The next stop on my trip was the town of Vang Vieng, a few hours north of the capital, Vientiane. Vang Vieng has garnered somewhat of a bad reputation for attracting the wrong sort – young people who just want to get pissed, float down the Mekong in a giant inner tube, get more pissed, take some drugs, and then spend the next day monged out watching endless repeats of Friends/Family Guy and eating pizza. Unfortunately I discovered that this reputation is entirely justified, and that the town of Vang Vieng really isn’t a nice place to be.
Obviously I enjoy getting pissed, and tubing could be fun too, but I was put off doing both of these things by the hordes of unattractive wasted Westerners in the uniform of body paint, Vang Vieng vest, and baggy fisherman trousers (for men), hotpants/no trousers at all (for women). They don’t seem to consider the fact that they’re in Laos and so it’s (a) disrespectful, (b) a complete waste of an opportunity in a country that has so much more to offer, and (c) makes them look really silly. The presence of Wankers also has the knock-on effect that none of the locals care about or respect the tourists here. Elsewhere in Laos they are friendly and cheerful, but here they seemed sullen and unhelpful, keen only to rip you off or steal your shit. Also, after about the third episode of Friends I wanted to smash in the TV (and I never liked Family Guy in the first place).
So that’s hardly a glowing recommendation for Vang Vieng. I didn’t like it. But luckily, the rows of restaurant-bar-guesthouse-repeat isn’t all there is to Vang Vieng. It got popular for a reason, and that reason is the stunning scenery that surrounds the town, making it perfect for hiring a motorbike and driving around in awe, and also for adventure sports like rock climbing and caving. So I still had a really good time here, but I wouldn’t go back – because stunning scenery seems to be what Laos does best, and there are plenty of places where I can see it without feeling ashamed to be English.
cows, bicycle, sunset :)
on the way to the cave
in some really cold water, really deep inside a cave! I have watched too many horror films and felt certain that the cave contained zombies, or that the claustrophobia would induce one of my friends to psychopathy. it didn’t.
blue lagoon – very blue
men prepare for rock climbing by getting naked
this rock resembles a penis
going up!!!
coming down!!!
This afternoon I arrived in Luang Prabang and it’s absolutely gorgeous. Outside my bedroom door is a jackfruit tree and the Mekong river. I can see a temple on a hill.
Other news: this summer I will be working in London. Bring on pub gardens, barbecues, beaches and festivals (all these things will involve cider).
