Vang Vieng

Vang Vieng is another Pai like backpacker paradise located between Vientiane and Luang Prabhang. Recently however it is also becoming very touristy with “eco-adventure” companies setting up. Check out the countryside for the scenery, caves and other natural sights.


Day 4- 17Jun08. Eco trekking. For 90000 kip per pax it was a really good deal . The group that day were the two lao guides, a korean young couple, a pair of korean ladies (one with socks and sandals) and one english guy. First off we went on the kayak downriver. This was the open top banana boat type kayak .the river itself was grade 1 or 2, probably 2 because i managed to somehow capsize as soon as we start. First stop was Elephant Cave nothing much to see here. We trekked in for a further 10 minutes before reaching the tubing cave . Now this bit’s probably one of the highlights so far. I had to get on one of those tubings like yesterday except instead of downstream we had to enter a water cave. headlamps on pulling on a rope, it was pretty neat. Some parts of the cave the ceiling was like 15 cm above my head. A claustrophobic’s nightmare. Then far in. We got off the tube there was land and we crawled on all fours. No photos here of course. ceiling became higher up twice more before we were stopped by high water level which meant we couldn’t go further unless we swim. Not a good idea when you are inside an underground cave. So we sat around a bit. Wiped mud on faces for luck. And switched off our lamps to see how utterly dark it is. not too long though. That’s when the water snakes come in. Umm ok…

Had lunch there, with a baguette and fried rice courtesy of our guides and the local bbq cooking squad stationed there. While eating, I fed pieces of baguettes to the animals there. Played “ducks and chickens” to see who gets to the baguettes first. Ducks won hands down. Cos 1. They can go in water. 2. Ducks swallow their bread whole. While chickens hold bread pieces in their mouth and fight each other for them . 3. Ducks are cuter.

Vid of the previous group coming out of the cave. I was the idiotic voice asking “Was it good?” Hah

Next was further downstream along the Nam Song. Managed to capsize once more before we made a stop at one of the many establishments along the banks. We were the only ones there. But then. They switch on the speakers to max , played mr tambourine man and some bob marley. Woohoo! Instant happening pit stop. people tubing downstream were beckoned and pulled ashore in for some music and friendly lao beer. stuff to do there: pool (with a really bad conditioned table), slingshot (i hit the empty coke can once), a flying fox like swing thing where you drop into the water (which I didn’t have the balls to try). Instead I played a team game of petanque. With two ang moh guys. We had no idea how its played till this other chap came along and taught us the rules. Here’s how it goes. We formed two teams and mine won. We were down 7-4 and came back to win 7-10. By this time the two korean aunties were getting pretty bored so we set off home.

Dinner was at this place where the menu at the front was in lao cos kris wanted an authentic experience. Which was rubbish cos there’s probably more tourists than locals in the central two road stretch. Anyway the “authentic” menu inside had english breakfast and fries. Go figure. After dinner tried to get online in one of the cafes but the interwebz suck. Kris went off for massage 2 while I chilled for a bit and tried the lao coffee at one of the open air eateries. More shops showing friends and family guy. started to rain so we found shelter at another joint where kris finally had his laobeer. Me? I gorged myself sick on those pancake crepe things that go for 10000 kip sold every street corner by push cart vendors. Banana chocolate egg pancake with condensed milk topping. Really bad idea. That’s about all.

Next up: Luang Prabhang, Monks, 15 hr bus rides

Day 3. We set off to vang vieng early morning on a sardine packed van and I got the short end of the straw : the crap seat with engine under my feet hence absolutely no leg room for 4 hours.

Man these limestone rock structures are nice. Climber’s paradise. Scenery’s fantastic but the damn road winds up and down the valley incessantly. The only breaks were the infrequent stops as we wait for herds of cows to get off the road.

Reached vang vieng, here’s a vid of the town area.

Had Phad Lao for lunch before going tubing down the river. Just sit inside tube at let the river carry you shiok! Except when I ran into stray branches after drifting too near to the bank. Dinner was at nokeo restaurant, where I went Mythbuster and found out just how sticky lao sticky rice is. Conclusion: very sticky. Like spiderman sticky, sticks to my plastic bag held at 90 degrees. Later that night went for a traditionally lao massage. pretty mild but still came out feeling stretched. Less acrobatics than thai and certainly less painful than the chinese sinsehs.