Tubing in Vang Vieng: The status in 2013/2014
Vang Vieng is a legendary backpacker party location where the action revolves around days spent floating from bar to bar in inner tubes. There are countless stories of how outrageous the party used to be, but the fact that 25 tourists used to die each year from the partying pretty much sums it up. But all that was shut down by the Laos government in 2012. In the weeks leading up to our travel to Vang Vieng the biggest questions on our minds were: was there still a party? And what was it like? We shouldn’t have worried. While the partying is much less intense than the pre-2012 stories we heard about, Vang Vieng at the end of 2013/beginning of 2014 is still a fun party town, albeit much safer and less crazy. Tubing still exists, it’s a great time, and every day many backpackers grab their tubes, head to the river, and party from bar to bar.
The Town
The town of Vang Vieng is nothing special. A few streets, lined with guesthouses, shops selling the ubiquitous “IN THE TUBING VANG VIENG” shirts (grammatically correct or not, they are the must-have accessory in town), and lazy bars/restaurants filed with tables and cushions. And yes, the bars/restaurants really do play reruns of “Friends” non-stop. These “Friends bars” get annoying after a while, but are great for lazy mornings.
A main street in Vang Vieng, lined with “Friends bars”
The town has had a love/hate relationship with all the young backpackers who used to flood the town – it seemed to love the business that the travelers brought, but not the bathing suits and partying that came with them.
Signs around town urged travelers to respect the Laotian conservative culture.
Tubing
The main attraction in Vang Vieng continues to be the tubing. It’s very simple. There is a central tubing office near the center of town (this moved between two offices while we were there; we’re not sure why. But only one was open each day). In the office you sign your life away, get a number written on your hand, and jump into a tuk tuk loaded down with tubes.
A tuk tuk ready to depart.
After the tuk tuk takes everyone up the river, it’s a quick walk to the river where everyone excitedly jumps in to start the tubing. But it’s a little anticlimactic because within 30 seconds the first bar appears. Out of the water already? Okay, then.
Tubes & BeerLaos in hand – ready to go!
There are four bars remaining along the river. Backpackers float their way down the river, and then they reach a bar, the bar throws out a line. You pull yourself in, and the party begins. Some bars are crowded with tables, others have wide-open areas with volleyball courts, fire pits, and basketball courts. Each greets tubers with free shots and colored bracelets(weird, but whatever).
Dancing, chatting, and beer pong at one bar
A more chill bar; there was lots of just chatting and hanging.
It’s a great time; meeting other backpackers, partying, and dancing until the group decides to move on to the next bar. Then it’s back in the inner tubes, and onward to the next bar. Apologies for the lack of pictures in this post – we were having so much fun during the tubing that the camera didn’t come out often, and discretion prevents the posting of most of the pictures we did take.
In the tubes, headed to the next bar
Other Activities
One of the advantages to the partying aspect dying down is that the other attractions of Vang Vieng have become more popular. The town is in a beautiful location, along a river with mountains and green forests surrounding it. There are a number of activities available, we just had time for one – a trip to “Blue Lagoon”, a popular swimming hole and cave. It was beautiful, with powder blue water, trees to jump from, and a cafe with food and cold beer. We went with some friends in a tuk tuk, which was easy enough, but you can also bike over.
Jumping into the blue lagoon.
Although the lagoon was cool, the craziest part was the cave. The Tham Phu Kham Cave, located right next to the blue lagoon swimming hole, is a dark cave that is explored “independently” – i.e., no guides and no rules. The cave has a spectacular first room where a Buddhist shrine sits bathed in light from a natural skylight.
The shrine in the first room.
Light from the natural skylight
Beyond the first room are a number of dark passages. To my utter shock and surprise, they are all open without any rules or guidelines. They literally let you in, and that’s it. You have to bring you own light; there are no lights. There are no maps or signs telling you where to go (or where not to go). It was a thrilling (and slightly terrifying) experience trying to figure out, in the dark, where to go, where to climb, and where not to fall into. I went as far as I felt comfortable; our friends went a little further before also turning around.
Jami climbing into the cave
Heading deeper into the blackness