Vang Vieng is one of the most famous spots in Laos for both backpacker nightlife and adventure activities. From tipsy tubing to hot air balloon rides, Vang Vieng attracts travellers with a range of different interests. As well as activities, Vang Vieng also has picturesque views and a strong hostel culture, so it is easy to make friends. Vang Vieng is also conveniently located on the high-speed train line halfway between Luang Prabang and Vientiane.
How many days to spend in Vang Vieng
How many days you spend in Vang Vieng depends on your interest in adventure activities, but also how much you like to party. Vang Vieng has so many adventure activities on offer, like hot air ballooning, kayaking, caving, rock-climbing, paragliding, ziplining and mountain biking. On the other hand, Vang Vieng also has a really fun backpacker nightlife scene based around its famous tipsy tubing. If you’re not that interested in partying or adventure activities, you would need a minimum of two full days to experience Vang Vieng properly. If you want to do a good mix of partying and adventure activities, four days will give you the perfect amount of time to experience it all. On the other hand, if you’re an adrenaline junkie and really want to do ALL the activities, you would need seven days as most of them involve full or half-day tours.
How to get to Vang Vieng
Vang Vieng is located at a halfway point between the popular backpacking destinations of Luang Prabang and Vientiane. These are the only two places where you can get a direct transfer to Vang Vieng. It is possible to come from other parts of Laos, but you’ll need to get a connecting bus or train in either Luang Prabang or Vientiane.
There’s no airport in Vang Vieng, so you will either need to catch a bus or a train. The majority of travellers opt for the train as it is much faster and offers stunning views of the countryside. Also, the roads going in and out of Vang Vieng are notoriously bumpy and have many bends. For train and bus bookings, you can book online on 12GOAsia. You can also book with hostels and travel agencies, and sometimes they will offer a cheaper price or throw in a free pickup service for you.
How to get to Vang Vieng from Luang Prabang
You can either get a bus/minivan or a high-speed train to get from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng. The high-speed train is by far the best option (in my opinion). The train takes around 50 minutes, is really comfortable and has spectacular views of the countryside. Trains depart daily at 11:40 am, 2:50 pm, 4:50 pm and 7 pm. Expect to pay between 320-420k LAK Lao Kip ($15-$21 USD) for the ticket. The one downside to the train is that the stations are located a little way out of the city centres, so you will have to pay for tuk-tuks or taxis to and from the train stations.
Minivans run regularly between Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng. The journey ideally takes around 6 hours, but often it is more like 7-8 hours. Minivans depart at 7:30 am, 8 am, 8:30 am, 11am, 2pm, 5 pm and 6:30 pm. Expect to pay around 310k LAK Lao Kip ($15 USD). Buses depart from Southern Bus Terminal (also called Naluang Bus Terminal), which is only a 10-minute drive from the city centre.
If you are taking the bus, I highly recommend booking through your hostel to get a free hostel pickup included. The bus will arrive at Vang Vieng Bus Terminal, which is a 5-minute drive out of the centre of town. Be warned, this bus route is super bumpy, and there are heaps of potholes. A lot of people get carsick or just generally have an extremely uncomfortable journey. They will also fill the bus over capacity as they pick up locals who sit in the walkway, so it’s pretty hot with all the extra bodies on board.
How to get to Vang Vieng from Vientiane
There are trains and buses connecting Vientiane and Vang Vieng. If you want to save some money and try bus travel in Laos, this is probably the best route to do it. There is not much difference in travel time between the bus and the train and it is not a long journey anyway. The main differences and price and comfort. The train runs daily at 7:30 am, 8:50 am, 11 am, 2:30 pm and 3:30 pm. The journey takes around 1 hour. You can expect to pay around 375k LAK Lao Kip ($18 USD). The one downside to the train is that the stations are located a little way out of the city centres, so you will have to pay for tuk-tuks or taxis to and from the train stations.
Minibuses depart regularly from Vientiane at 7:30 am, 8 am, 8:30 am, 11:30 am, 12 pm and 1:30 pm. The journey should take around 2 hours, but as with all buses in Laos, it may take more like 4 hours. You can expect to pay around 180k LAK Lao Kip ($9 USD). Minibuses depart from Vientiane Northern Bus Station, which is a little further out of town (around a 25-minute drive). Alternatively, if you book through your hostel, they often include free pickup, which is much more convenient. All buses arrive at the only bus terminal in Vang Vieng, which is a 5-minute drive out of the centre. The bus ride is notoriously quite bumpy, so I would not recommend it if you get easily carsick or are hungover.
How to get around Vang Vieng
Vang Vieng is a small town, so you can easily get around on foot to bars, restaurants and cafes. Given how small it is (and how overpopulated with travellers), it feels extremely safe to walk around even at night. There is a little bit of scooter and car traffic, but otherwise, most people will get around on foot. There is no Grab in Vang Vieng, but getting around is fairly simple. If you book tours and activities like paragliding, hot air ballooning or tipsy tubing, you will get picked up and dropped off at your hostel in Vang Vieng. Similarly, getting to the bus station is easily organised through your hostel. When you first arrive, there are Songthaews (open-air trucks) and vans waiting at the stations. They usually charge a flat rate as they wait until they have enough people to share the transfer and make it profitable for them.
Getting around Vang Vieng via motorbike
If you plan on exploring the countryside, hiking to viewpoints or visiting the lagoons (which you definitely should), you will not be able to get there on foot. There are four main ways to get there: renting a motorbike, cycling, renting a Songthaew or driving a buggy. Renting a motorbike for the day can cost anywhere between 50k-100k LAK Lao Kip ($2.50-$5 USD). Roads can be pretty bumpy, and you will need to make sure you watch out for wandering livestock.
Getting around Vang Vieng via bicycle
If you don’t feel comfortable on a motorbike, you can rent a bicycle, but be warned, it will be a very sweaty day, and you have to cover some distances between lagoons. Expect to pay 25k LAK Lao Kip ($1.20 USD) for the day. Unless you’re a really experienced cyclist, you probably won’t be able to cover more than two lagoons and one viewpoint in a day on a bike. The other downside is you spend more time cycling and sweating in the hot sun than actually relaxing at the lagoons. The closest lagoon to town is around 7kms, and even though it is mostly flat, it is extremely hot!
Getting around Vang Vieng via Songthaew or Tuk Tuk
Probably the easiest and most popular way to get to the lagoons and viewpoints in Vang Vieng is by renting a Songthaew with a driver for the day. A Songthaew is a big red open-air truck with converted seats in the back. You can squeeze up to 12 people in a Songthaew. The driver will take you to wherever you want to go for the day, and you can spend any amount of time at any of the stops. Just make sure you negotiate the price and state exactly where you plan to go for the day before you get in!
The price depends on how many people you have, how many stops you want to make, how long you need the Songthaew for and where exactly you want to go. If you have more than four people, you should not be paying more than 200k LAK Lao Kip ($10 USD) per person. This is making multiple stops for the whole day to some further away sights. You will need to haggle to get this price!
Getting around Vang Vieng by buggy
The last popular way to get to the lagoons (but also the most expensive) is by renting a buggy. Most people do this for the experience of driving a buggy, not for the convenience or the price. There are a number of tour operators in Vang Vieng that you can book this through (subject to buggy availability). You can either get a two-person or four-person buggy, with one traveller being the driver. Expect to pay 70k LAK Lao Kip ($4 USD) per hour at a minimum. Buggy companies generally won’t haggle much on the price, as the demand for buggies is generally higher than the amount of actual vehicles they have available.
Where to stay in Vang Vieng
There are two main competing hostels in Vang Vieng, where 90% of backpackers stay. Both are centrally located, have pools and breakfast included, and have curtains on the beds. The main differences are the vibe and the average age of travellers. You can book all accommodation here.
Nana Backpackers Hostel
Nana Backpackers Hostel is the party hostel of Vang Vieng! They have nightly games, free vodka and whiskey from 7-9 and a guaranteed hangover every day. The nightly events and the bar on site mean it is super easy to make friends to go out with every night. If you’re young and want to party, this is the hostel for you. If you want to get an early night or are not that into drinking, avoid it.
Freedom Hostel
Compared to Nana Hostel, Freedom Hostel has a much more chilled vibe, and the age of backpackers tends to be a little older (25+). There are actually two hostels, Freedom Hostel and Freedom 2 Hostel, but they are right around the corner from each other. In my opinion, Freedom Hostel is better than Freedom 2, as it is quieter. Regardless of which Freedom Hostel you stay in, you can visit and use the facilities at both hostels. The hostels are only about a 3-minute walk from one another and both in the centre of town. Freedom 2 Hostel has a pool and bar on site, which is convenient but also means people tend to hang out here at night more, meaning it can be louder. Honestly, it doesn’t make too much of a difference which Freedom Hostel you stay at, as they both have similar vibes.
What to do in Vang Vieng
There is no shortage of activities to do in Vang Vieng, and it is one of the most affordable places in the world to do adventure activities. For adventure activities, you can book these through hostels or travel agencies in town. For the viewpoints, hikes and lagoons, you can do these independently; you just need to sort out transport there and back.
Tipsy Tubing
Probably the most famous activity you can do in Vang Vieng. Tipsy Tubing is basically floating down the river in Vang Vieng in tubes (donuts/ floatation devices) and stopping off at riverside bars for drinks. Not only is it a great way to see the views of the surrounding countryside, but it’s a great day party. It costs 80k LAK Lao Kip ($4 USD) per person. This includes transport there, your tube and guides. You will have to pay for any food and drinks you consume at the bars, and they only take cash. You’ll stop at a few different bars along the river, including some that have karaoke and dance floors.
Most tipsy tubing tours leave Vang Vieng town at around 1 or 2 pm and will finish up just after sunset. The last bar you end the tour at is around a 5-minute walk to the centre of town, so you will need to walk your tube back. For tubing, make sure you bring your phone and enough money for the day in a small waterproof pouch. You’ll also be in the sun for a lot of the day, so sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses are not a bad idea. You should not bring a towel, clothing to change into or shoes as there is nowhere to store these things.
Is Tipsy Tubing safe?
Tipsy Tubing historically has been a very dangerous activity in Vang Vieng and has attracted a lot of negative media attention. Before 2012, Tipsy Tubing looked very different to how it looks now. While the premise is still the same, the activity has become much more regulated to address safety concerns and the many tourist deaths pre-2012. Prior to the closure, there were a number of slides and swings into the river and most of the bars sold drugs to tourists. This resulted in many deaths and accidents from tourists jumping into shallow water, overdosing or drowning after taking too many drugs.
Nowadays, bars only sell alcohol and the bar staff and guides take greater care of tubers to ensure everyone is safe. They’ve also taken down and deconstructed all of the swings and slides (which were nicknamed death slides by many travellers). While there will always be a risk of combining water activities with alcohol, when I did Tipsy Tubing in Vang Vieng in 2022, it felt fairly safe, provided you could swim.
Sunrise hot air balloon
Vang Vieng is one of the cheapest places in the world to enjoy a hot air balloon ride! While this wasn’t originally on my bucket list, this was one of my favourite activities in South East Asia. I booked through my hostel through a company called Above Laos. They also accept bookings directly through their website here. It is recommended you only bring yourself and your phone/ camera to maximise room in the balloon. Flights depart early in the morning, so you’ll be up in the air for sunrise (the best time to be up there).
Above Laos will pick you up from your accommodation at around 5:30 am and will take you a short 10-minute drive away. After a quick briefing, they split everyone into groups and boarded the hot air balloons. There are two sides of each balloon, with around four people on each side. This means you’ll have fairly uninterrupted views of the scenery. We spent around 30 minutes enjoying the scenery, one of the best sunrises I’ve ever seen and taking plenty of pictures. Afterwards, you’ll land in a field and take a short walk back to the van to go back to town. Most tours will be back at 9 am at the latest, so just in time for breakfast. It costs around 2,100k LAK Lao Kip ($105 USD).
Visit the blue lagoons
Another thing Vang Vieng is famous for is its many blue lagoons (it has 6 in total). You don’t necessarily have to visit all of the lagoons, but most travellers will try to visit at least 2 or 3. The three most popular lagoons among backpackers are Blue Lagoon 2, 3 and 6. Blue Lagoon 2 is one of the busier lagoons, but it is fairly large and has a number of rope swings and jumping platforms. They also have plenty of seating, loungers and small huts for shade.
Blue Lagoon 3 is not as large but has more activities to do. They have rope swings, jumping platforms, tubes, ziplines and a small restaurant on site. In addition, you can take a small hike (about 15 minutes) inside a cave. But be careful as it can be quite slippery in parts, and it is quite dark and hard to see inside parts of the cave. Lastly, Blue Lagoon 6 is the quietest of all the lagoons and the bluest. They have tubes, canoes, diving boards, seating to relax on and a small restaurant.
Most of the lagoons have entry fees, but they are small amounts. For example, visiting three lagoons will cost you less than 65k LAK Lao Kip ($3 USD) in total. Depending on how much time you have, you may want to combine your visit to the lagoons with viewpoints and hikes, such as the Nam Xay Viewpoint and Pha Ngern Hike.
Nam Xay Viewpoint
Nam Xay Viewpoint is probably the most famous viewpoint in the country of Laos. It is famous for the iconic photo travellers get of them seemingly riding a bike on a cliff. In actuality, the bike is permanently placed there as a photo spot for tourists. To get to Nam Xay Viewpoint, you will need to complete a short but tough hike of around 30-45 minutes to the top. The path is extremely well-marked and well-trodden, so it is easy not to get lost. At any time of day, multiple tourists are doing this hike as it is a popular activity in Vang Vieng.
While the trail starts off quite easy, the last 10-15 minutes is basically rock-climbing/ scrambling up rocks, which can, at times, be slippery. It is recommended to do this hike in hiking shoes or sneakers with good grip. However, lots of people manage it in sandals or even barefoot. The entrance fee to the viewpoint is 10k LAK Lao Kip ($0.50 USD).
Where to eat in Vang Vieng
The majority of travellers in Vang Vieng don’t spend a lot of time in the town itself. That means that, most likely, you will be eating more on the go, like at one of the lagoons around Vang Vieng or at one of the bars during tipsy tubing. Also, most hostels in Vang Vieng offer complimentary breakfast, meaning the main meal you’ll be getting in town will be dinner. There are quite a few restaurants in town, but also a lot of hostels have food menus.
Green Restaurant
This is one of the most popular restaurants in Vang Vieng among backpackers. They have the nicest views and the best food! Green Restaurant is located right on the river, and they have an awesome outdoor deck area in the back. They serve traditional Laotian food but also great pizzas and other Western options.
Gary’s Bar
Another backpacker favourite is Gary’s Bar, the local Irish pub. Gary is an Irish expat who moved to Vang Vieng and has set up one of the best bars and restaurants in town. The most popular dish is by far the roast, as it is served with proper gravy. Gary’s only does Western food and is a bit more expensive than other restaurants, but it is worth it for a taste of back home.
Naked Espresso
This is the spot for brunch in Vang Vieng! It’s right in the middle of town and always busy. Whether you’re looking for a good coffee shop, wanting to treat yourself to dessert or missed breakfast- Naked Espresso is the place to go. They have a lot of indoor seating with AC, so it’s also a nice place to work or chill out.
Nightlife in Vang Vieng
A lot of the partying revolves around day drinking during tipsy tubing, but the party continues in town of a night at one of the many bars in Vang Vieng.
Gary’s bar
Probably the most popular bar in Vang Vieng is Gary’s Bar, which is actually an Irish pub owned by an expat. They serve great Western food as well if you’re craving some familiar food. Gary’s bar is full pretty much every night, with travellers spilling out onto the street outside. They serve draught beers, including Guinness and have great cocktails, often with 2-for-1 or buy-two-get-one-free specials.
Full Moon Bar
Full Moon Bar is where you go for kick-ons in Vang Vieng or if you are seeking to party, not on alcohol. During the day, they have stunning views out the back of the surrounding landscapes. At night, it is more of a dive bar vibe with lots of lit-up decor. They are also a restaurant where you can get local Lao food, but they are mainly known as a bar.
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