The bustling city of VangVieng

Vang Vieng is a small town in Laos located in Vientiane Province, between Luang Prabang and Vientiane, on the banks of the Nam Song (a tributary of the Nam Lik, itself a sub-tributary of the Mekong). It has approximately 25,000 inhabitants. It is considered the capital of natural beauty in Laos.

Emile N'guyen

Mise à jour le 02/08/2017

Vang Vieng is a small town in Laos located in the Vientiane province, between Luang Prabang and Vientiane, on the banks of the Nam Song (a tributary of the Nam Lik, itself a sub-tributary of the Mekong). It has approximately 25,000 inhabitants. It is considered the capital of natural beauty in Laos.

1/ Vang Vieng province

The town, which attracts many tourists, has little interest in itself (no ancient monuments). The natural setting of karst mountains pierced with natural caves and its proximity to the capital make this town an important element in the country's tourism development programs.

According to the Lao Ministry of Tourism, Vang Vieng has 1,850 rooms for tourists (Feb. 2010)

2/ History of Vang Vieng

Vang Vieng was founded in 1353 as a stopover between Luang Prabang and Vientiane. First named Mouang Song, it was renamed Vang Vieng in the 1890s, at the time of the establishment of the French protectorate of Laos2,3. It experienced significant expansion from 1964 to 1973, during the Vietnam War, when the Americans built an air base there for Air America. This airfield was known as Lima site 6. More recently, the town has experienced significant growth thanks to the influx of backpackers attracted by the possibilities of adventure tourism in the karst landscape.

3/ How to get to Vang Vieng?

Vang Vieng is located on Route 13 Vientiane-Luang Prabang, approximately halfway between these two cities. However, it is more accessible from Vientiane, as the region to the north is more mountainous, especially from Kasi. The airstrip dating from the Vietnam War, located between the city center and Route 13, serves as an entertainment venue and is not intended to be put back into operation.

4/ Activities in Vang Vieng

The town has been to some extent "sacrificed" to backpackers: many activities target a young, sometimes less affluent clientele: tubing on the Nam Song, trekking, climbing, cave exploration, dugout canoe rides, hot air balloon flights, etc. Its spectacular development since the early 1990s has mainly taken place on the eastern bank of the Nam Song, facing the villages, rice fields and karst peaks of the western bank. A golf course is under construction on the latter, which may mark a reorientation towards a more "high-end" clientele.

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