Day 17-19 Vang Vieng

Vang vieng is a stop off small town on the way to Luang prabang . We broke up the bus journey - 4 hours to get here , 6 hours onward journey to see what it looked like when you weren't on an organised trip - I spent my 45th birthday here!

It's reputation is covered in this article which 'used to sum it up'

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/07/vang-vieng-laos-party-town

After this article was published the party came to an abrupt halt. The Laos government banned most tubing companies. The riverside bars were closed down. And the results are sad to see. Wandering around town it's full of backpacker bars and guest houses offering western food ( of the fast food variety) - difficult to imagine you're in Laos. And is now more deserted as its lost its party animals. In my opinion a good idea to get rid of them because the bars were really tacky- like a bad seaside resort in England or Spain - and no real future. So it really looks sad and tired.

In the evening we went walking around town looking for somewhere to eat - of the 50 or so bars and restaurants , half had no one in them, there were only 2 with more than 10 people - as people often search a crowd it makes food choice difficult.

But the location , scenery and setting are gorgeous. It has overlooking limestone cliffs and caves, a gorgeous river setting, and the potential to attract the wealthier tourist interested in discovering the real Laos. Someone needs to invest and hopefully they will, signs in some areas are good with some better class resorts being built - still only £50 a night.

I'm not sure if I'm a travel snob but what's happened here isn't progress.

 

Happily after another 6 hour journey in a minivan we have now arrived in Luang Prabang. And happily it's gorgeous here and since we were last here it's thrived. It's tidier, busy, lots of tourists and locals and is booming. Brilliant.

 

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