Unbeknownst to me in the states, tubing in Vang Vieng, Laos is a worldwide attraction. At least for backpackers in Southeast Asia. The closer we got to entering Laos, all we heard from fellow travelers was “have you been tubing? You have to go tubing in Vang Vieng!”
Let me explain what all the fuss was about:
Vang Vieng is a small town located between the popular city of Luang Prabang and the capital Vientiene in Laos. It’s not the most accessible place, being over a 4 hour bus ride from either city, but then again, there isn’t much in Laos that is easy or comfortable to reach. The town is very pretty, with the Nam Song river running right next to it, and scenic mountains in the distance. Despite the natural attractions, by far the most popular attraction in Vang Vieng is the tubing.
Early in the morning, my friends and I headed down to the riverfront to find out for ourselves how amazing this activity really was. We didn’t get great directions to start the adventure, all we were told was to walk towards the river and rent a big black inner tube from a couple of locals at a small wooden shack. It turned out the location was hard to miss as there were piles and piles of large black inner tubes surrounding, quite literally, a couple of locals at a small wooden shack. Upon purchasing the tube, we were beckoned to hop into the back of a songthaew (local pickup truck with benches in the back) which carried us 20 minutes further up the river. Once at our destination, we hopped out, and to our surprise a few western teachers beckoned us to buy mojitos to help fund a school nearby that they were volunteering at. Drinks for the kids? Despite being 10:30 in the morning, it was an easy choice for us. After downing the mojitos, we were excited to start off.
To get started you simply grab one of the basic black inner tubes lining the riverbed, wade into the river, and you’re off. Well, for about 50 meters you’re off, at which point a friendly local throws out a rope and pulls you into the first bar.
There were about 50 people there already, everyone drinking beer on a giant wooden balcony that overlooked the river, mountains, and the enormous rope swing that launched eager patrons 10 meters into the air before they come flailing and crashing back to the middle of the river. The rope swing at the first bar was immensely scary, and yet thoroughly fun. First, you climbed up a tree (fitted with wooden notches for an easier climb), and then, upon reaching a small platform at the top, grabbed a trapeze handle 35 feet above the water and jumped off. Towards the end of the swing, the rope catches and launches you even higher into the air, and, with hardly any control, you crash into the middle of the river. The following morning, everyone, including myself, woke up to massive bruises on our sides where we landed from the first bar rope swing. It was really that high.
After tiring of the first bar, we grabbed a tube (didn’t really matter who’s they were since every tube was the same) and hopped into the river heading inevitably for one of the many other bars lining the banks of the river. Every fifty meters or so there would be another bar. There were at least a dozen in total, each with their own special enticement: zip lines, giant hand-built tile slides, and mud volleyball to name a few. It was a wonderful place to let loose, meet people, and have a great time. Eventually you were either too tired or had your share of drinks so you passed the bars and floated for another hour down the river to the wooden shack in Vang Vieng. Or, if you didn’t feel like floating for awhile, you could grab a waiting tuk-tuk at one of the bars, and get back a little quicker.
Update: For a year afterward, I continued to hear great things about tubing in Vang Vieng. Recently however, I’ve heard the bars were closed due to accidents and deaths associated with the high intake of alcohol/drugs and the long periods floating on a river. Not exactly a combination that ensures the safety of all patrons. Tubing is still a draw though, as alcohol is now purchased ahead of time, and consumed while you float down the river instead of at the bars on the rivers edge.