Tubing in Vang Vieng, is it all done and dusted with? Once the perennial South East Asian backpacker piss up party town, it was THE place to sit in an old decrepit rubber ring, float down a beautiful river of which you will take little notice, use you mates faces as a canvas for your new found love of fluorescent art, drink beer and whisky whilst getting shit faced in the process and then make ill advised decisions to jump at great heights from any structure that couldn’t be any less stable unless built by toddlers jacked up on rusks using only second hand meccano.
… or at least that’s how it used to be.
April 2013 and I land down in Vang Vieng where in if truth be told, I have no idea what to expect. Would the whole place be on a massive come down after the government enforced a major crackdown upon its much loved/loathed (delete as applicable) tubing scene? Would I find a ghost town? Would I find a few backpackers going against the grain and desperately trying to keep the party alive?
Well actually, what I found in my opinion was quite a cool, pretty little town with plenty still to do despite lacks of party bars along the river.
I’ve heard stories of people from each ‘side’, some claiming that there is now no reason to stop off in Vang Vieng now that the tubing is ‘finished’, others claiming that only now is it worth stopping in Vang Vieng. What either side in my opinion has failed to grasp is that there is so much more to this little town than backpackers getting pissed up on a river.
Exhibit A: Tubing
A funny one to start on I agree, especially after the opening few paragraphs I reeled off there, but despite what people say, tubing down the river is still operating and yes it is totally worth it. Whilst the main event is over, tubing in its simplest form lives on, and it is glorious, very much like a scenic lazy river. We spent 3 sun soaked hours floating down that glorious river and loved every minute of it. Were we drunk? No. Were we on drugs? No.
There are now just a couple of bars, nothing to get too excited about and at the same time, nothing to get your knickers in a twist about. During the whole 3 hours we spent on that river we had 1 beer between Esther and I. The bars that lined river we small, pretty quiet and more focused on relaxing than partying. I’m not saying everyone stopped at one beer, but I didn’t see anything paralytic and passed out on the floor. People seemed more interested in lying in a hammock or playing volleyball.
These few bars that are in operation are referred to locally as ‘pirate bars’ which we think basically means they’re illegal and shouldn’t be there. In fact we’re pretty sure of this because whilst kicking back in a hammock in one bar the owner suddenly came bounding in, panic all over his face and basically threw everyone out whilst screaming ‘the police are coming, the police are coming’. No matter, back in our tubes and off down the river we went.
Even if the tubing thing doesn’t really appeal, but the river does to some extent, why not just go kayaking instead?
Exhibit B: Bike riding
Vang Vieng is not a big place, within a few short minutes you could be out and peddling your way through some pretty epic surrounding countryside. At a rough cost of 40,000 KIP for a full days rental of a mountain bike its hardly bad value either. There’s caves a plenty in the area to explore and a popular bike ride in the area is to the …
Exhibit C: The Blue Lagoon
Ah now this place is a little gem, not a hidden gem by any stretch, but worth a bit of peddle power in order to get to (or take a tuk tuk). Note that if you do take a tuk tuk your driver will probably take you across a tole bridge and ask you to pay, its unlikely the tole is included in the price they have quoted you to reach the lagoon.
Upon arrival you will have to pay a small entrance fee, but you certainly get bang for you buck, or in this case KIP. The Lagoon is beautiful little spot when you swim, tan, burn, jump from great heights, have a drink, play volleyball etc etc. Its almost like a little beach resort, just without any sand.
If you feel a few itches in your feet and have the urge to do something a little more energetic with your time rather than just lounge around, the lagoon has that covered too. Up what I can describe as being a lite version of the stairs to Mordor, there lies the Phu Kham cave to be explored, complete with gold reclining budha. Torches are on rent from a small stall at the bottom of the stairs and arent a completed rip off, but if you have a torch simply take your own.
Exhibit D: The Views
As with getting to the Blue Lagoon, there are two options for getting amazing views over Vang Vieng. Hot Air Ballooning in Vang Vieng may not adhere to all the safety standards taken in more western countries, but if things like the lack of a safety briefing before a flight don’t worry you so much the views are almost unparalleled at either sunrise or sunset.
If you’re a little more safety conscious, not a friend of heights, or a bit wary of both why not keep your feet on the ground and instead take a hike? The Paa Bouak Hill Climb, just a short distance from town is said to offer great views over the surrounding area at the cost of a small entrance fee. Unfortunately I never made it to the hill so cannot give my personal opinion on the views, or what the current charge is. Sorry. The view from dinner wasnt too bad though.
Some more info on tubing in Vang Vieng
So there you have just a couple of reasons why Vang Vieng is not a destination to skip over. But anyway, back to the theme of this post, tubing in Vang Vieng. If you are interested in a spot of tubing once you hit Vang Vieng, here’s a few snippets of info taken from our visit in 2013. These could obviously change in the future, but for now could be worth noting …
- The tubing is now all organised through one single office located next to the internet cafe, near the non-toll bamboo bridge. That probably wont mean a lot to you so check out this very useful hobomap of Vang Vieng and look for the dude in a tube floating on the river. The rental office just to the right of that little chap.
- Tubing itself costs 120,000 KIP, but you will get a chunk of that back if you get your tube back to the office by a specific time …
a) Arrive back before 6pm and receive 60,000 KIP back
b) Arrive back after 6pm and receive 40,000 KIP back
c) Arrive back after 8pm and receive 0 KIP back
- The tubing office states that you should allow 2 hours for your tubing experience, I would say double that. Part of me cant help but think its purposely a little miss guiding so more people than not tend to lose a little of their deposit.
- The water is both very shallow and very deep in parts. Its easy to understand why there were so many accidents.
- For those of you that aren’t wonderful at swimming, or just not particularly confident in the water, life jackets are available.
Some more info on Vang Vieng in 2013
I like to plan ahead to some extent and so always do a bit of background reading before heading to a new destination. I get that some people like to do the opposite and do nothing in advance, just go with the flow on the day, but certain things such as transport and money always plague my mind with worries. So if you’re like me and like just a little info to go on before your arrival in Vang Vieng, here are just a few snippets that might be of use …
- Mini bus from Vientiane is 4 hrs, costs 40,000 KIP per person
- Mini bus from Luang Prabang is 6 hrs (very bumpy), costs 80,000 KIP per person
- With any journey to/from Vang Vieng there will be a toilet stop, but it will cost you 1000-2000 KIP for the privilege.
- Dress code in town – basically cover up. Don’t just strut around in your bikini or board shorts.
- ATMs in town – Yes, but they all charge for withdrawals
- Meal prices average between 20,000 and 40,000 KIP for a local dish. Western food is available but more expensive.
- Average beer price is around 10,000 KIP
- Bottles of water can be found for as little as 2000 KIP, but these bottles are not re-sealable. Best for just gulping down on the spot.
- Free Wifi is everywhere
- Internet cafe has CD burning and Skype facilities
- Bike hire is roughly 30,000 – 50,000 KIP for the day depending on what type of bike you get
- Hot air balloon ride was 650,000 KIP per person for a 45 minute ride
- There is a tourist info building in town, but it shuts for a couple of hours around lunch time
Conclusion
The decline in river side bars where you can drink yourself silly and have a random draw an fluorescent penis on your newly acquired Beer Lao vest should not put you off visiting VV in my opinion. There are still the bars showing friends and family guy on repeat, still the baguette and pancake stalls lining the streets of an evening, and there are still a few parties in town. But so what? … and its not as if they are now the only things left in Vang Vieng, there’s so much more.
Laos and Cambodia Video
There’s a spot of Vang Vieng footage in this short video I made, skip to around 1.00 if you’re interested … or you could make me do big happy faces by watching the whole thing.
Example of big happy face … :D
Great read Neil and interesting to here the changes happening at Vang Vieng. I bet it would be strange to see the difference now from when I was there over a year ago.
I thought Vang Vieng was beautiful despite all the idiots that were there!
Have a Beerlao for me!
Cheers
Tom
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@Tom – Based upon what I had heard and read I didn’t expect a lot from VV but was actually pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed my time there. The countryside surrounding the town is just beautiful. Tubing was good fun too, more relaxing than anything.
Thanks for commenting.
Really interesting to read this. When I was in Vang Vieng ten years ago it sounds just like it is now – relaxed tubing with a couple of beers, bit of cycling, relaxed sunset bars and even went to that swimming hole (remember the water being absolutely freezing!). I’ve read so much about what it turned into and it’s good to hear it’s gone back to its roots, I have great memories of spending a few days there.
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Perfect timing! We’ve just arrived in Vang Vieng determined to give it the benefit of the doubt. Just from talking with our guesthouse owner there seems to be a ton of activities on offer that I’d never heard of. Hopefully this pretty little place can start getting a better name for itself.
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@Lucy – I’ve heard more bars could be re-opening in an effort to bring more tourists and their money back to the area. Whilst thats understandable I hope it doesnt make VV just a party town again. Hopefully someone will write a 2014 update and we can track the changes.
@Maddie – I hope you like it. I didnt have high hopes but was really sad to leave by the end. The countryside is just gorgeous, although I appreciate cycling through it in the heat is bloody hard work. Have a great time!
Loved the highlights of the other awesome things to do in VV! I walked around town and to the caves, but in hindsight bikes would have been a much better decision- it was a long, hot walk! It’ll definitely be super interesting to see how/if things continue to change.
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Glad to gear Vang Vieng has cleaned up its act. I enjoyed it when I was there in 2012 but it was too party mad and I felt they were distracting the real beauty of the place.
However, when I left, I claimed that I would discourage people not to go there and instead spent more time in Luang Prabang. But now after reading your article on this, I’m really impressed and now I will encourage people to go to VV!
Great post dude!
Ed x
@Ed – works both ways I guess. Some people probably wouldn’t bother any more because the party has finished, whereas some would now be more inclined to visit due to it being a bit quieter and peaceful. Personal tastes I guess. I liked it though, glad we stopped off.
… Luang Prabang was awesome though!!
I’ve been waiting for a good update on this place – thanks! I wrote about my memories of it a little while ago and was really surprised to hear how things had changed! http://www.traveleachday.com/2013/02/20/tubing-in-vang-vieng-a-cautionary-tale/
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Vang Vieng was one of the places I was unsure if I wanted to visit both because I wanted to check the party scene and also because I’m old enough to want to avoid the all day every day party scene. I’m now leaning more towards definitely going after seeing how much more there is to do there than get hammered and watch Family Guy. Thanks for the informative post!
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@Frank – Glad you found it of use. Whilst Family Guy is funny and beer is tasty there’s plenty more to VV. I would say its at least worth 3 nights of your time.
We were in Vang Vieng a couple months ago and we had a great time. Floating down the river, watching the gorgeous scenery and drinking a couple of beers was a wonderfully relaxing way to spend the afternoon.
There were a few people who took to too far, and we had to save a passed out young Danish girl from drowning (read the story here: http://global-goose.com/travel-stories/tubing-in-vang-vieng-laos/) but other than that, it was fine. :)
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The bf and I are heading out on our “big trip” this November and I was just showing him videos and reading articles about Vang Vieng last night. I was telling him how it used to be like spring break on crack and that the government has since cracked down due to the rise in injuries and deaths. I had been interested to witness (not exactly throw myself fully into) the chaos of Vang Vieng at it’s height.
I’m a little sad that the insanity is no longer going on, but given that I’m not a “spring breaker,” lets get shitty kind of person, I’ll probably enjoy the new Vang Vieng. I knew there were other activities available in the area as well, such as kayaking and biking. I’m a little excited to know that you can go on a hot air balloon ride as well.
Thanks for the post!
We went in October 2012, and our experience was similar. It was really beautiful, and really relaxed. We biked out to some caves, drifted down the river – it was fantastic. I never went when tubing was at its height, so I guess I can’t compare, but in many ways I think I prefer Vang Vieng the way it is now.
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@Robyn – I know what you mean, I too was interested to witness the carnage for myself, but ultimately think I enjoyed my time in VV more for not being more sober than drunk.
The tubing is still cool though, would highly recommend an afternoon on the river experiencing just a couple of the small bars.
Thanks for commenting :)
@Jessica – It would have been interesting to see at its height, but like you I think I would prefer the newer version. Either way, I think the point is that just because tubing has ‘finished’ it doesnt mean that backpackers should skip VV. There’s still loads of reasons to visit.
Thanks for commenting :)
OMG, the town is so different from 2009! Hot-air balloons, that is totally new. We loved the blue lagoon when we were there and we had so much fun. I think it’s good it goes back to it’s laid-back.
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@Dnomads – I would love to have seen it back when at its most popular, just so I could compare. From my single visit however I have nothing negative to say about the place. Different or not I loved VV.
I was definitely planning on visiting Vang Vieng again, not would not consider it now that the “bar scene” has closed down. I understand it was seen as a safety hazard and doesn’t surprise me there were deaths, but it could have been easily regulated rather than closed down altogether. I understand the appeal of Vang Vieng without the tubing, but it was easy to do both the party tubing and the relaxing/outdoor activities before. The drunken tubing didn’t really get going until 11/12 so we booked a kayak around 9 and there wasn’t one bar open or playing loud music… very relaxing. And the caving, trekking, mountain climbing, etc. are in different areas than the river bars so didn’t impact each other whatsoever. This is a travesty in my book and I will not be back to Laos now whereas I was actually looking into visiting again in 2014.
@Matthew – I think it will eventually make a come back, purely because it was such a money spinner for the area. However I also believe it will be more heavily policed to avoid the volume of negative press it had previously. Its definitely one to keep an eye on so I wouldn’t rule out visiting just yet. Thanks for you opinion and taking the time to comment.
Great to hear the tubing is still on even if it seems like it changed a lot. I was there twice before they shut the bars down and while I agree something should be done, I think they went a bit overboard by trying to shut it down completely… With the money they were making from all the extra tourism they could have easily paid a few police and life guards to keep the idiots from killing themselves and let the rest of us continue having fun. Oh well, I’m glad tubing is still possible at least. And very nice post btw ;)
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First of all, you’re all daft mindless droning boring wastes of space. I was at VV tubing in 2011 and it was a highlight of Asia, the party going all day and night, beers whiskies and drugs everywhere. Best time ever! If all you moronic saps DONT want that, then DONT go to VV. People who got themselves killed have only themselves to blame, and it is one of the World’s greatest ever shames that this delightful awesome steamy getaway had to be shut down by the ”new wave” southern travellers. PATHETIC. BRING BACK TUBING!
@Dan – Policing and lifeguards would have been ideal you’re right. Pretty simple solutions, but would have been massively effective. I think the tubing will continue to make its way back and grow, but with a few lessons learnt this time around.
@Gaz – Pretty clear you feel strongly about this, but people have a right to voice their opinion, just as you have done. Anyway, yes I bet back in the day it was an amazing party, I am gutted to have never have got the change to experience it for myself. Should they bring it back? Potentially yes, because of the money it brings to the area. But there would need to be a few changes from the previous model. As Dan previously commented, lifeguards would be a good start.
Thanks for the heads up I’m heading there in a couple of months it still sounds great! :)
@Charlotte – You’ll have a great time. Whilst I’m gutted I never got to see it in full party mode, it was still on of my highlights from my mini tour of Laos and Cambodia. Enjoy!
Thanks for a really interesting post Neil! I visited in 2011 and am fascinated to read about how it has changed. We had a mixed day there as we spent the morning biking around and exploring a cave and then tubed in the afternoon. I enjoyed both parts equally, but for very different reasons!
After reading this I am definitely keen to go back and experience how it has changed for myself – I would love to go hot air ballooning as that scenery would be stunning from the air.
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@Jessi – The views from the balloon are incredible and I’m so glad my gf talked me around to do the balloon ride. We did a morning flight, but I bet a sunset one would be even more spectacular. Just don’t expect a safety briefing or anything like that, its cheap for a reason.
Great read and helped clarify some questions I had about it. I am headed to VV this week and this post made me even more excited to go! Thanks
I was in Vang Vieng 15yrs Ago and it was Magical and Mystical..Very Peacefull with only a Handfull of Hotels and nothing resembling a Party Bar..Ive wanted to go back for a while but the Party Town Tag has held me back..Not that im a Square.Far From. but i remember VV as it was..Now theres been a bit of a Clear up im Heading back there for Xmas and New Year for 2 Months.Cant Wait.
@Justin – 2 months? That sounds incredible! I loved VV, but I have only seen it post clamp down. I like a party though, so might have been just as keen on the version pre shut down. I guess I’ll never know. Either way, a magical place!
Hey Neil..
I also want to go back to a Eco Resort i stayed in on the banks of the Nam Ngum River im sure it was called Lao Paco..Super Chilled..No Electricity.All the Beer was Chilled by Ice in a Big Plastic Container..The Good Life..Uve been to Laos recently..I Love Quiet Chillled Placs what u Recommend..
@Justin – I must confess that we only made it to Vietaine, VV and Luang Prabang. We were on a tight schedule to say the least. Luang Prabang was probably my fave, but that owed a lot to arriving in time for Songkran. Not sure that can be classified as chilled.
Tubing or no tubing, the reason Vang Vieng stands out in my memories is for its beautiful scenery- the backdrop behind the river is amazing. Lovely photos of the mountains.
@Katie – So true, an incredibly beautiful place which doesn’t always get the credit it deserves for being so.
Great read and info Neil. I guess I am certainly glad that I was there in 2008 and didn’t the drunken tubing thing for a few days. But once I had sobered up I took an alcohol free day to just enjoy the natural beauty that Vang Vieng has on offer. Despite the obvious government intervention to put an end to the bars etc I can definitely say that Vang vieng has so much more to offer than it’s grubby shots of moonshine whiskey and vodka at the river side bars. I will definitely go back to visit VV again in the future.
@Josh – I wish I’d experienced VV back in 2008, just to see if it lived up to the hype. Also, being that bit younger, I would have probably loved the party element, whereas now I would struggle doing 2 days in a row haha.
That said, I wouldn’t swap my 2013 visit for anything.
@Neil – I feel you, now that I am older I dont think my body would handle it as well as I used to. Its funny how your interests change with age!! Keep up the wicked blog :)
I WAS IN VANG VIENG TEN YEARS AGO AND ALSO FOR THE BIG PARTY SCENE A COUPLE YEARS AGO. I THINK PEOPLE JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND THE WHOLE THING PROPERLY. VV IS NOT IBIZA,IT IS A TOWN OF FAMILYS WITH STRONG CULTURE. THERE WAS TOO MANY DRUNK DISRESPECTFUL SHITS UPSETTING THE PEOPLE!!! VV IS THERE HOME AND THE FUTURE OF THEIR CHILDREN IS THAT TOWN! I WAS TALKING TO MY GUEST HOUSE OWNER AND TOWARDS THE END THEY WAS EXAUSTED FROM THE ABUSE OF THE DISGUSTING DRUNKS, PRANCING AROUND HALF NAKED DRUGGED UP TO THERE EYEBALLS. I AM GLAD VV IS BACK TO HOW IT USED TO BE. PEOPLE SHOULD UNDERSTNAD THE CULTURE OF PLACES BEFORE THEY GO.
@Flower – I’m very much glad too, but I also worry that many travllers will now skip over VV whilst travelling through Laos, which in turn will see less and less money making it to area and into the local businesses such as your guesthouse.
In other words, I guarantee those guest houses and locals who may have been complaining before would welcome those people back in a heartbeat now. The grass is always greener on the other side and although VV is an absolutely gorgeous location in the world, most of its visitors won’t go back minus the partying including myself. I’m averaging a trip to SE Asia about once a year and would have loved to taken my fiance there, but no chance I’ll be back until the bars/tubing return.
@Matthew – Agreed, it’s kinda lost its USP, and as you say, the grass could well now seem greener for some locals. I don’t know the exact details, but I heard that Loas has now cut the cost of their visa’s for visitors from other asian countries such as Japan/China – in an effort to bring in more tourists … and their cash. With regards to the tubing, I echo what a few others have said on here, that should it make a comeback, a bit of policing (life guards etc) would go a long way to see that its win win for both locals and tourists.
Heys! Thanks for your post! Really great information there. I don’t mind hiccups and plan changes, but I do like to know in advance on transport and costs as well! =D Thank you~ really very comprehensive.
Awesome article, thank you for sharing
Thanks for the information about tubing! Most comprehensive source I was able to find. Great blog!
Thank you thank you thank you! Heading up to Laos soon from Cambodia and this is super helpful. Looks like you had an amazing time :)
@Carolyn – Glad I could help, I know that there’s not a whole lot of up to date info out there so hopefully this covered a few of the basics for you.
@ThisAmericanGirl – no worries, glad I could help. I hope you have an amazing time, we had an absolute blast in Laos.
Thanks for this info. I was considering skipping VV pn my trip across SE Asia as I was worried it might be a little bit too much of a party town for my liking, but your post reassures me it has regained its nice balance of nature and beer.
@Hester – It can be a party town if you want it to be, but there’s loads of cool places to visit in the area if boozing is not your scene. We had a great time without ever getting trashed, and I would happily re-visit. Worth spending at least a couple of nights I think. Thanks for commenting :)
I am currently in VV, it is NOT a party town, very quiet actually with very few places to go at night and grab a beer.
Sakura is basically the only place to go before it closes at 12am, then you go to either 101 or Viva Vang Vieng (the one who’s open at this specific night)
The music in Sakura is probably the worse I’ve heard in all South East Asia clubs/bars, seriously!
However, this is not important when you look at how beautiful VV is… breathtaking place, all the rest is not important.
@Someone – thanks for the update, that’s actually really interesting to hear! I personally didn’t visit VV for the party scene specifically, I was just interested to see what the place was like in general. Stunningly beautiful was the reality, and I think the more people who discover that about VV the better. Hopefully you had a good time despite the crappy music?! … sounds like you did :)
Your description of the Vang Vieng ballooning really prepares your readers for the costs and benefits. It’s nice that you provide alternative suggestions for those uncomfortable with the minimal safety instructions.