Vang Vieng, Laos

One of the greatest contrasts in the world perhaps in Vang Vieng?

On the one hand, some of the most breathtakingly beautiful scenery I have ever seen in any country in the world surrounds the town. Rolling hills, gorgeous mountains, lush plants and trees, interesting animals, rice paddies… just amazing. The highlight of this for me was wading through rivers for 45 mins to find an incredible cave where we went swimming in the water collected down below. Quality!

On the other hand, the town itself is an absolute pile of shit. There’s nothing interesting there at all and it’s basically just full out of the worst kind of ‘travellers’ I have ever seen. Dickheads who act like it’s their first time away from mummy and daddy… ‘oooh alcohol, yayyy!’. Most guys walk around the streets shirtless and the girls walk around in bikinis, as if they aren’t in a buddhist country (morons). There are actually signs up asking that tourists cover up, yet these idiots just ignore them. Honestly the town itself is just a little slice of San Antonio Bay and,sadly, the British/Irish are the worst offenders. I just find it sad that people like this make it past Ibiza/Magaluf/Ayia Napa etc. Any of you who know me in real life know that I love a drink and a party, I’m no boring guy, but this place really took the biscuit at night. It’s a shame the Laos people have allowed a place in their fantastic country to get like this.

Anyway to sum up, I recommend going and checking out the surrounding area, doing tubing then getting the hell out ASAP :D

I think people need to take it for what it is. Yes it has been generally overrun with westerners but its no different to what has happened with the Full Moon Party in Thailand.

It is a magnet for the people who like to get wrecked for several days on end because the town has allowed it to be that way, but on the other hand it has allowed local people to make money from it.

I have been there and i had an absolutely belter of a time there, I think people need to make there own mind up about it. I suppose you it’s just another result of what tourism brings.

I think people need to take it for what it is. Yes it has been generally overrun with westerners but its no different to what has happened with the Full Moon Party in Thailand.

Yep I also hate the full moon party with a passion.

I completely agree with this to be honest. The place is a magnet for arseholes!  I passed through on the way from LP to Vientiane. I did have a few drinks in the bars but the behavior of most of the backpackers there was disgusting. And im not in the slightest bit suprised that people die there all the time.

I had to pull some girl out of the water who couldn’t breath after she tried the first rope swing and couldn’t hold her own weight. And there were people on crutches absolutely everywhere. The Laotian people in the town are also the exception to the rule that Laos has the nicest locals. I found them a bunch of robbing fuckers.

I even saw some Chavs there!  :cry:

personally i had a great time there over 2 years ago now… I like a bit of both and end of the day most of the locals actually enjoy it and they make money from it. Its not as bad as thailand as its not just bought out by big hotels and stuff.
Also i’m not sure if you know the money made from the bars actually goes into schools and stuff in surrounding villages and areas. As long as the rest of laos doesnt get taken over by dicks then i’m fine with it. Just enjoy it for what it is… Its no way near the chavyness / lads on tour vibe of ibiza or magaluf either.. Much more chilled.

personally i had a great time there over 2 years ago now… I like a bit of both and end of the day most of the locals actually enjoy it and they make money from it. Its not as bad as thailandas its not just bought out by big hotels and stuff.
Also i’m not sure if you know the money made from the bars actually goes into schools and stuff in surrounding villages and areas. As long as the rest of laos doesnt get taken over by dicks then i’m fine with it. Just enjoy it for what it is… Its no way near the chavyness / lads on tour vibe of ibiza or magaluf either.. Much more chilled.

Which part(s) of Thailand do you mean?

phuket, ko samui, ko phagnan… loads of places. Laos has this one place.. Which like i said isnt exactly out run by huge companies and just for profit…

Also i’m not sure if you know the money made from the bars actually goes into schools and stuff in surrounding villages and areas.

How do you know this? Seems like a massive claim! I’d eat my hat if you can show me proof that’s true.

Not just playing devil’s advocate here… I really just don’t believe that happens. Why would private bar owners donate all that money to schools and villages? It seems completely against the spirit of opening a bar and running a business.

I’m calling BS on that statement fella.

phuket, ko samui, ko phagnan… loads of places. Laos has this one place.. Which like i said isnt exactly out run by huge companies and just for profit…

Fair enough. I haven’t been to any of those places, but I have witnessed the Thai willingness to sell their souls for money in certain areas so I can understand what you mean.

Thankfully though, the interesting and beautiful places in Thailand massively outnumber those touristy shitholes. It’s a really big country and luckily all the idiots head to said shitholes, leaving the good places to those in the know :wink:

Also i’m not sure if you know the money made from the bars actually goes into schools and stuff in surrounding villages and areas.

How do you know this? Seems like a massive claim! I’d eat my hat if you can show me proof that’s true.

Not just playing devil’s advocate here… I really just don’t believe that happens. Why would private bar owners donate all that money to schools and villages? It seems completely against the spirit of opening a bar and running a business.

I’m calling BS on that statement fella.

ok well when i was there about two years ago there was this guy called trent who had been there for like 200 days or something. He was the definition of a fucking wastman but had a pretty clear idea about what was going on there and he had got too known all the locals very well and was even invited to weddings and all. He told me this and he had even gone and done work with the schools in surrounding areas.. And well according to him a lot of the money generated DID go towards schools and the general community. I have no reason to not believe this guy and its all pretty evident in the way the set up is there.. i think it is that that keeps it becoming something more like thailand. Most of the people working the bars were women with children.. They would be making a heafty profit especially in laos if they were keeping all the cash generated from the bars while there has been literally no inflation or anything to suggest a rivalry between businesses there.

The only thing there that seems a bit dodge is people hiring out tubes. I’m just referring to the bars on the river..

The money doesn’t necessarily get donated to the local economy but it filters down through enterprising locals who can take advantage from what tourism brings such as running guest houses, bars, restaurants etc.

ok well when i was there about two years ago there was this guy called trent who had been there for like 200 days or something.

I met Trent!! He’s a celebrity in Vang Vieng! Wonder if he’s still there…

Lunny, I agree with you 100%.

Although I haven’t been to VV, I have been to the FMP & Kosan Rd and it just plain sucks

What Randy-Marsh is saying is actually true whether there is hard evidence or not.

Their is a piece of theory in relation to the sustainable management and planning of tourism which states a similar domino like effect, Ive forgotten the name of it now but it basically shows that any form of tourism in one way or another brings revenue into an area and thus is put back into the community whether it is by government means or not, for example.. im sure Randy-Marsh took himself down to a local shop to buy beers? went to a local guesthouse and paid to stay? the money we spend there is used by the local people to feed themselves, pay for transportation, pay for schooling, pays their bills.. the money is brought into the community and often stays within the community.

The leakage rates ( of revenue made) in areas such as Laos and Cambodia (poorer countries) are significantly low because there is a lack of infrastructure… even if they wanted to spend it elsewhere its difficult to.

The simple fact is Laos allows such behavior because it cannot afford not to. It is a key source of revenue and without it local people would not be able to live in the way they have become accustomed to. The area is in the development stage .. like all other resorts some mentioned above it will hit stagnation. Sooner or later a proper tourism planning and management system will be put into place, since its such a beautiful place sustainability will be key.

i highly doubt there is even much need for locals that are running pubs/ bars/ guesthouses etc to pay off police officers… the government in laos knows damn well what happens in vang vieng.. the simple fact is they want it.. it attracts people to the country in far greater numbers than the lovely surroundings and generates a far higher source of revenue for locals. They don’t have the money to put safety measures in place or give additional funding to the local hospital as discussed in the article.. so there only choice is to continue .. double edge sword.

There are many places in the world like this, eventually either the government will clamp down on the area or the area will become in decline and thats when vang vieng will really be in trouble as the local people will have no source of revenue and will either have to re-invent the area or turn back to agriculture etc.

sorry that was post alot longer than I expected it to be!

Personally, I also didn’t enjoy Vang Vieng. Thought the area was beautiful but didn’t like the town and what it stood for. Everyone sat like zombies watching Friends - may be for some but not for me. It also shocked me the number of times I was asked by local 5 year olds if I wanted to buy drugs. I mean, I’m used to families sending the kids out to sell things, but had never had them trying to sell me drugs before. I was there about 2 nights then got the hell out.

I’m sat in Vang Vieng right now….I honestly can’t sum up how I feel about this place! The backpackers here, the town…it just seems to sum up everything that’s bad about people on a binge gapyear.

Same as what’s been mentioned above, eventually the hype will fade (considering they’ve closed some of those swings and slides on the river due to too many deaths i’m sure the ball is already rolling) then what will this town do?

It’s awful seeing how the local people look at you here- they appear to think we’re all like that, and no amount of good manners/trying to talk to them etc does any good, they won’t even smile at you- I think they’re very bitter at the situation they’re now in.