Vang Vieng is this little nowhere town, in Laos, part way between Luang Prabang and Vientiane.Vang Vieng is surrounded by a network of caves, cliffs and rivers. Very beautiful. And until recently, very quiet.
I arrived in the afternoon, and it was blazing hot. We loaded out of the cramped minibus. As always the ride was a proper ride - through the mountains. Along the way we hit a rest stop (some shacks along the one road that sold chicken sandwiches ... always with the chicken sandwiches). Someone purchased a pack of oreos, and it took us a minute to figure out why the package was bulging.
We were at altitude. The cookies were packaged closer to sea level, and now it was pressurized. Sure enough, as we slowly descended, the package slowly deflated.
Then Tourism took over, and that's why 5 tuk tuk drivers were waiting at the minibus, all demanding 1.50 each to drive for 5 minutes. 10 of us crammed in the tuk tuk on the vay to this inner city.
I found a great bungalow, called phonsavanh. It was only 60 000 kip a night, and amazingly beautiful:
Then next day I went for the famous tubing, and what I saw amazed me. It was as if every frat boy on the world and every diva all crammed themselves onto this one river. Everybody had a smile on their face and everyone was very accepting and relaxed.
Again, everybody was in a great mood and extremely accepting. A perfect example, Conrad! Conrad was practically a celebrity while I was in Vang Vieng, everybody loved that despite his age, and not really ever traveling, he had made it all the way out to Laos alone.
He was also a bit sassy...
The party continues all day, and as people get drunk and zipline / rope swing things get more energetic.
Afterward people head into town, to continue, and you find scenes like this. (people in an ice box).
Why are they in the ice box? I will never know.
(you can also tell the girl here is thinking 'why am i in this icebox')
The sad thing about the parties in Vang Vieng is how little it has to do with Laos. It might as well be in the middle of USA, Poland, Cambodia. There is absolutely nothing cultural about Vang Vieng, from Baguettes to buckets.
After weeks of enduring expensive places and treks, as well as days alone... finding a place like this is like a breath of fresh air.
After a day or 2 of this, you generally remember why you hate excessive drinking, and venture out around Vang Vieng to see the sights. And sights here are.
There are caves:
There are mountains:
And more relaxed places by the water:
