Vang Vieng

Hi everyone !!

I am super behind on the blogs and also realised I didn’t write about Vang Vieng from when I was in Laos so here is a bit of information about that!

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Vang Vieng. I’d heard mixed things - some people loved it, others said it was overrated. But it ended up being one of the most memorable stops on my trip, for a whole mix of reasons.

I stayed at Riverside Garden Hostel, which quickly became my favourite hostel so far. Super social without being full-on party, a pool with a view of the mountains, and the location was ideal - close to town but far enough to chill. Plus, it was cheap. Met some lovely people there, which always makes a place better.

I linked up with a friend I met back in Luang Prabang, and we decided to hike up to Nam Xay Viewpoint. It’s steep and sweaty, but the view over the mountains and fields made it worth it with a couple of motorbikes to sit on and take pictures.

Day Tour

I did one of those packed day tours - kayaking, zip-lining, caving, and a stop at a lagoon. Kayaking down the river was amazing, mostly calm with a few fun bits and going past water buffalo’s. The zip-line was really fun, and crawling through the cave with a headlamp was pretty surreal. I finished the day muddy and tired but in a good way.

Paramotoring

This was one of the standout moments. Flying over the mountains with a parachute strapped to your back while watching the sunset was unreal. A really good experience and completely worth the money.

Nights Out

Vang Vieng still has a party scene, and I ended up in the middle of it (quelle surprise !). Hit Gary’s Irish Bar, joined a random bar crawl, and went to a jungle party. Lots of fun with lovely people from all over the world.

Slower Day

After all that, I was passenger princess on my friends moto and we just rode around. No real plan - just backroads, small villages, a lagoon and a waterfall all to ourselves. It was a nice change of pace and made me like the town even more.

Sleeper Bus

I left Vang Vieng on a sleeper bus to Pakse, which turned out to be a highlight for all the wrong reasons. Sharing a bed with a complete stranger — just one narrow mattress and two confused people trying not to touch knees. The bus looked and felt like it shouldn’t be allowed on the road. Zero sleep, plenty of bumps, and a grumpy Maddy on arrival.

Final Thoughts

Vang Vieng surprised me. It’s touristy, sure, and a bit chaotic in parts — but it’s also got insane scenery, plenty to do, and just the right amount of weird.

Catching up on all my blogs now so more to come asap xxx