Lying on the bank of poetic Nam Song River, far from the capital Vientiane about 150 km, the lovely town Vang Vieng with charming landscape will be a dreamy stopover in the journey to explore Laos. This small town places among the vast green mountains, known as a tranquil countryside with fresh cool air and also the famous tourist attraction of the beautiful country, Laos.
With the advantage of ideal terrain – the behind is mountain, the front is river, and this small town hides both the wild and the gladness inside. The Vang Vieng’s wild appears from the green of the trees and the river flowing annually, bending softly through the limestone blocks.
No spectacular architectures, no luxurious resorts or wide stone streets … but every year, Vang Vieng attracts a huge number of tourists that is more than many times compared to the local population.
Things to do
- Tubing: This pastime is one of the most popular for tourists when travelling Vang Vieng. You will rent a tube, take a ride up the river, and float your way back down. In addition, some bars are opened along the route and we can enjoy a lot of fun.
- Hot Air Balloon Ride: When admiring the majestic scenery of Vang Vieng, you may wish “If only I can get high to enjoy this awesome”. What is more exciting than watch the total view of the lovely town in a hot air balloon basket from the height? Come to Vang Vieng, you will get wonderful moments. This is a precious chance that cannot be missed because.
- Blue Lagoon & Cave: This is an ideal location to refresh yourself after tiring long journey. The emerald water falling down from the up-streams will quickly dispel the stifling heat. Besides, you can also discover the mystic cave nearby, and then climb down and jump into the lagoon off the hanging tree or swing in on a rope like Tarzan!
- Kayaking and Canoeing Tours: Vang Vieng lies on the Nam Song River, so water-relating activities here are very diverse. The best way to watch more the river is kayaking! The river is as beautiful and gentle as the town that it flows through. Float along the river, enjoy the picturesque landscape, and sometimes come over the caves on the sides. It will be a wonderful chill time for visitors to pure the soul.
- Rock Climbing: Although Vang Vieng is so peaceful and quiet, there are still active activities that are not less interesting. Rock climbing is an activity like that. The limestone mountains in Laos not only contain amazing caves, but also many rough cliffs which are perfect for climbing. The adventurous people definitely love this game.
Accommodation
Motels in Vang Vieng are rather cheap and almost never lack of rooms. If you want an affordable accommodation, Pan’s Place Guesthouse is a good place. On the other hand, rooms from Riverside Boutique Resort seem to be the most ideal location to enjoy the town, of course if you don’t too bother the price.
Food
The number of restaurants in Vang Vieng is various, offering the best local dishes like Sticky Rice (Khao Niaw), Steamed Fish (Mok Pa), Or Lam (Stew) or Sai Qua (Lao Sausage).
Best Time to Visit
Vang Vieng not only has the landscape as on paradise but also is blessed the great climate. Visitors can explore this beautiful town any season in the year. From November until February, the weather is awesome: blue sky, sparkling sunshine, just cold a bit in the early morning and late night. From March to May is the hottest period, but it is also the festival time here.
In June and July, it gets more humid and sometimes has random rains. In August and September, the downpours happen more. As a result, the water level on Nam Song River rises, ideal for kayak and tubing. In October, the rain amount decreases.
How to Get to Vang Vieng from Vientiane & Luang Prabang?
Vang Vieng is really an ideal destination when placing on the 13 National Highway, between Vientiane and Luang Prabang. Therefore, tourists can drop by this pretty town on the way to visit the two most famous cities of Laos. You can take a bus, a coach, a taxi to approach the town. In the town, you should rent a bike to freely go around and slowly enjoy every single corner of this poetic place.
Saving Tips
- Walk to your accommodation from where the bus drops you off (because it doesn’t take much time)
- Avoid Tuk Tuk( very expensive) and walk or rent a bicycle instead
- Buy local food at street stalls or small restaurants; avoid the generic restaurants
- Don’t accept the first price on anything—bargaining is accepted.
