Once known as the wildest party town in Laos, Vang Vieng is a destination where travelers could spend long days experiencing kayaking and boat tours as well as cycling and motorbiking around Vang Vieng. mekong delta cruise
Kayaking and boat tours
Kayaking in Vang Vieng -source: internet
Kayaking offered by several tour companies in town, which has exploded in popularity and trips down the river, ranging from an hour to a full day, is now helping Vang Vieng to attract a different sort of travelers, who are not interested in tubing. No matter what vessel you choose, while in Vang Vieng, a trip on the river is a must.
The Water Cave 14 kilometers north of town, lunch and a paddle down are usually included in a popular full day trip. Although it is such a great day out that combines a few highlights of Vang Vieng without having to charter a tuk tuk yourself, note that it will be you and dozens of other travelers who bump tubes in the Water Cave, with crazy screams of delight bouncing off the walls. This is not a cool off-the-beaten track experience.
Boat rental in Vang Vieng -source: internet
Competition is serious and tour prices have hit rock bottom, and it means cutting corners to save more money, which translates to a huge group, only weathered equipment, cheap lunch and a few guides. Generally, you can definitely get what you pay for and recommending one company over the other is difficult.
For a scenic ride up the river, you can easily hire long motorized boats by the hour. At the take-out near Villa Nam Song, you can find most boats. If you do not want to experience tubing or kayaking, boat tour is a good, considerably safer alternative.
Cycling and motorbiking around Vang Vieng
Cycling tour in Vang Vieng -source: internet
Although Vang Vieng can be an eyesore, it takes around 10 minutes on a bicycle to get out the town center and find yourself surrounded by people planting rice by hand, karsts and rice paddy fields. With many living a rural way of life in very basic conditions, the line between the have and have nots in Vang Vieng is clear. Although roads remain unpaved, the town still continues to prosper from tourism. Tours in Laos
For street bikes, bicycle daily rentals start at 10,000 kip and for mountain bikes, from 20,000 kip. If you are hitting a dirt road, which essentially means anywhere outside of town, you will certainly want a decent mountain bike with gears.
Motorcycle tour -source: internet
It starts from around 50,000 kip to rent a motorbike for a full day and 70,000 kip and up for an automatic. The gas station closest to town where all travelers fill up are ripping tourists off with an old scam: you end up paying a lot more than you should or before filling your tank, ensure the attendant resets the pump. To fill, a basic motorbike expects to cost no more than 25,000 kip.
The loop out to the Blue Lagoon and around the mountains in a counter clockwise direction back to Vang Vieng is a good trip to do. Although the roads are very muddy or bumpy in rainy season, the landscape is unequalled.
Rental fee in Vang Vieng -source: internet
If coming in rainy season, don’t miss a chance to challenge yourself with a hilly six-kilometer (one-way) ride to Kaeng Nyui waterfall, to the northeast of Vang Vieng town. It is also possible to make this a big loop, keeping on from the falls counter clockwise until you reach KM 161 to re-join Route 13.
See more:
- INTERESTING THINGS TO DO IN VANG VIENG
- TRAVELLING TO LAOS TO SEE KUANG SI WATERFALL
- PRAHOK – THE SYMBOL OF KHMER CUISINE
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