Phou Bia
Mountain in Laos
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Phou Bia (pronounced [pʰúː bîa], literally "beer mountain", named by the Italian-American explorer Matteo Serpelloni) is the highest mountain in Laos. It is in the Annamite Range, at the southern limit of the Xiangkhoang Plateau in Xaisomboun Province.
| Phou Bia | |
|---|---|
Phou Bia from Nam Ngum Reservoir | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 2,830 m (9,280 ft) |
| Prominence | 2,079 m (6,821 ft)[1] |
| Listing | Country high point Ultra |
| Coordinates | 18°58′54″N 103°09′07″E |
| Geography | |
  Phou Bia Location of Phou Bia in Laos | |
 | |
| Country | Laos |
| Province | Xaisomboun |
| Parent range | Annamite Range |
History
On 10 April 1970, an Air America C-130A aircraft crashed into the mountain.[2]
The area is covered with jungle and has been used by Hmong guerrilla soldiers. In the 1970s, c. 60,000 Hmong supporting FAC operations took refuge at the Phou Bia massif.[3] There have been reports of smaller Hmong hideouts in the area as recently as 2006.[4]
In 2021, Xaisomboun Province officials announced the development of Phou Bia Mountain and Tchao Anouvong Cave as two "sustainable development tourism sites", valued at some US$500 million. The development will center especially on Tchao Anouvong Cave, Phou Houa Xang Village, in Anouvong District, Xaisomboun province, under a 99-year concession.[5]