Vang Vieng

Eco-friendly travel guide to Vang Vieng advises how to be a responsible tourist. Learn how to explore the attractions in a sustainable way and how to respect the local people and culture. Make your trip green by supporting locally owned hotels, organic restaurants and other businesses. Read more on how to protect the environment by making conscientious choices and how to travel green in Vang Vieng, Laos.

Landscape from the top of Mount Nam Xay, early morning

Air quality: 4 / 5

Exploring by foot: 4 / 5

Exploring by bicycle: 4 / 5

Public transportation: 4 / 5

Parks: 3.5 / 5

Outdoor activities: 4/ 5

Locals' English level: 3.5 / 5

Safety: 3.5 / 5

Accommodation: US$100 - $300

Budget per day: US$60 - $400

Responsible Travel

Vang Vieng is a very small town which is present in the Asian country Laos, and this town is one of the best tourist spots and every year, so many tourists pay a visit to this town. It is extremely important for the tourists to follow all the guidelines as a tourist in this Town and they should travel in this town responsibly. Tourists should opt for measures that are eco-friendly, and they should strictly not harm the environment of this Town.

Air Quality and Pollution

The air quality of this town is good and is not harmful to the people; the air of this town is extremely safe to breathe, and people won't face any health issues. Both the air quality and the pollution of this town are not harmful both for the human beings and the environment which is a good sign for this Town. The local residents of this town are opting for all possible measures to maintain the pollution and air quality.

Respect the Culture

All the tourists who are visiting this town should respect the culture of this town, and they should not say anything against the culture of this town as it would be a disrespect to their culture. The Government of this town has made some rules regarding the respect of the culture of this town. People disrespecting the culture of this town can face serious punishment by the government. Tourists can get involved in the cultural activities of this town so as to gain knowledge about the culture.

Top 10 Places to Visit

Vang Vieng's town has some perfect places that tourists should definitely visit, whether it be landmarks, wildlife sanctuaries, and many more. The top 10 places that people should visit in this town are mentioned below.

Nam Xay Viewpoint - This beautiful place is present near the Tham Poukham Road in the town Vang Vieng, Laos; some beautiful views can be seen at the top. This place is perfect for the people who love hiking as it will take 2-3 hours to climb up and down.

Vang Vieng Elephant Sanctuary - This elephant sanctuary that people get to see here was an idea dreamt by Kate Wolf. If people want to spend some time with the elephant, then this half or one-day activity is right for them to experience the stories about the elephant and their behaviors in a spectacular way.

Pha ngern View Point - the best scenic of Vang Vieng can be seen from Pha Ngern View Point. With stifling temperature and stepping inclines, the hike is not for the faint of heart, but the halfway is just as good as going for the highest point. There are in total three viewpoints along this trail, which are just so fascinating.

Blue Springs & Patong cave - This beautiful place is situated in the village of Nasay near the Vang Vieng town, and this is one of the favorite spots amongst the tourists to visit. Food stalls are also available in this place so that if anyone gets hungry, then they can eat over these stalls.

Tham Khan Cave - This cave is just so fascinating, and a lot of people visit this place during off days. Walking inside these caves is not less than an adventure, and people love to visit this place. The views inside these caves are spectacular, and people can spend a good time here.

Tham Phu Kham Cave and Blue Lagoon - This place is extremely beautiful and picturesque; the place is perfect for the people who love hiking. This place is also very good for the people who love to do adventurous activities. The place is looked after very nicely, and the maintenance is also quite good.

Tham Nam (Water cave)- This place is situated 15 kilometers in the Northern side of the town of Vang Vieng, people can easily reach here by opting for public transport. They provide their visitors with tubes if they don't know how to swim, this place is good for spending a whole day.

Tham Chang Cave - The town of Vang Vieng is known for its so many caves, and Tham Chang cave is one of those caves which tourists prefer to visit. This cave is present in Meuang Xong Village in the town of Vang Vieng. If anyone finds difficulty in finding this place, they can ask anyone on the way for direction.

Blue Lagoon 3 - This place is perfect for the people who love outdoor activities. People visit this place mostly during the summer season. Tuk-tuks will help people reach this place at very affordable rates, although the rides will be very bumpy. A good place for adventure lovers as it has some adventurous activities to do.

Wat kang - Wat Kang is a temple which is present in Sengsavang in the town Vang Vieng. This temple is the most visited temple of the town. The infrastructure of this temple will definitely fascinate the tourists as it is constructed very beautifully.

Blue lagoon 3 in Van Vieng

Explore

As a tourist, exploration is extremely important as the more one will explore during the trip, the more it will enhance the experience of the trip. The town of Vang Vieng has so many places to explore, and in one trip, tourists cannot explore them all. Tourists can visit the beaches present in the town of Vang Vieng, beaches over here are good for outdoor activities. Tourists can also visit landmarks present in this town as the landmarks are worth watching in this town.

City Parks

Parks are one of those places where people can visit in any season, park is a really good place for the people who love nature. Names of some of the city parks which present near the town of Vang Vieng are mentioned below.

Tham Poukham Cave - This city park is a perfect place for nature lovers as it has a thick cover of trees and the atmosphere of this park is extremely peaceful. This city park is present near the town of Vang Vieng and on weekends so many local families can be seen visiting here with their kids. This park has a very large surface area for the kids to play, slides and swings are also present in this park for the kids.

Blue Lagoon 3 - This park is present in the town of Vang Vieng and people can reach this park very easily by opting for public transportation like bus and tuk tuks. This park is perfect for adventure lovers as here they can do so many adventurous activities. This park is present in the town itself so people will not face any difficulty in reaching here.

National Parks

National parks are one of those places where people gain information regarding various species of plants and animals; names of some of the national parks which are present near the town of Vang Vieng are mentioned below.

Vang Vieng Elephant Sanctuary - This is a very fascinating wildlife sanctuary present in the town of Vang Vieng, which looks after the elephants. People get to see these elephants from a very short distance, they can also go on elephant rides, and the prices are very affordable. This wildlife sanctuary is a perfect spot for nature photography, and people will get some really good clicks over here.

Ponies Of Vang Vieng - This is not a national park, but this park has so many different varieties and species of ponies, and people can purchase them here. These ponies are kept really nicely over here and are kept away from human interaction. These ponies are of really good breed, and people mostly purchase them to play polo. People who are interested in purchasing ponies can contact the staff of this park.

Beaches

Beaches are one of the best places to chill and relax the mind, people can visit them during any season, but people mostly visit beaches in the summer season. In the town of Vang Vieng, there are some really good beach resorts, the names of these beach resorts are mentioned below.

Smile Beach Bar - Perfect place for chilling near a river side with a glass of drink, the atmosphere of this beach is extremely relaxing, and people love to pay a visit over here. This beach bar is present in the town of Vang Vieng, and it is mostly filled with visitors as this town has a very less number of beaches. Tourists can consume the traditional drink of this town in this bar and prices are also very affordable.

Sanctuary Nam Ngum Beach Resort - Sanctuary Nam Ngum Beach Resort is the most popular and famous beach resort of this town. It is the first choice resort to stay amongst the tourists. This place is good for the people who love to do outdoor activities like kayaking, and they will definitely enjoy this experience.

Landmarks

Landmarks are one of those places which people who are on a trip to this town should definitely pay a visit. These landmarks let the visitors know about the town's historical and ancient diversity and help them gain so much information. Names of some landmarks present in the town of Vang Vieng are mentioned below.

Tham Chang - This beautiful landmark has some really fantastic caves carved very nicely, and this place has a bridge constructed over the Nam Song river. This place is picturesque, and people can get some fantastic clicks of nature, people can also take some photographs of their own also. People go swimming in the lagoons present in this landmark during the summer season.

Wat That- This beautiful temple is present in the town of Vang Vieng, this sight is a must-visit site for the tourists as this temple is significantly important. It is a Buddhist temple where people come to worship Lord Buddha, and the temple is very nicely maintained.

Museums

Museums are one of those places where people gain so much information and knowledge regarding any topic. People who like to gain information regarding the past of any region can visit the museums. Names of some of the museums which are present near the town of Vang Vieng are mentioned below.

Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre - This beautiful museum was opened in the year 2007, this museum is famous for its exhibitions which attract so many visitors towards itself.

Royal palace museum - This museum is very fascinating to see and is maintained really nicely by the staff of the museum. Tourists should definitely visit this museum as it is very informative and has so many things to explore.

Outside the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre

Eat

It is extremely important for the tourists to taste the local and traditional food of the place they are on trip. In the town of Vang Vieng, there are so many local and traditional dishes that tourists can consume. Tourists can consume the local dishes of this town in any of the local restaurants; the whole cuisine of this town is available in these restaurants. Some of the common dishes being consumed in this town are mentioned below.

Banana pancake
Laap
Soups

Traditional Local Restaurants

In the town of Vang Vieng, there are so many traditional local restaurants where both the local residents and the tourists can go and have the local and traditional food of this town. Traditional local restaurants of this town are excellent as they provide ideal services to their customers, the quality of the food is also excellent. Names of some of the popular traditional local restaurants present in the town of Vang Vieng are mentioned below.

Il Tavolo Vang Vieng
Amigo's Vang Vieng Restaurant

Vegetarian and Vegan

People who prefer to consume vegetarian food have so many vegetarian restaurants, and there they can consume vegetarian food. Vegan people can also find restaurants in this town that serve vegan food. This food is free from any animal extract and is purely vegan. The town of Vang Vieng has some really good vegetarian and vegan restaurants which serve pure and quality food to the customers, names of some of these restaurants are mentioned below.

Veggie Tables Vegan Vegetarian Restaurant
Vang Vieng's Authentic Vegetarian And Vegan Restaurant

Street Food

In Vang Vieng, there are so many food stalls available in the streets that serve ready to make foods to the customers. The rates of this food are very cheap and the taste of the food served is also quite good. Although the quality of the food is not so good as compared to the local restaurants of this town. Names of the places where one can consume street food in this town are mentioned below.

Lao Falang Vang Vieng Italian street food
Sandwich street food

Drink

The local residents of this town are very fond of consuming drinks whether it be alcoholic or non-alcoholic. Alcoholic drinks are more consumed in the town of Vang Vieng than non-alcoholic drinks. There is a drinking age in this town, which is 18; people below the age of 18 are strictly not allowed to consume alcoholic drinks. Some of the most commonly consumed drinks in the town of Vang Vieng are mentioned below.

Green monster
Vang Vieng sling
Tequila

Tap-water

The local residents and the tourists should strictly avoid the consumption of the tap water of this town as it is extremely harmful to the human body; it consists of harmful chemical compounds and microorganisms which can cause serious health issues. People should boil this water properly and then consume it, and people can also purchase a water purifier and purify the tap water. Packaged drinking water is also available in this town, and people can opt for this as the quality of the water is good.

Organic Cafés

Organic cafes are one of the best places to start the day, and the local residents can be seen visiting the nearby organic cafes to drink tea or coffee, which will keep them awake throughout the day. The organic cafes of this town are always filled by the people as they are very fond of consuming tea and coffee. This town has some really good organic cafes; the names of some of them are mentioned below.

Organic cafe, Tubing start
Cafe eheh

Breweries

People living in this town are very fond of drinking beer, and they consume it regularly; beer is one of the most consumed drinks of this town. Breweries present in the town of Vang Vieng produce some really good quality beer, and the rates are also quite lower compared to other towns. The town of Vang Vieng has various breweries; the names of some of the Breweries which is present in the town of Vang Vieng are mentioned below.

Lao beer
Lager beer
Vang Vieng brewery

Activities

The town of Vang Vieng has so many exciting activities for the tourists and also for the local residents, and people can never get bored while they are in this town. In the summer season, people can visit the water parks present in this town to enjoy the water rides during a hot day. People can visit any of the bars present in this town during the night for club in and relaxation. People can visit the national parks of this town where they can see wide varieties of animals and plants.

Yoga and Retreats

Yoga is spreading at a very rapid rate in the whole world as people are getting aware of the benefits they will receive after practicing yoga. In the town of Vang Vieng, people are also very fond of doing yoga to keep themselves fit and mentally stable. Yoga centres are present in this town where so many local residents visit and practice yoga. Names of some of the yoga retreats present in this town are mentioned below.

Yoga in Vang Vieng
Silver Naga Hotel

Accommodation

Accommodation is the most important thing in each and everyone's life, it is extremely important for everyone to have a shelter where they can live. Getting accommodation is extremely important for the tourists and this is the first thing they search for before visiting any of the other places. Tourists can choose any mode of accommodation in this town which is suitable for them and has all the necessary facilities which they want. Modes of accommodation present in this town are mentioned below.

Hotels
Hostels
Guesthouses
Apartments

Green Hotels

The town of Vang Vieng has some green hotels which are contributing very efficiently towards the welfare of the environment. Although the number of green hotels present in this town is low but as the year's pass, numbers are increasing at a good pace. Every commodity used in the green hotels of this town is organic which is not only useful for human beings but also for the environment. Names of some of the green hotels present in this town are mentioned below.

Green view resort
The Elephant Crossing Hotel

Hostels and Guest Houses

The hostel is another mode of accommodation which is mostly opted by the students who came to the town of Vang Vieng for studying, here they get room to stay and 3-4 meals in a day. A list of hostels present in this town is mentioned below.

Chillao Hostel
Outland hostel

The guest house is another very good mode of accommodation which is mostly opted by the tourists who are on a trip to Vang Vieng. A list of guest houses which are present in this town is mentioned below.

Maylay Guesthouse
Nice View Guesthouse

Apartments

Apartments in the most opted accommodation by the local residents of this town, people who have a low budget mostly choose apartments as the mode of accommodation. Apartments are very much like houses and have all the facilities somewhat similar to houses. There are some agencies which rent their apartments to the people at very affordable prices, names of some of the apartments present in this town are mentioned below.

● Apartments

● Vang Vieng inn

Couchsurfing

Couch surfing is a widespread practice done by the local residents of this town, and they are extremely humble when it comes to giving hospitality to their guests and relatives. People who are planning a trip to this town will get so many benefits if they have a local friend or relative in this town. This practice is a very budget-friendly practice as people will save a lot of money on accommodation and food in couch surfing.

Camping

Camping is an adventurous activity mostly practiced by people who love to do adventurous activities. It requires a lot of experience and precision while doing camping, so one needs to keep all these things in mind. Camping is a widespread practice in this town and people can be seen doing it on their vacations and off days, this town has some really good camping centers which are extremely safe to practice camping.

How to Get There

Getting to this town is a bit difficult, and people will face a lot of difficulties if they are not from any Asian country, people from outside Asia can only visit this town through our transportation, and direct flights available for this town are quite less. People have to change some fights to reach this town, although a lot of work is going on to develop the air transportation services of this town further.

Air

Air transportation is the least developed mode of transportation of this town, this town has no international airports and people have to opt for road transportation so as to reach this town. This town doesn't even have a domestic airport so road transportation is the only mode of transportation through which one can reach here. Tourists have to land at a nearby airport and then opt for road transportation to reach here.

Bus

Bus transportation is the most used mode of transportation by the local residents of this town. Bus transportation is also opted by the tourists visiting this town as they are unaware of the routes of this town. There are some agencies which run buses for the convenience of the people so that they can get help in traveling from one place to another. This town has only one bus terminal from where buses for all the nearby cities and towns are available, and its name is Vang Vieng Bus Terminal.

Train

Train transportation is also not available in this town, and people have to go to the nearby railway station so as to reach their respective destination. The government is trying extremely hard to construct a railway station in this town so that people don't face any difficulties while traveling inside this town. Construction of railway lines is also going on in this town, which will connect this town to the nearby cities and urban areas.

Hitchhiking

Hitchhiking is a prevalent practice done by the local residents of this town; people of this town are humble enough to drop people on the way to their respective destinations. Hitchhiking should be practiced very carefully. One should choose the person very carefully as there is a very high risk of getting robbed during this practice. Many local residents of this town reported for robbery while hitchhiking and helping people on the way.

Others

Other modes of transportation available in the town of Vang Vieng is through taxi, and people can hire a taxi if they want to travel to any part of this town. This mode of transportation is very costly, and one should only opt for this mode if they have enough money. In the town of Vang Vieng, motorcycle renting is also available, and interested people can contact the various agencies which rent their motorcycles.

Moving Around

Moving around in this town requires a lot of knowledge regarding the routes. People should also be aware of the various public transportations available for traveling in this town. Tuk-tuks are available in this town, and daily so many people travel through them and reach their desired destination. People also can hire them for one full day, but the charges of hiring are extremely high. Without the knowledge of transportation, it would prove really difficult for the tourists to travel in this town.

Walk

The town of Vang Vieng is extremely good for walking as there are footpaths in this town where people can walk without facing any difficulties. Going on a walk is really good for health, and local residents of this town are really fond of going on a walk with their friends or alone. In the town of Vang Vieng, there are certain places where special tracks are made for the visitors to walk.

Bicycle

There are some agencies that rent their bicycles for the people, and many local residents take bicycles on rent so as to go on long bicycle rides. The hiring rates are very affordable; hiring rates are directly proportional to the number of hours the bicycle has been hired. Going on bicycle rides is good for the health and contributes towards the environment as the use of bicycles causes no harm to the environment.

Electronic Vehicles

In the town of Vang Vieng, the use of electric vehicles has not been started as this town requires a lot of development when it comes to transportation. The use of electric vehicles is really safe for the environment as it does not cause air pollution. Other countries are switching to these vehicles as they are contributing towards the environment and decreasing the rates of pollution rapidly. In the near future, the local residents will also start opting for electric vehicles due to fossil fuels' limitations.

Public Bus

This mode of transportation is the most used mode of transportation in the town of Vang Vieng, as no other mode of transportation is not so developed. The local residents of this town are totally dependent on public buses so as to travel from one place to another. These public buses' ticket prices are very affordable, these buses are always on time and are extremely punctual. All the details of these public buses and their routes are available on the internet.

Tram, Train and Subway

Tram and train are not available in this town and on this part this town requires a lot of development. The local residents have to face many difficulties from traveling from one place to another as they don't have enough transportation measures to travel in this town. Tuk-tuks are the second most used transportation in this town, and many people travel through them daily.

Sustainable Shopping

Sustainable shopping means that purchasing commodities that are harmless to the environment, and people should encourage the use of sustainable commodities. Although the local residents of this town have not yet started the use of sustainable commodities as people are not so much aware about this term. The sustainable commodities are good for the environment and good for the health of human beings as these commodities are free from any harmful chemical compounds.

Food Markets

The town of Vang Vieng has many food markets from where the local residents can purchase food commodities, and people can purchase commodities at very affordable rates in these food markets. The quality of the products available in these food markets are outstanding, and the buyers also get the facility of home delivery if they don't have time to visit the food markets. Names of some of the food markets available in this town are mentioned below.

Vang Vieng Morning Market
Vang Vieng Night Market

Flea Markets

Flea markets consist of all kinds of commodities which one requires in their day to day lifestyle, and these markets can be seasonal or permanent. In the town of Vang Vieng, there some flea markets, and the local residents love to visit them as the commodities are very cheap and affordable. Names of some of the flea markets which are available in the town of Vang Vieng are mentioned below.

● Vang Vieng Walking Street

● Vang Vieng Night Market

Second Hand Stores

Second-hand stores have helped so many middle-class people to purchase their desired commodities at a very cheaper price than the actual. In the town of Vang Vieng also there are second-hand stores, and their numbers are increasing day by day as people are purchasing second-hand products over new products. People can get every commodity from these second-hand stores which they can't afford to purchase new.

Eco-Fashion

In eco-fashion, people wear clothes that are made from eco-friendly products, and the clothes are harmless towards the environment. These clothes are not so costly, and everyone can afford to purchase them; these products are also safe for the use of human beings. These clothes will not cause environmental degradation, and the local residents of this town have started wearing eco-friendly clothes. Making of these clothes requires so many enhanced techniques and machinery, and the process quite expensive.

Recycling

Recycling is the most important thing that everyone one should do as it contributes in so many ways towards the environment. Recycling reduces the rates of environmental degradation as it decomposes the non-biodegradable waste, which is extremely harmful for the environment. In the town of Vang Vieng, people are also trying to recycle products so that they can contribute to the welfare of the environment. There are some agencies that are opting for measures to recycle every kind of waste, whether it be non-biodegradable.

Waste

Management of waste is extremely important as it can affect the environment adversely. If waste is not managed properly, then it can increase the rates of environmental degradation. Waste management of this town is not so good as this town is still under development. The agencies are not aware of methods of waste disposal. Because of this, the rates of environmental degradation are increasing very rapidly in this town. The government of this town is working a lot on waste management to save the environment.

Work and Study Abroad

The local residents of this town have to work extremely hard to make their living, so many local people are doing odd jobs to earn money. There are less job opportunities in this town, so the local people have to search for jobs in other cities of the country. The students studying in the universities of this town get chances to continue their studies abroad, but it requires a lot of money, and everyone cannot afford this.

Exchange Student

The Universities present in the town of Vang Vieng are not so good, and people from other regions don't prefer to take education in these universities. The quality of education provided by the Universities of this town is not satisfactory, although the universities provide fair chances to students from another region so that they can study here. This town has many universities where students can study. Names of some of the universities present in this town are mention below.

Technical College of Vientiane Province
National University of Laos

Au Pair

'Au pair agencies are helping so many people who don't have any jobs, and they are providing jobs to people who are in definite need of money to make their living. These agencies are increasing the employment rates in every country, in the town of Vang Vieng also, and these agencies are increasing the rates of employment. Although people have to work the whole day and the wages they get after doing so much work are very less.

Volunteering

This is another very effective and efficient method that people can opt for so that they can get a decent job to make their living. This practice is not so common in the town of Vang Vieng as very few students get a chance to volunteer in the various companies present in this town. Students need to work really hard and do their work timely and precisely so that they get a chance to work in the companies.