In between the mood for tourism and mining

Vang Vieng (pronounced “wang wiang”) is one of the most tourist-attracting spot in Lao PDR. As the other major recreational places in Lao, Vang Vieng shares the beauty of big river and valley. This plateau has been well-known among travelers and backpackers for quite reasons.

Nature

Firstly, Vang Vieng is of course naturally enchanting. This plain was formed by the River (Nam) Song valley and limestone formation that goes along the valley. This combination has become natural attraction that enables tourism developer to arrange several adventure packages like trekking, biking, caving, tubing, kayaking, and rock climbing. Those who love adventure sport can spend days here trying the different sort of excitement.

However, the more adrenalin taking attraction is river jumping. The latter isn’t subject to neither certain package nor payment. You just have to queue among the others getting curious about and standing in line at the jumping pad. This bungee jumping like is most tried by those spending time at the bank of Nam Song after doing rock climbing or tubing.

Location

Secondly, Vang Vieng is located between the capital city Vientiane and the old kingdom and World Heritage Site Luang Phabang. As if Bali for Indonesia, Luang Phabang even better known than Laos itself. Tourists coming from Europe (mainly France) always take Luang Phabang as first destination. They usually then take road trip to Vang Vieng before visiting the modern Laos capital Vientiane and further go south to witness the charm and wilderness of southern waterfalls. Vang Vieng also represent as hub for two major tourism areas in Laos, the North which characterized by mountainous area with many curves on its road (some remote areas even hardly accessible) and highland communities, and the South with relatively flat landscape, more accessible road and river with islands.

Visiting Season

Vang Vieng is never really in low season for tourism. During the said low season between April and October this town still host hundreds of western (European, Australian, US) backpackers and Asian (Japan, Thai, China) visitors. Sometimes, one must struggle to get the cheap and favorite guest house here. Otherwise, you would have to take the ones available. However, for the best choice to outdoor activity, make sure that you don’t visit during the really rainy days between July and September.

Food

Food is never been problem in Vang Vieng. Western and Asian food are all available at local restaurants. Local and famous food/dessert is pancake with variety of flavor, from banana to cheese and durian.

Accommodation

As the food accommodation is convenient too in Vang Vieng. There are a lot of Guest Houses to suit different choices, from budget to mid end. The travel guide books are accompanied with detailed information re this. In Vang Vieng you won’t get trouble with accommodation just because you keep the out of date travel guide book.

Attraction

The notorious though mocked activity in Vang Vieng is watching movie at bar and restaurants that always play Bean, Friends, and Simpson episodes. It is not something I personally recommend but you will apparently always encounter there. There are many outdoor activities suit local nature. You can try rock climbing at nearest limestone along side Nam Song. The local ecotourism provider sells package with experienced guide. But if you want to reduce expense you can just rent the equipment for lower price. The charge for a climbing package is USD 20 per person with at least 4 people in one package.

 

The tubing and kayaking can also easily be arranged at local ecotourism provider. The most well known one is green discovery.

Biking and trekking to countryside is another interesting attraction. While the town of Vang Vieng is so full with western facility and lifestyle the countryside retain the modest agriculture-based lifestyle. The roads are normally not asphalted and there are buffaloes crossing and walking on it. Locals live in traditional raised platform wooden house.

The tourism-based economy in Vang Vieng seems to be the sustainable economy of the town and its surrounding countryside. However, another resources extractive activity may present as threat to its sustainability. It is the development of cement factory in Vang Vieng.

Nowadays, two cement factories are already in production phase in Vang Vieng and are owned jointly by Lao Government and Chinese investor. The raw material needed for cement factory is limestone. Limestone is remarkable as source of huge water resources that will ensure water supply for agriculture and any economic activities to run smoothly.

 

It is expected that if the government continues to run the project to the remaining hills the beautiful panorama of limestone domes will be flattened by excavator. If that is to happen then there will be no more tourism and the livelihood of hundreds families depending their life on guesthouses, food shops, and guiding will be put into end. We can expect that in the next 10 to 20 years there will be massive exodus of people leaving the previously lucrative Vang Vieng for seeking job in other regions.

Reported from VV trip, 11-13 July 2007

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