| Fetchwikidata: | ALL |
| Phou Bia | |
| Elevation M: | 2819 |
| Prominence M: | 2079 |
| Prominence Ref: | [1] |
| Range: | Annamite Range |
| Listing: | Country high point Ultra |
| Map: | Laos |
| Label Position: | left |
| Country: | Laos |
| State Type: | Province |
| State: | Xaisomboun |
| Coordinates: | 18.9817°N 103.1519°W |
| Mapframe: | yes |
| Mapframe-Zoom: | 10 |
| Mapframe-Wikidata: | yes |
Phou Bia (lo|ພູເບັ້ຍ, in Lao pronounced as /pʰúː bîa/) is the highest mountain in Laos. It is in the Annamese Range, at the southern limit of the Xiangkhoang Plateau in Xaisomboun Province. Owing to its elevation—2,819 m (9,249 ft), the highest terrestrial point in Laos, the climate is cold and the area around the mountain is mostly cloudy.
Although no snow has been reported for decades, it is claimed that as late as the first years of the 20th century, snow fell occasionally on its summit.
On 10 April 1970, an Air America C-130A aircraft crashed into the mountain.[2]
The area is remote, 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]
Phou Bia rises in a restricted military area near the abandoned Long Chen air base, and for this reason sees few outside visitors. Unexploded ordnance further complicates access. As of July 2008, there had been no known ascent by a non-Lao person for at least 30 years.
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]
