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The Tubing Experience in Vang Vieng, Laos is not extinct!

Written By The Travelling Postcard on 26 May 2014 | 15:34

The wonderful country that is Laos is home to superb gastronomy and harmonious people who live their life at a slower pace than locals in Thailand or Vietnam. 

We spent three days in the picturesque town of Vang Vieng, renowned by backpack travellers for it's once famous tubing which runs from one end of the river stream to another. 


Vang Vieng's beautiful landscape scenery


Being backpack travellers ourselves, we decided to go with the norm and experience tubing, it consists of hiring a floating tube and floating through the river as you stop at every bar located on the river bank. The bars offer you a free shot and a bracelet, drinks are not that expensive if you stick to beer or local rum! 

The Tubing Experience 

The experience starts in Vang Vieng, here you will visit the tubing start point. The hire of the tube is 50,000 kip plus an extra 20,000 kip as deposit, make sure you return the tube at a certain hour as you will lose your deposit! No questions asked! 

You will then have to wait for the taxi provided to fill up before you make your way to the initial bar at starting point. According to many travellers the tubing experience was awesome a few years back, however certain death related incidents has made the government act against the practice. The result being that from 12 bars along the river it now only houses 3 bars! Don't be dismayed, the three bars are more than enough I can assure you you won't be disappointed with alcohol levels.


Bar 1 - A shot and a bracelet at every stop

Enjoy an aqua park type ride but in the midst of the mountain jungle atmosphere and with a bunch of new friends! 


From a journey that would take around 1 hour to stream down river takes around 4 hours with bar time included! It is a fun way of spending a day out making friends and getting drunk. In my opinion bar 2 was awesome as it actually has a muddy basketball ring to enjoy whilst being under the effects of alcohol.


Vang Vieng's river - Beautiful views


One word of advice! Drink and have fun but do not attempt the swings on one of the bars as people have actually died from this practice! Apart from this minor call for the experience is amazing and has to be done whilst being in Laos. Food is also available at the last bar in case you start getting hungry! 


The G Adventures group we were with - Incredible people!


Call for a taxi at Bar 3 as the sun sets quickly over the mountains

As time flies by the afternoon quickly turns into nighttime and I would advise to call for the taxi as soon as you finish bar 3 as once it turns pitch black I can assure you it is nearly impossible to make it into the field with your tube back to the tubing shop, so be aware of the time!

At the end of our experience we lost our deposit for getting there late and we even nearly lost our Australian friend Charlie! Who decided to make it way down to the bottom! The Travelling postcard recommends this experience to anyone in search of fun!


Breath-taking Vang Vieng, Laos


Happy Travels
Dylan 

If you are currently organising your trip to Laos, make sure you get yourself one of these: 



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3 comments :

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