Vang Vieng, Tourist Hot Spot!

A few decades ago, only a handful of people knew about Vang Vieng and where it was located. Even though it was only 160km north of Vientiane and 180km south of Luang Prabang; this little town was hardly heard of.

During the Vietnam war, there was an American airfield runway parallel to Nam Song river to serve Air American in Laos. Besides this runway, there is nothing else available to show that this town has been prosperous in the past. Therefore, since the influx of the backpackers from 1980, the town started to change and grow rapidly.

Today this little town is full of backpackers. The main attractions that bring them here is the laid-back country life style, beautiful scenery, white fresh Nam Song river, limestone mountains and caves filled with rock formations.
The activities here include tubing, kayaking or rafting on the Nam Song river are the most popular ones for most backpackers who came here. Along the bank of Nam Song river there are shops, restaurants and socialize decks selling food, Lao Beer and equipments like rope swings and zip lines for river jumping.

If you like more adventurous activities you can go for rocks climbing or taking part in a trekking tour. For sightseeing you can go and visit the caves, there a lot of caves around Vang Vieng but the two most popular are Tham Phu Kham cave and Tham Jang cave. You also can visit Kmu or Hmong villages which located only few minutes walk from this town.

In the village of Phoudindaeng about 4km north of town there is an Organic Farm founded by Thanongsi Sorangkoun, here you have opportunity to help the community by teaching them English. For full detail visit here.
At the main streets of the town you can find hotels and guest houses, bars, restaurants, tour agencies and internet cafes to serve the guests. So if you love party and dancing you find bars and karaoke shops here too where you can sing and dance your night away.