Thailand and Laos Pt 4: Vang Vieng and Vientiane
You know the drill. Luke writes in Blue. Nick writes in Orange.
After what seemed like 6 hours, but was really 4 hours, we arrived in Vang Vieng, and walked to our hostel, the ‘Nana House Party Hostel’. (Whatever it was called.) It was terrible. I ended up arguing with our two stanky German roommates over whether or not the fan would stay on in the room.
Nana’s Backpackers Hostel. I didn’t mind the hostel, it was a party hostel, and the doors to the rooms didn’t lock, but that didn’t really phase me.
That first night, we were so hungry that we picked the first place in sight to eat at.
Here’s a quick rundown on how to find good places to eat.
- Must be an open air establishment.
- Owners/Waitstaff must know very little English.
- Must have a TV playing weird YouTube children’s cartoons.
I ended up eating here two more times while in Vang Vieng. I still think about the meals.
The next day, we rented motorbikes from the hostel. They charge you like $10 vs the going rate of $8 in town. My bike was a manual and the speedometer didn’t work. Tori’s bike’s gas gauge didn’t work.
We motored around to two of the 5 blue lagoons. These lagoons are naturally occurring lagoons, have a rich bright blue color, and are scattered just outside of Vang Vieng.
The touristy “Blue Lagoons” are seemingly privately owned, and located between the farms and ranches and tiny villages outside of Laos. The landscape is literally breath-taking…. (I know what i just said, we’ll get to that)
The route to get to the lagoons was the adventure. This was my first time on a vehicle like this, and the roads are not designed for beginners. (Please for the sake of everybody, if you’re reading this and considering renting a motorbike but don’t have motorbike experience, then don’t do it.) (Or do it and just make sure you have travel insurance.) Once outside the town, the roads turn to dirt. With the dirt comes large and giant potholes and wooden bridges with holes in them. We took it slow, I only fell once on a bridge, but eventually made it.
The pure bliss of just being out in the open, watching the mountains go by, and feeling the sunburn was worth the trip on it’s own. The geographical features near Vang Vieng were ones that I have never experienced before.
We stopped at Lagoons 2 and 3. We got to 2 pretty early in the morning, when there was still a good chill outside. This one was set up like a theme park. Places to jump off (which Luke took advantage of), and some swings and other features.
Lagoon 3 was more “built up”. This one had restaurants and was very crowded. The pool was pretty packed, but we were able to get a decent spot. At one point we found a hike through the “jungle” and up the side of one of the mountains. It gave a good break from the people, and an even better vantage point over the farms that lay outside the lagoon.
Funny how Nick didn’t mention how we got back to the hotel.
I wanted to save that for Luke.
Remember Tori’s broken gas gauge? Ran out of gas. We tried to ask a few people about local gas stations, but receiving directions was impossible as we do not know how to speak Lao.
I take off on my motorbike and Nick and Tori stay put. Eventually, I reach a dead end. I turn around. At this point I’m panicked because the sun is starting to set. I’m goin’ 30 – 40 mph on dirt roads. At a certain point, my eye catches something on the side of the road and before I know it, I hit a pothole going a speed that I presume to be 30 mph because remember, the speedometer doesn’t work. The bike and I are flung off the road after impact with the crater-sized pot hole and we land in a ditch next to the road.
I get off the bike, and miraculously, I seem ok. I try to take a breath. Uh oh. Did I puncture a lung? Oh Fuck. Can’t Breathe. While this happens, a group of native Lao men ride by me, laughing. (Deservedly.)
I caught my breath, and thankfully didn’t damage the bike. I decide that I’m ok and the bike is ok so I continue on up the road and sure enough, there’s that damn gas station. ½ mi from where I crashed… The gas attendant thinks I’m crazy because I’m covered in dirt and blood and I ask to put the gas into an empty water bottle. Shortly after, I made it back to Nick and Tori. This is a picture of me after the incident, on the way back.
Later that night we booked a once in a lifetime experience through our hostel to take a sunrise hot air balloon ride. This is the cheapest balloon ride you can take in the world. We spent $90 USD, it was worth every penny, and one of my favorite moments from the whole trip. I would recommend this to anyone that will listen. Go to Vang Vieng, and take the balloon ride!!! (Agreed.)
Later, at lunch we got the “pleasure” of experiencing a live cock fight. Like legit chickens, set to rip each other apart just in the alley next to the restaurant. I don’t know if anyone else has seen something like that, but it’s real damn difficult to eat some damn curry while chickens are there screaming while killing each other.
After lunch, we returned to the hostel for naps and prepared for our afternoon tubing bar-crawl down the Nam Song River. Vang Vieng is famous for its tubing adventures among backpackers. In the past, it was known for being quite scandalous… but has calmed down in recent times.
We hop in some trucks with tubes on top and head to the river. As we arrive, I notice some friendly faces on another truck. It’s Brody and Noa (aka THE BOIS) who we met in Luang Prabang. I thought this was the most amazing coincidence in the world at the time, but I think that was just the alcohol.
Side note: If you need a new podcast to listen to, definitely give theirs a listen!
We then spend the day floating riverside bar to riverside bar, having a blast, and getting effectively plastered. We don’t have many photos from this event because we chose not to bring any electronics. Just ourselves, clothes, and some money for food and beer. It was a good day.
By the time we got back to the hostel, it was dark, and we were exhausted. There was a short amount of time where we considered going out to party more with the tubers, but after an Aussie man failed to coerce Luke into the showers for sex, he angrily went to bed. I also decided a nap would be good. The nap turned into full blown sleep. Totally understandable considering we were up at 5 am for the balloon ride that morning.
The next morning, the third day, we planned to catch an 11 am bus to Vientiane, the capital of Laos, so we could catch a flight to Bangkok the next morning. This bus ride was a little better (key word is little) than the trip from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng.
It could have been significantly better. Halfway through the trip, a local woman got on the bus, and when the door shut, a scream much like a 15 year old pubescent boy getting stabbed erupted from the bag she was carrying. After much confusion and concern, we came to realize that the woman got on with a live chicken, and it scared the shit out of everyone.
Arriving in Vientiane, Luke and I decided to rent an Airbnb. This was to finally have our own rooms after 2+ weeks on the road, and to allow us to just chill. We met up with Tori, grabbed some dinner, walked around the market they had (there was a lot of just knock-off/cheap clothes and shit), grabbed a drink, and then went to bed. Nothing too exciting, but from what we read, it’s not that exciting of a city, and overall it just felt like it lacked that charm. Getting to the airport the last morning in Laos was easy, and then it was a quick flight off to Bangkok as the last stop of the trip.
Overall, I wish I had more time in Laos, just like every other place I’ve been. This was one of the most geographically beautiful countries that I’ve been to. The natural beauty, and relaxed atmosphere make it perfect. Add in the cheap cost of living, and you have a backpacking paradise. And one that I will love to go back to in the future.
I want to go back, buy a motorbike, and ride around for a few weeks while feasting on chicken feet fed to me by local Laotians.
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