Tubing in Vang Vieng

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Picture this: a sleepy village in the middle of Laos, dominated by the tranquil Nam Song River, and surrounded by beautiful limestone cliffs and lush green fields full of water buffalo and cows. Add to this a heavy sprinkling of happy smiling locals and equally happy backpackers, and you start to get the idea of what a visit to Vang Vieng is like.

Having returned to this magical place after two years, we were quite anxious that it might have changed and "progressed" for the worse. We were so glad to discover that it was, in fact, hardly changed. Sure, a new fancy hotel had been build in place of a handful of small local establishments (sad, but bound to happen), but apart from that, it remained essentially the same. The bridges and bars along the river are still thrown together out of bamboo every year after the rains, and the locals are still happy and smiling, not jaded as can sometimes happen.

We have spent a week here, alternating between floating down the river in an inner tube from bar to bar, lazing in a hammock by the river sipping a mango shake, and taking a bike ride or a walk in the surrounding countryside. If there is a heaven, this place just might be it! I'll let the photos speak for themselves!

Oh, Merry Christmas and happy New Year to you all!

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Photos

Vang Vieng, Laos
These rickety bridges are rebuilt every year after the rains.

Loaded up and ready to go
Tuk tuks loaded up with 10 travellers and 10 inner tubes get ready to take you up river.

This is where it all starts!
The start of the tubing trip down the Nam Song River

Bar 1
Let's get this party started!

Sara with her birthday bucket
Vodka, red bull, and sprite - yum!

A sea of inner tubes!
Getting ready to float down to the next bar.

What a job!
These guys make sure you don't float right past their bar by mistake!

Comments

[Tara]

Wow!
It's just like you described it to us! Maybe we should have made our way there! Next trip!