I’m sure everyone has had a friend like Steve Gibson. He’s the kid in junior high and high school that just doesn’t seem to fit in. But because his parents are relaxed with rules, you find yourself hanging out at his house all the time. That’s what Vang Viang, Lao is rather like. It’s a little dirty, it’s a little cluttered, but the most part is just a cool little place to relax and watch the world go by.

Imagine a place where you can lay around all day, tube down a river, get “happy pizza,” drink cheap beer, get stoned and watch movies … all without having to lift a finger, and all under $5.00 a day. That is the best way I can describe this small town located between the Lao capital of Vientiane and Louang Prabang (Lao’s other main tourist attraction) along Route 13. It’s an excellent stop over point that can help break up the 10 hour journey it would typically take to get to Louang Prabang. But for some, Vang Viang is a destination all of its own.

We took our 10,000 kip ($1) bus ride from Vientiane directly to Vang Viang. The bus was packed beyond the normal allotted seats. By Lao standards, this was perfectly normal. Why leave the bus station when there is a few square feet available to hold luggage, chickens or people? For those unlucky few (actually, more like 20) people who arrived late, they were forced to take an aisle seat, perched on a little red plastic stool. Hardly the way I would have elected to spend 4 hours.

Chris was able to get the middle seat in the back of the bus. As comfortable it might have seemed at the time he first sat down, the romantic notion of seeing the Lao countryside in comfort was quickly dismissed as the row of plastic-stoolers were forced to scoot back as far as possible. This was his first experience with bus travel in SE Asia. I could tell by the grimace on his face that he’d rather not experience it again.

We arrived in Vang Viang around 4:00 in the afternoon. We found a room for $8 a night, which included two full sized beds, a hot shower, air-con and full western toilet. The last element had now become standard due to the bad experience at the Lao Border Crossing toilet. We dropped our bags and headed out on the town.

But that I mean we walked down both streets.

Vang Viang, once a popular backpacker stop 25 years ago, has only recently joined the ranks of “places to go” in SE Asia. The entire town, which rests on the banks of the Nam Xong River, is surrounded by beautiful countryside. Vang Viang rests on the east banks of the Nam Xong River, set between spectacular limestone karsts and rolling hills. The roads in this town have no names, which is just as well, since it’s nearly impossible to get lost. By nearly, I mean “I never got lost.” I can’t speak for everyone in my travel party on that part.

In the few days that we spent in this small village, we didn’t do much more than relax, drink beer, eat cheap food and chat with fellow travelers. We were able to get up early one morning and do a bit of caving. For the most part we just chilled out at one of the half-dozen restaurants that flank the main street. We met a young English couple that had just come from Vietnam. We would later meet up with them in Louang Prabang for more drinks and dinner.

Places to Eat:

Give Pizza a Chance - Chilled out with a great menu of both Lao, Thai and Western food. The “happy pizza” was quite popular. We were offered opium on our last morning there, but passed on account of a few things: the most significant being that we were about to take a 6 hour journey through twisted roads and mountain cliffs. The second being that opium can really mess you up.

Places to Sleep:

Anywhere. All places are extremely cheap. Places by the river might be a better bet as they are a bit off the main roads. Rooms in town range from $3-10 a night.

How to Get There:

There is an airport … technically. It’s really only a gravel landing strip. I’m not sure if it’s used very much. Those that are likely to fly aren’t likely to visit Vang Viang. Bus is the best bet, although Sawngthaews run more frequently between the other major Lao cities. There is a VIP bus service that recently started that is a good value, if you’re looking for a bit more comfort along the twisted mountain sides.

Things to Do:

Chill out. Relax. Watch movies. Drink beer. Rent an inner tube and float down the river. Hike the various caves. Rent a bicycle and visit the outlaying villages. Relax.