vang vieng

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Transit Guide: Vang Vieng to Vientiane

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As the capital city of Laos, Vientiene is filled with Buddhist temples and French architecture. It's bustling streets make it a perfect spot for travellers looking for big city comforts. 

How to get there?

If you walk around Vang Vieng, there are tons of shops offering bus tickets. Shop around for a decent price. We noticed most of the pricing was between 40,000 - 70,000 kip. It depends on the timing and what type of bus you take. We ended up taking a mini-bus for 50,000 kip. It was pretty late picking us up, so we had terrible seats. 

The bus ride was decent overall. The winding roads were very bumpy, but we've started getting used to it. We've come to accept that Laos roads aren't the greatest. The ride takes around three hours to get there with a short washroom and snack break. The ride wasn't too scenic, so feel free to use it as nap time. 

Happy Travelling! 

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Travel Guide and Tips: Vang Vieng

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Located in central Laos, Vang Vieng is a small town located by the river. It's known for parties, river tubing and adventurous activities. 

Things to do

1) Blue Lagoon and Tham Phu Kham Cave

The beautiful blue water makes Blue Lagoon a popular attraction in Vang Vieng. There's also a tree you can jump off as well. We personally didn't like it too much because it was overcrowded. However, Tham Phu Kham Cave is amazing! There's a Buddhist shrine, but it was defaced when we got there. So please be respectful. You can rent a headlamp for 10,000 kip. 

There's an entrance fee of 10,000 kip. 

2) River tubing

This is the most popular attraction in Vang Vieng. Tubing costs 55,000 kip with a deposit of 60,000 kip. They drop you off upstream and pick you up down the river. It's the perfect activity for a lazy hot day. 

This used to be party central for backpackers, but now many of the bars along the river have closed down due to safety concerns. But don't let that stop you from having a good time! 

3) Caves

There's so many caves to choose from. Grab a bike and cross the bridge to the other side of the river. If you take a left and bike along the same path for Blue Lagoon, there are many signs for different caves along the way. If you take a right, then you'll head towards Lusi Cave - there's a lagoon in the cave, but it's pitch black. 

4) Adventure treks 

There's so many adventure treks to choose from: kayaking, caving, rafting, zip-lining, biking tours, tubing and visiting waterfalls. Head to any tour agency to learn more. 

5) Hot Air Balloon

For around $80 USD, you can go on a hot air balloon ride over Vang Vieng. Take a sunrise or a sunset ride for beautiful view. We heard it's about a half hour ride. It's also good to check the weather to see if it's hazy or not. 

Where to eat

Amigo's Vang Vieng

If you have a Mexican food craving, you can get your fix here. From tacos and quesadillas to fajitas and Chimichangas, Amigo's has it all. Try the supreme tacos and nachos! 

Luang Prabang Bakery

This bakery has everything you need: baked goodies, good atmosphere and reliable Wi-Fi. However, it does come with a price. A brownie cost us 30,000 kip and ice coffee was 20,000 kip. 

 
 

Food Stands

These can be found all over the streets in Vang Vieng. Make sure to try a sandwich before you leave. They're pretty filling and range from 10,000 kip to 30,000 kip. Fruit shakes are 10,000 kip. 

 
 

Local Restaurants

The local restaurants are pretty cheap. Fruit shakes are 5,000 - 7,000 kip and dishes range between 15,000 - 45,000 kip. The best part about them are the comfortable lounging tables you can sit at. They also play Friends re-runs all day, so we ended up spending a little too much time there. 

Where to stay

Dokboua Guesthouse

It's hard to beat the price for a private room at 60,000 kip. It's a small room with little space, but decent enough if you're on a budget. Just note that they advertise hot water, but our shower was cold. So make sure you check before committing to the room. 

Happy Travelling! 

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Biking to Blue Lagoon and Tham Phu Kham Cave in Vang Vieng

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Blue Lagoon is a popular attraction in Vang Vieng, with many travellers visiting every day. In fact, I noticed that Blue Lagoon gets too over crowded with tourists, making it unappealing and hard to enjoy. However, Tham Phu Kham Cave definitely makes up for it. 

How to get there

First things first, you need a bike. Head to any rental shop to pick one of these bad boys up. We paid 25,000 kip for ours. 

Cross the bridge by Vanphaxay restaurant and take a left turn going along the river. From here, the road is pretty rocky and you might see cow poop, so watch where you're biking. Head down the river until you reach the fork in the road. Keep right at the fork and cross the bridge. Look out for signs if you get lost.

Continue down the rocky trail along the river.

Cross the bridge here to continue.

From here, continue on the dirt road. Along the way, you'll bike past villages and the countryside with beautiful mountain views. There will be signs along the way for different caves, so feel free to check those out if you're up for it. Please keep in mind that you may be required to pay entrance fees at each one (10,000 kip). The bike ride is fairly easy since it's mostly flat with a bit of uphill and downhill. However, the roads are not well-maintained and the bikes aren't too great either. It might be wise to wear sunglasses to cover your eyes from the dust. 

The bike ride is approximately 7 kilometres one-way and takes about 30-45 minutes, depending how often you stop for pictures. Once you get there, there's a entrance fee of 10,000 kip. 

Blue Lagoon

We didn't really like this. It's a crowded river that's a beautiful shade of blue. There's also a tree you can jump off of too, which is pretty refreshing after the bike ride. However, we didn't stay very long. 

Tham Phu Kham Cave

This cave is spectacular and you should see it if you're in the area. Before you head up to the cave, there's a stand where you can rent a headlamp for 10,000 kip. 

Head up the steep rocky stairs to reach the mouth of the cave. Be careful as you make your way around because it can get slippery. There will be orange arrows to guide your way to the back of the cave. Once you get there, turn off your lights and take it all it. It's very serene, but scary if you're alone. 

NOtes:

  • Be careful of people trying to guide you in the cave. They expect a hefty tip. 

Happy Adventuring! 


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Transit Guide: Nong Khiaw to Vang Vieng

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Vang Vieng is a little town located in central Laos. Known for its wild parties, river tubing and numerous adventurous activities, it's no wonder that it's a popular destination. 

How to get there

From Nong Khiaw, we took a mini-bus to Luang Prabang. If you buy from the bus station, it costs 37,000 kip to get to the North Bus Station and 55,000 kip to get to the South Bus Station. We originally wanted to buy the cheaper ticket, but when we got there, it was sold out. So, it might be worth it to buy the ticket in advance from a guesthouse. We noticed that Delilah's Place sells it for 40,000 kip. Just note that the times vary for the bus. It leaves when it's full - earlier or later than advertised. The bus takes three - four hours get to Luang Prabang. 

Once we got to Luang Prabang, we ended up having to stay there one night because we wanted to break up the travel time. So, we booked a bus from our guesthouse at 8:30 a.m for 120,000 kip (including the tuk tuk ride to the station). Buying the ticket from the bus station is cheaper, but you might risk it running out of seats. The bus ride takes closer to four-five hours with a half hour stop for a food and washroom break. 

The bus ride is pretty scenic with gorgeous mountain views, but it's also extremely terrifying. There's one part where you drive along the mountainside with steep drops. The drivers can be very aggressive and pass cars on this road if they're driving too slow. 

We arrived in Vang Vieng in one piece!

Happy Travelling