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Vang Vieng, the land of natural beauty: a cool climate and town, a new country resort and tourist destination outside Vientiane.
Our Mekong Institute 3 day retreat programme for staff comprised a visit to Laos, which this time provided great excitement and very little disappointment. We started early in the morning with takeaway food like kao niew (sticky rice) and moo ping (grilled pork), Isaan northeastern style, carried with us on the bus. Our destinations in Laos were Vientiane, Vang Vieng and Nam Ngum Dam.
We left Khon Kaen for Udon Thani and then Nong Khai, the border province between Thailand and Laos.
We stopped for a while at Thongwiset Tour Office to meet Arthit Thongwiset, a tour manager, accompanied by the 2 guides who had organised the trip to Laos for the 19 of us. Our visas were also arranged with them, along with border passes and passports.From there we crossed the Mekong River border at the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge, and arrived at the Laos customs and immigration offices.
While we waited for the entrance procedures to be finished, an Indochina Travel Tour coach from Laos arrived, with 2 Laos guides dressed professionally in their national dress. Named Waan and Nok, they welcomed us at the border checkpoint and gave a fine first impression. It took half an hour for the process, after which we boarded an Indochina Tour bus, heading for Vientiane, a further 20km away.
The first place we visited in Vientiane was Chao Mae Si Muang, one of the most respected temples in the Laos capital. We paid respects there to bring luck, success and prosperity to all of us.
We had lunch at Ban Lao restaurant, which also serves as a cultural centre. We were treated to a Laos buffet lunch and entertained by local dancers and music. After their blessing dance, we were invited by the host to perform a Thai ramwong dance. We enjoyed the food and dance very much, before we left for Vang Vieng, our next destination.
We were accompanied on the whole trip by Captain Amphay Inthapanya from the Tourism Police. Along the way we played games, drank Beer Lao and sang Thai look tung country songs while passing rice fields, high hills, green forests and lowlands, through narrow, zig-zag roads, up and down mountainous routes, passing waterfalls, canals, rivers, and forest land which are still fertile and rich in natural resources.
The national road no. 13 led us 165km from Vientiane to Vang Vieng town, and took about 3 hours’ drive. From Vang Vieng other towns can be reached, notably Kasi and the famous World Heritage Site of Luang Prabang in northern Laos.
At about 4pm on the first day we arrived at Vang Vieng and checked in to the Phou Angkham Hotel. We took a rest for a while before going out to a sunset dinner along the Nam Xong riverside. It is a very pleasant place with great natural beauty and fresh air. We were not alone there: several other groups of tourists were present from Japan, America and Europe, taking time to absorb the wonderful atmosphere.
Vang Vieng is a fine place for relaxing, catching your breath and resting in the truly upcountry side of the third world. Touring Vang Vieng, one should not miss a visit to Tham Chang mountain cave or a boat ride or rafting trip along the Nam Xong, just a kilometer away from the town centre.
Along the Nam Xong riverside there is a beautiful backdrop of mountains. This is where tourists or visitors sit by the riverside at restaurants to view the flowing water of the Nam Xong and take in the mountain views far behind.
On the way up to Tham Chang cave there was a hanging bridge spanning the river, and also an organic farming village. Nearby is the mountain cliff called Pha Tao, and Thamjung Resort among others.
“More and more tourists are coming from China, Thailand and Europe to visit Vang Vieng, so our 38 hotel rooms are fully booked on Saturdays and Sundays” says Phousam Chadhakhamliang, manager of Phou Angkham Hotel. “There will be more during the tourist peak season in the winter, from December to April each year.”
A dinner was hosted at Sunset Restaurant on the Nam Xong riverside. We were treated to fish from the river, food cooked from the forest and excellent local fruits. All combined for a truly memorable food taste!
For a night tour after dining out, we wandered through the town’s ‘mini night bazaar’, exploring traditional Laos food and drink shops, pub and bars, souvenir shops, silks on display, massage parlours, internet caf?s and various local products on sale. There was also a great variety of food to be sampled, including bamboo rice and fried chicken.
We were late to sleep that first night, despite being exhausted from the long journey. But we still felt refreshed while in Vang Vieng and were very impressed with the town.
Early next morning we had an American breakfast with boiled rice at the same place, Sunset Restaurant. But on this occasion, we were treated by the owner, Thavornsouk, to entertainment with guitar and folk songs, plus the world famous music of Elvis Presley.
Late morning, we went on a trip to Tham Chang cave, set in a hill about 150 steps high. From the front of the cave there is a beautiful view of Vang Vieng town, the Nam Xong river, shops, buildings, and rice fields. While we were exploring the cave, water dropped from the ceiling and ran down rocks, keeping us very cool while electric lights helped us to see stalagmite rocks, limestone and stalactites.
Local guides told us about each spot inside the cave and explained to us the formation and background of the cave. We spent about an hour there, exploring deeper inside the cave to learn more.
Overall, Vang Vieng is very relaxing, allowing one to get in touch with the natural beauty of mountains, caves and river scenery in a virgin and unspoiled atmosphere.
We left Vang Vieng and headed next to Nam Ngum
Dam, about 80km from Vientiane. It is one of the most popular tourist spots in this northern area of Vientiane. Primitive lives of local people and villagers along the way can still be seen, going back 50 years.
The Nam Ngum Dam generates electricity for Laos, and a lot is sold to Thailand. It is a very big and powerful dam. We observed the Thao and Nang islands with a star gazing tower in the middle of the small lake. As we cruised up and down in a ferry we were entertained with karaoke songs, and served with fish and local food and fruit for lunch, as well as Beer Lao.
Lao Tourist Police Captain Amphay said 70 % of tourists and visitors are Thai, the rest being mainly French, Vietnamese, American and others.
“There were more tourist arrivals this year due to the Laos promotional campaign, with more conventions and conferences held here in Vientiane, as well as other tourism promotional campaigns launched by the Lao government” he said.
We returned to Vientiane in the late afternoon for one more night in Laos – which we never forgot! But that, as they say, is a story for another day!
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