Vang Vieng

The view as we arrived into Vang Vieng really set the scene for the area. Four hours in a mini van across a bumpy, winding mountain pass from Luang Prabang didn’t make for the most pleasant ride. But the scene when we finally made it to our riverside hotel really blew us away. Laos might be landlocked, but that doesn’t mean you won’t find any of South East Asia’s famous limestone formations in the region.

Nam Xay Viewpoint

Looking to see the area from a good vantage point, Nam Xay viewpoint became our first stop. We came equipped with appropriate footwear and plenty of water, but all of the reviews in the world couldn’t have prepared us for how tiring this ascent would be. Advertised as a half hour climb, these were undoubtedly the 30 most gruelling minutes of our career break so far. For two relatively healthy young adults it is completely doable. But with an unrelenting incline of 45+ degrees and a significant amount of rocks / scrambling to contend with, we were both covered in sweat from head to toe by the time we reached the summit. And I mean completely drenched. This really was an exhausting climb in 30 degree heat… Just as well photos don’t capture smell! Once at the top, the panoramic view was magnificent.

Bizarrely, there were two motorbikes on top. When, how and why they were brought there is a mystery, but they made for some unique photography! We didn’t stay at the peak long as it was pretty small and home to swarms of large flies (which apparently were immune to our bug spray). This didn’t detract from our enjoyment of the view though.

The Bumpy Cycle

Riding rented mountain bikes for the day was a wise move in our heads, however when the paved road ended we quickly regretted our decision. These were the best bikes we could find, but they didn’t quite fill us with confidence. The drivetrain was dodgy and the suspension did nothing whatsoever to absorb the bumps. Suppose you can’t expect top quality for £3 per day though.

Keen to press on to Blue Lagoon 3 around 10km away (there are 6 lagoons advertised in the area), we learned to deal with the boneshaking cycle. Unfortunately James’s bike was not so resilient and after about 5km off road the seatpost bolt sheared, causing his saddle to fall off! This started off as an inconvenience, but our spirits were boosted now and again by interactions with the local children. From high fives to running alongside us, they certainly added charm to the villages.

After cycling a few more kilometres, James was beginning to feel some discomfort from standing all the time (not great when the gears kept slipping), so we stopped by a village shop in the hopes they might be able to help. Though the shopkeeper’s family spoke no English, it wasn’t hard to explain the problem. The father of the house was soon on the scene with a bag of tools and one of his sons as an apprentice. After further diagnosis, the apprentice was sent away on a moped to get a replacement part.

In the mean time we were invited to sit at the family table and enjoy some drinks from the shop. Remember how we said it was a good thing cameras couldn’t capture smell? Unfortunately the youngest child of the family was not so lucky, covering his nose every time he walked past us (much to our amusement)! But before long the apprentice had returned and we were up and running again. We couldn’t believe how helpful these villagers were and how quick they were to take action when we needed help. Or course we tipped them for their kindness, but this barely felt sufficient. They were just so welcoming and really did save the day. Massive respect for these villagers.

Blue Lagoon 3

A few kilometres later we finally made it to Blue Lagoon 3 and were relieved to be able to take a dip.

Being a Sunday, there were a lot of locals enjoying the refreshing water. Though this made the lagoon a little busy, it gave the place a fun atmosphere. With various ziplines and diving platforms against the backdrop of those stunning karst mountains, we really enjoyed our time at Blue Lagoon 3.

It took just over an hour to cycle back to the town after finishing up at the lagoon. Reaching paved roads again was like a dream come true. But even better, after our 35km loop, was to be back at the hotel pool in time for a breathtaking sunset. Well earned!

Enjoying The View By Motorbike

One thing we were beginning to notice about Laos was that the majority of tourists are backpackers. Most likely due to the lack of direct flights, Laos isn’t the sort of place Westerners tend to go on holiday unless they are travelling elsewhere in the region as well. Vang Vieng in particular used to have a notorious reputation for its party scene and the widespread availability of drugs, which inevitably lead to numerous deaths. In recent years however it has really rebranded; the region is now most famous for its beautiful scenery – and rightly so.

The following day we were on a mission to see as many remaining blue lagoons as possible. Lagoon 6 was not fully developed (from what we had heard) and 4 was in a different direction, so 1, 2 and 5 were the target. Suffering from acute pain in some sensitive areas, we had learned our lesson and decided to rent a motorbike for the day’s excursion. At £7 per day plus around £3 in petrol, this worked out not much more costly than cycling and significantly more comfortable.

We were a little concerned about signing on the dotted line when we read that the motorbikes were not insured. As it turns out though, these machines are very robust! Our mighty wee steed posed no problems whatsoever during our 50km off road excursion. In fact we would highly recommend the rental agency we used. They weren’t the cheapest around, but we didn’t see many newer or better condition bikes on the roads and we had no trouble whatsoever from the staff. Like many local businesses they weren’t on Google maps, but they’re located just North of the primary school, opposite a JDB ATM and directly to the right of a massage parlour (which seemed to have the same owners).

Blue Lagoon 1

Blue Lagoon 1 was first on the day’s agenda. Only 7km from Vang Vieng, this is the most accessible (and therefore most popular) lagoon in the region.

Most online reviews paint Blue Lagoon 1 as too crowded to be enjoyable, but we didn’t find this to be the case. It was certainly busier than Blue Lagoon 3, but it still had its charm with a water slide, various swings and a large tree you could use to jump in from different heights. Awesome fun!

Tham Phu Kham Cave

A visit to Blue Lagoon 1 is even more worthwhile considering that the entry fee (less than £1) covers admission to Tham Phu Kham Cave as well – a huge, sacred place for the Laotian people, home to a reclining Buddha.

Having heard rumours of a beautiful lake and underground waterfall inside the cave, we ventured deep into the darkness with our torches. It was eerily quiet for most of the way, perhaps even a little spooky. The stalactites and rock formations were beautiful, but we were getting further and further into the labyrinth.

Just as we considered turning back, we spotted the unmistakable glow of torch light. As the light came closer, we realised these were some young monks exploring. Having become a little disoriented ourselves, we decided to follow them. They were fairly elusive, but sure enough they did lead us to an exit so we made the right choice. We were sad not to have found what we were looking for, but from speaking to other visitors we wondered if the dry season was not the right time of year.

Blue Lagoon 5

Blue Lagoon 5 was our next stop. This is the most remote creek in the region and took us the best part of an hour to reach over such bumpy terrain, but our efforts were rewarded with a tranquil, almost private lagoon.

Despite only being 3pm, the sun soon became hidden behind one of the enormous limestone peaks, creating distinct beams of light either side. The shade was most welcome, creating a very comfortable temperature for some tubing on the lagoon.

Blue Lagoon 2

Our final stop for the day was Blue Lagoon 2. Keen to be back in town by sunset, we chose not to swim in this one as it was late by the time we arrived, but it certainly looked to be one of the most developed.

Once we’d made it back to Vang Vieng we had dinner with a German backpacker we had met earlier in the day. We all took different Laotian dishes and came to the conclusion that while they were good, Lao food doesn’t quite compare to Thai. That said, the street food vendors in Vang Vieng know how to make some incredible sandwiches! Usually priced around £1-2, these enormous baguettes were so delicious it’s no wonder Subway hasn’t established any franchises in the country.

One lazy morning later, it was time to continue South. Normally in this part of the world, when a bus is running late we start to get itchy feet – but on this occasion, an hour after it was supposed to arrive, we were secretly hoping it wouldn’t show. Though we had only spent 3 days in Vang Vieng, it was really starting to feel like a home away from home. We had experienced some excellent local hospitality, fallen in love with the scenery and even made a friend. Plus, the food really was quite tasty – Thailand just sets a tough standard!