Vang Vieng is a curious place.
A lovely town, nestled in a beautiful valley, it boasts stunning scenery. On one side are layers of mountains that create a mystical backdrop under hazy conditions. A river flows through the town (not Mekong, a much smaller one) and that provides opportunities for kayaking, speed boating, and tubing. There are numerous caves formed by dissolution of limestone, some within walking distance from the town. All these factors make this town an outdoor paradise. Plus it is an inexpensive place to live and the weather is gorgeous.
Not surprisingly, the place attracts young tourists, especially from Europe. Soon after they started arriving, these youngsters found out that there were very few restrictions on their behavior and Vang Vieng became a major party town. Bars were established along the river, so that people tubing down the river can get as drunk as they want. The town quickly developed a reputation and there had to be a major effort to clean it up.
The youngsters are still there. The place is filled with French and German kids plus a sprinkling of those from other lands. The bars are still around and music loud. Despite clear instructions on being respectful of the local culture, for example, by dressing decently, the folks still dress scantily, the way they would in their own countries. No one seems to mind as long as they don’t trash the place. And generate revenues.
Side by side, another segment of tourism has now developed. Chinese and Koreans come by the busload. They tend to be loud and pushy, and they cannot stop taking their own pictures. The informal tips you get from our age travellers is to get to an attraction early, before the buses arrive and the place is swamped. These folks keep to themselves, even preferring tour companies that cater just to their countrymen. A typical sight would be a prosperous looking middle-aged person with a camera and/or a pocket book on strap going crosswise on his chest, involved with an animated conversation with his fellow travellers. This is a scene not unlike what I have seen in other places.
The final group of people you find in Vang Vieng is comprised of the locals who cater to the other two. There are so many restaurants, bars and street food stalls that one wonders how they are able to remain in business. In addition, almost every shop carries a sign for local tours and bus tickets. Each experience (a cave visit, Ziplining, kayaking, tubing) is neatly packaged and combined in all different ways and sold. “Do you want to visit two caves, one blue lagoon, and one Ziplining, experience…no problem, Tour number 45 is just meant for you.” Once again, the only thing we saw most of these vendors doing was to greet you as you are walking by and when you ignore them, go back to checking whatever they are checking on their smart phones.
An interesting place with a curious mélange of people, for sure.
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