An article about potential problems tubing in Vang Vieng.
"You just don't understand how dangerous it is,"
Surely it's not that hard to understand the potential dangers of jumping into a river in (essentially) the middle of nowhere while grossly over-intoxicated on various substances, surrounded by similarly wasted party-goers...
Reply to this In response to: Msg #150211
Here is a piece by someone who visited and did realise how dangerous it is:
Laos tourist death 'accident waiting to happen'.
In this
article, there is a quote from a witness to the accident, Brad Haigh who said: ''Last year, 22 people died here in the river … It's all good fun, drinking and dancing by the river, but when you add the free whisky, tubing and slides, it's really dangerous.''
Unfortunately, there are travellers out there who think once they leave their country, that they can leave common sense at home.
[Edited: 2012 Jan 12 22:10 - The Travel Camel:11053 ]
Reply to this You're right. Somehow some people think that while they are travelling, nothing bad can happen to them. Things that they would never do back home suddenly seem a really great idea when in an exotic place surrounded by other people doing it too.
Reply to this I suspect that last part is the kicker - "other people doing it too" - Vang vieng has a crazy sort of momentum to it for sure.
Also, I guess you can't point the blame solely at the tourists - the bar owners obviously know how dangerous those slides etc are but... well they're still there aren't they?
Reply to this I'm sure many backpackers have made choices on the road that their common sense would stop them from doing in their home environment. I remember the Lonely Planet even mentioning one of the tubing deaths in their guidebook and warning travelers not to overdo the alcohol, watch out for wet season (stronger currents).
A sign by the side of the many bars saying 'slides/rope swings/excessive amounts of alcohol at own risk' would not deter the crazies from doing crazy stuff I'm afraid...
Now what is dangerous for the people not even drinking that much: getting hit in the face by a plastic bottle the bars use to drag you to the side.....or getting stuck in the dark when the water levels are too low 😊
Reply to this All of these articles and comments above go to prove the age old adage that common sense is not so common. Plus the belief that it won't happen to me.
Any time you mix a crowd of people with an over abundance of alcohol tragedy can happen. When we were in Vang Vieng we opted not to go tubing as we have done a great deal of that in Texas but I did decide to go swimming off the shore of the place we were staying. I am a strong swimmer and was completely taken by how strong the water currents were. I didn't stay in long.
Often times people under estimate the dangers of beautiful rivers ---
Reply to this I was there in June 2010 when the river was very low. Very safe, but I can see how dangerous it could be. Saw plenty of people with 'bingeries'. I got ridiculously drunk, but I avoided all of the rope swings & slides. Not worth the risk. Floating down a slow river when you could touch the bottom felt safe to me. A swollen, fast-flowing river would be very different. As said above, booze and deep water is a dangerous combo.
A mate of mine was there a couple of weeks ago and said someone had died the week before. Very sad.
Reply to this And another Aussie backpacker died tubing yesterday...
Reply to this Perhaps another risk to be aware of when in Laos???? Very Sad to find two young people dead in a hotel room on what should have been the trip of a lifetime.
Reply to this This is an excellent article on what is occuring in Vang Vieng:
Vang Vieng, Laos: the world's most unlikely party town
It commences with the words:
Vang Vieng, deep in the jungle of Laos, is a backpacker paradise where there are no rules. Last year at least 27 travellers died there, and countless more were injured.
It also points out the aspect of tourism that I most despise:
"Of course they want to have a good time, get laid, get wasted, get high, it's all normal. But it's not their country. It's just gone to such an extreme, and there's no consideration whatsoever for local sensibilities."
[Edited: 2012 Apr 12 05:19 - The Travel Camel:11053 ]
Reply to this
In response to: Msg #165175
Shane,
Thanks for posting this article. I'm sorry to here the area is getting a dip in tourism currently but I believe it will increase once the word gets out that it is not an unsafe, party town.
I know people who did not stop there because they had heard about all the drunken tubing. It is an amazingly beautiful area and we met many wonderful people in our time there. We were there during the boat festival and it was wonderful to see the customs, rituals and competition.
My belief is that a new type of world traveler will be stopping in the area sooner than later.
Plus they have amazing sunsets over the mountains.
Reply to this It is a very beautiful area, which has been spoilt somewhat by the drunken tubing and the TV bars. If the tubing is stopped then hopefully it will become more attractive to other travellers.
Reply to this From the article it appears that the tubing is continuing but other water activities (i.e. ziplines) have been dismantled. Certain dedicated drinking areas have also been closed, so now we have a situation of supply and demand - less demand means less supply so bars and accommodation places will continue to close until it becomes sustainable.
Hopefully the area continues to attract other travellers, and show that one does not need to pander to the worst excesses of tourism in order to maintain a tourist industry.
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