Fun and games in Vang Vieng

Vang Vieng is a weird place. A small little village on a big river surrounded by huge Karst mountains covered in green jungle. Its been over run by backpackers over the last few years and is now famous for tubing. Tubing is when you get an inner tire, get driven 3 km's up river start floating down and stop at the bars and huge monkey ropes on the way. Its becoming pretty popular and the less desirable Brits abroad types are coming up from Thailand to do it.
When I first arrived yesterday everyone was just finishing and I felt rather old as they all rowdily marched passed, pissed to there eyeballs.
But what the hell else is there to do, well Kayaking and caving is one option, so I booked my self on a tour which included all 3 for the ridiculously cheap price of $12 including a bbq lunch!
Despite my grumpy old man reservations I had great fun we took the kayaks 20km's up stream and took them over a few rapids then stopped at a great cave where you jump in a tube and hall yourself in on a rope. A little claustrophobic when we got off the tubes and continued through a small crack on foot, it was pretty chilly.
Next we had a great lunch and jumped back on the Kayaks down the river stopping at a couple of Riverside bars which had zip wires and huge acrobat style swings into the river, probably about 30 feet up. I stacked it with a splash and failed to hold on!
Then a bit more kayaking and we arrived back in town just before dusk.
Was much more fun than I expected, I really should lighten up!

Sad to say Laos is nearly over. Bus to the capital Vientiane tomorrow, hope to be in Bangkok by monday for more visa fun!

written by

Dan on August 28, 2008 from Vang Vieng, Laos

from the travel blog: Been there, Dan that!

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