Vang Vieng’s attraction was always the stunning scenery but a fair few years back some one invented tubing, which has become so popular that it is now the number one reason people visit Vang Vieng, in fact it is the only reason some people visit Lao. Of course there are lots of other actives available like climbing, rafting and canoeing but like most, all me and Jasper did was tube and on our days off recover while watching friends at one of the many bars on the main strip which show episode after episode of friends, in fact there are so many bars playing friends that walking down the main street you can always hear the opening credits from atlases one bar. So what is tubing? Well basically you pay $5 and receive your inflated tracker tier inner tube and get taken 4km up the river by tuk tuk, from the starting point you sit in your tube and float down stream back to Vang Vieng which takes 2 hours, or used to…
Now due to the fact that there are 14 big bars along the route it takes up to eight hours to compete, assuming you stop at at leased 5 of them. So this is how it goes you float for a minute or two and when you see a bar you like the look of and a good rope swing you wave at the staff and they throw a bit of bamboo attached to a rope at you, grab it and they pull you in.
You stay for a few drinks have a play on the swing and then tube to the next bar, simple. After a few days tubing you will really want to leave the amazing yet hellish place. The motto of the guest house we were stating was “You can check-out any time you like, But you can never leave!” from the Eagles ‘ Hotel California’ it fitted the place perfectly.
