, who dress many of the Buddha figures in yellow robes, scatter flower petals and burn incense sticks reverently at their feet.