Vang Vieng town guide

Things To Do In Vang Vieng

Limestone karsts rising over the Nam Song river, blue lagoons, caves, kayaking and hot-air balloons at dawn. The party town has grown up into an adventure base.

Where to stay What it costs

Hostels in the city

8.4

Average, from 7,234 reviews

2012

The river bars closed

1 h

To Vientiane by train

Dawn

Balloons

Karsts and lagoons

Vang Vieng became notorious in the 2000s for tubing and river-bar parties that killed several travellers, until the government closed the bars in 2012. The town has since reinvented itself as an adventure base in one of the most beautiful landscapes in Laos.

Karst mountains rise straight from the rice fields around the Nam Song river, full of caves and lagoons.

The railway puts it an hour from Vientiane and Luang Prabang. Two or three days is right.

Where to stay

The town centre has most of the hostels, bars and restaurants, close to the bus and tour offices. Across the Nam Song river, bungalows and guesthouses face the karst mountains and are quieter, reached by bridges from town.

Town

First-timers

Hostels, bars and tour offices in the centre.

Across the river

Views

Bungalows facing the karsts, quieter.

Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 8 top-rated hostels. Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors.

Things to do

Things to do in Vang Vieng

Vang Vieng sits on the Nam Song river among dramatic limestone karst mountains, and has changed from a notorious party town into a base for outdoor adventure.

Tubing down the Nam Song, floating on an inner tube past riverside bars, is back in a much calmer form than before the bars were closed in 2012. Kayaking trips combine the river with caves.

The Blue Lagoons are turquoise swimming holes in the countryside, reached by scooter or bicycle: Blue Lagoon 1, beside the Tham Phu Kham cave, is the busiest, with rope swings, while Blue Lagoons 2 and 3 are quieter. Tham Chang, a cave near town, has a spring at its base for swimming.

At dawn from about November to April, hot-air balloons rise over the karsts; a flight is expensive but unforgettable, and watching from the ground is free. Climb to one of the viewpoints, such as Pha Ngern, for the view over the valley, and rock climbers will find bolted routes on the cliffs.

Rent a scooter or bicycle to explore the villages and rice fields around town.

Free things

Free things to do in Vang Vieng

Watching the balloons rise at dawn is free, and so are the sunsets over the karsts from the river.

The countryside roads and villages around town are free to explore by bicycle; the Blue Lagoons, caves and viewpoints charge small entry fees.

Food and drink

Eating and drinking in Vang Vieng

Vang Vieng's restaurants are mostly aimed at travellers, with Western food, pizza and banana pancakes alongside Lao dishes. For local food, look for laap, papaya salad and grilled meats with sticky rice in the market and small family restaurants.

A meal is €2 to €6.

Nightlife

Going out in Vang Vieng

Vang Vieng still has a lively backpacker nightlife, with bars in the town centre and on the river islands, though much calmer than it was before 2012.

In November 2024, several travellers died after drinking methanol-contaminated spirits in Vang Vieng. Avoid free shots and cheap local spirits, and stick to sealed bottles of beer.

A beer is €1 to €2.

Getting around

Getting around Vang Vieng

The Laos–China Railway reaches Vientiane in about an hour and Luang Prabang in about an hour; the station is a few kilometres from town, a short tuk-tuk ride. Laos–China Railway tickets go on sale a few days ahead and sell out, especially at weekends and holidays; buy them on the LCR Ticket app or at the station with your passport, and arrive early, as there are airport-style security checks. Stations are outside town centres.

The town is walkable. Scooters and bicycles are easy to rent for the lagoons and countryside; check the bike carefully before you go.

Costs

What Vang Vieng costs

Vang Vieng is cheap. Dorms start around €5 and a careful day is €15 to €25.

Tubing is a few euros including the tube, kayaking trips €10 to €20, and the Blue Lagoons and caves charge small entry fees. A hot-air balloon flight is the big expense, roughly €80 to €120. Scooter hire is about €5 to €8 a day.

The currency is the Lao kip (LAK), which loses value quickly; prices here are euro equivalents, and many places also quote in US dollars or Thai baht. Carry cash: cards work only in larger hotels and restaurants, and ATMs have low withdrawal limits and fees.

Safety

Staying safe in Vang Vieng

Vang Vieng needs care. In November 2024, several travellers died from methanol-contaminated drinks in the town. Avoid free shots and cheap local spirits, and stick to sealed bottles of beer.

Only tube and kayak in the dry season, sober and with a life jacket; the river can be dangerous after rain. Scooter accidents are common: wear a helmet, and check your insurance.

In the countryside, unexploded ordnance remains; stay on paths.

Emergency: 1191 police, 1195 ambulance.

What's on

What is on while you are there

Balloons fly at dawn through the dry season.

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Hostels

Where to stay in Vang Vieng

The top-rated places to stay in Vang Vieng right now, live from Hostelworld.

10.0 1,060

When to go

November to February. The river is dangerous in the wet season.

28°

Jan

Cool and dry

30°

Feb

Dry

33°

Mar

Hot, hazy

34°

Apr

Hottest, Pi Mai

33°

May

Rains begin

32°

Jun

Wet

31°

Jul

Wet

31°

Aug

Wet

31°

Sep

Wet

31°

Oct

Boat festivals

29°

Nov

Dry season

27°

Dec

Peak

Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets: quiet busy peak

Average highs.

What your trip will cost

Pick how you travel. Per person per night, in euros.

Prices are in kip locally; these are euro equivalents.

Nights 3

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Beds—
Food and drink—
Getting around—
Doing things—

Vang Vieng travel questions

The ones we get asked most.

Is Vang Vieng still a party town?

Much calmer than before 2012, when the river bars were closed, but still lively. It is now better known for adventure.

Is it safe to drink?

Stick to sealed bottles of beer. Several travellers died in November 2024 after drinking methanol-contaminated spirits.

Can I go tubing?

Yes, in the dry season, sober and with a life jacket.

How do I get there?

By the Laos–China Railway from Vientiane or Luang Prabang, about an hour each.

How many days do you need?

Two or three.

When is the best time to visit?

November to April, the dry season and balloon season.

Which Blue Lagoon is best?

Blue Lagoon 1 has the cave and rope swings but is busy; 2 and 3 are quieter.

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