Vang Vieng or how to do tourist 'rehab'
The Nam Song River flows calmly in front of the impressive landscape of limestone peaks that form the profile of Vang Vieng. It is only 160 kilometers from the capital of Laos, Vientiane, but it takes three hours to travel. A few hostels stand by the river , crossed by two bridges that add romance to the image. from the swimming pool Riverside Hotel , opened just a little over half a year ago, everything is calm, tranquility and a landscape that, according to its director, Emanuel Prasodjo, makes “Many travelers arrive here and spend the whole day contemplating the river and the mountains , as if enchanted by the vision of nature in its purest state”.
Who would have thought that just seven months ago Vang Vieng was the open secret among English, Australian and German teenagers who took a gap year, or "gap year", between high school and university to travel the world, and incidentally , have one last wild party before getting serious about their studies. At just over a dollar a bottle, the local Lao-Lao whiskey was the main drink . Accommodation was not a problem (rooms can still be found for 12 euros,) and in most the bars happy pizza and magic mushroom smoothies were part of the menu, in an unprecedented permissiveness no comparison with other neighboring countries.
View of the Nam Song River
The fashion of traveling on tractor tires along the river or tubing, and the zip lines that began to be hung from the terraces of bars and hostels did the rest and soon Vang Vieng became the wildest, craziest and most dangerous place of the Asian backpacker route. Only in 2011, 27 tourists lost their lives because of their wild parties. As described by some, Vang Vieng was like the full moon parties on Koh Phangan, Thailand, but instead of once a month, every day of the week.
But in the summer of 2012, the government decided it was time to bring order, closing bars, banning unlicensed operations and ending drug sales in broad daylight. The immediate consequence was the decrease in the number of backpackers, to the annoyance of many tourist places that made huge profits from them. After the hangover, Vang Vieng was recovering the natural calm and freshness . Tourists, this time with more money in their pockets, have begun in recent months to discover its wonderful landscape and some families bathed in the river the day we visited. The opening of the Riverside Boutique Resort, the area's only luxury hotel, is a commitment to quality tourism that straightens the reputation of Vang Vieng and improve the environment for locals and tourists.
Paddy fields in the Vang Vieng area
What can the traveler expect when approaching the new Vang Vieng? To get started, a natural landscape of extraordinary beauty , characterized by the high peaks of rocks that frame the Nam Song River and dominate the landscape of rice fields as far as the eye can see. Impressive at any time it is at sunset when they reach their peak , made up by the pink tones of the Asian sky at dusk.
For action lovers, Vang Vieng offers several hiking trails . On foot or by bicycle, you can visit the cave of Tham Phu Kham , considered sacred by Laotians and very popular for the blue-green lake at its entrance. The main chamber of the cave contains an image of the reclining Buddha in bronze and, from it, rock corridors go into the interior of the mountain, which is very dark (flashlight and suitable footwear required). The lake is presented as the perfect end to the very steep 200-meter staircase of stones and branches through the lush vegetation, not suitable for people who are not very fit. Easier and more accessible is the Pha Poak cave, which contains curious rock formations and from its viewpoint you can enjoy an impressive view of the town and the river.
And for everyone, young and old, the hobby of tubing is still alive in Vang Vieng, this time without alcohol representing a risk for one of the most fun activities in this little Lao gem.
*** To know more...**
- Discover Vang Vieng in images - All the information about Laos - Vientiane, the most peaceful capital in the world? - Inventory of things to be happy with in Luang Prabang
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