You’ll find everything you need to know to plan a trip to Vang Vieng, Laos in this blog post. This guide contains details on what to see in Vang Vieng, where to stay in Vang Vieng, getting around and into town and of course, budget travel details and tips. We’ve also put together the perfect itinerary for Vang Vieng that will make it easy for first time visitors!

Our experience of visiting Vang Vieng, Laos

We loved the cultural vibes of Luang Prabang in northern Laos. But the moment we stepped into Vang Vieng, we felt there could be something even more beautiful and inspiring to experience. And boy, we were right!

It was a sunny afternoon in August, the peak of the monsoon season in SE Asia. We reached Vang Vieng on a four hour minivan journey from Luang Prabang. With the rucksacks on our back we quickly walked from the bus station to our hostel in the outskirts of town. The first impressions convinced us that Vang Vieng was a sleepy town. There were limestone mountains all around and the clouds were gathering again overhead The land was either covered with forest patches or rice fields and small houses and shops along the main roads.

Over the next two days, we saw incredible nature and a laid back Lao culture that we didn’t see as much in other parts of the country! The hues of the Blue Lagoons, the challenging hike in the tropical rain forest, the lush green paddy fields and the fascinating shape of Limestone mountains made it perfect. Till date, it also holds the title to our best hostel experience, followed by Gokarna.

We’ve documented some photos of these amazing places in the blog post, but they are nothing compared to what you will see in real life there! 😍

Blue Lagoon, Vang Vieng

This is the number one attraction in town. The Blue Lagoon in Vang Vieng is not one particular spot. There are at least five different blue lagoons in and around Vang Vieng. However, the most popular ones are Blue Lagoon 2 and Blue Lagoon 3 because of the size and beauty!

The blue lagoons are actually natural pools formed at the base of limestone mountains. They are surrounded by lush green rain forests and face endless paddy fields. The specialty of the pools is the water color – a wonderful turquoise blue that glimmers in sunlight!

Tip: Make sure to visit Blue Lagoon 2 for its awesome tropical vibes. Entry fees is LKP 10,000 (USD 1.1 or INR 80) per person

The colour of the water is due to limestone sediments collected in the pool from the rainwater flowing down from the mountains. The sediment rich water traps sunlight to reflect deep turquoise and cyan shades of colour. The underwater visibility is also very poor, so don’t underestimate the depth of the lagoon!

You can rent a tube, life jackets and other water-sport accessories to play in the lagoons. We rented a life jacket for LKP 10,000 (USD 1.1 or INR 80) and felt safe while swinging and jumping into the water! It was incredible fun and a memory we’ll always treasure.

Nam Xay Top and Pha Ngern View Point

Hiking in Vang Vieng is an absolute must do! There are many limestone mountains that are easily accessible on road and you can climb up to the top in an hour or two. But our recommendation is to climb Nam Xay Top (hard) or Pha Ngern (easy) for a stunning sunset experience!

We began our hike to the Nam Xay top at 4:30 pm and reached the top an hour later. There were no steps along the way and it was a natural trail with roots and vines for railings! Awesome, right? But parts of the path were very challenging especially considering the rain and few visitors who make it there. Nevertheless, the views at the top were well worth the struggle. And we also happened to make a memory out of our experience of climbing Nam Xay top memorable – read about it here!

Nam Song River Bridge

Vang Vieng is situated on the east bank of the Namsong river. But some of the attractions like the mountains and blue lagoons are on the west bank. To get to the other side, locals and visitors use the Nam Song River bridge. There is a small fee to use, but its worth the cross over. The views from the bridge are also incredible. On one side, you’ll see the sleepy town and on the other side, behind the tree cover, the towering limestone mountains. And of course, the Nam Song river is stunning too, especially in the rainy season!

Tip: Watch out for bikes crossing the bridge. Although the bridge rattles, the locals claim that its perfectly safe!

Vang Vieng rice fields

No visit to Vang Vieng (or Laos, for that matter) is complete without exploring the lush green rice fields. The picturesque background of limestone mountains and thick Lao rain forests make the scenery even more enjoyable and unique. On a busy day, the farmers are up and about in the fields wearing their straw hats and traditional outfits.

The fields are not marked with entry tickets because they are private land. Most of these fields are on either side of public roads. So its possible to stop on a ride through the village and walk into the fields. But if you spot a farmer, it is polite to say hello (“sa-bai-dee”)and seek permission to enter and click photos! Lao people are very humble and generally nice to visitors.

Tham Chang Cave

Vang Vieng is home to many limestone caves and some of these caves have traditional temples. The Tham Chang Caves are very popular among travelers because of the vast size of the cave site. The stalagmites inside the caves will also leave you awestruck! Its definitely worth a visit to see how these caves are formed over millennia of erosion limestone rocks.

In the nineteenth century, the people of Vang Vieng used the caves as a bunker against the Yuan forces from China. On one side of the caves, there is the Nam song river and on the other side, endless rice fields. The caves are hidden under a massive range of limestone mountains and covered in thick forests. 

There’s a stairway leading from the visitor entry office to the mouth of the cave which is mid way on the mountain. The stairway offers grand views of the Vang Vieng town and the surrounding tropical forests. 

There is another enjoyable attraction at the cave: a blue lagoon! Its perfectly safe to play in the water here. Many locals come here everyday to enjoy the gently flowing water. There are a series of small bridges leading to the shallow spots.

Entry costs LKP 10,000 (USD 1.1 or INR 80) and parking is allowed onsite. It is a five minute walk from the parking area to the ticket office.

Offroading and Biking in Vang Vieng

Vang Vieng is a small town. The roads in town are well laid, but the moment you step out of the town limits, the roads are terrible. During the monsoon, a dirt track can quickly turn into a shallow river!

As inconvenient as it sounds, the people of Vang Vieng have taken advantage of these bad road conditions to offer off road buggies on rent! Renting a big wheel scooter (125 cc) will cost you LKP 80,000 (USD 8.5 or INR 650) per day. The buggies cost USD 70 per person and are offered as part of an ATV tour. Alternatively, just rent bicycles for LKP 20,000 (USD 2.2 or INR 160) per day.

Tip: If you are staying in Vang Vieng town, you will definitely need a vehicle to get to blue lagoons and the mountains. We recommend a scooter. Bargain well as the prices are always inflated!

Important note: There are many stories online about theft of scooters in Vang Vieng. Although this is more prevalent in Luang Prabang, it is safer in Vang Vieng to rent a scooter. Just be wary of depositing your passport as security with the scooter renting shop. We rented at Chillao Hostel and Magic Monkey Hostel.

Hostels and Cafes in Vang Vieng

Vang Vieng is a hit with backpackers because of the hippie vibes and laid back culture! And the great hostel culture makes it even more appealing especially if you want to meet and hang out with like minded travelers. We personally experienced this at Magic Monkey Garden Bungalow, the hostel where we stayed. It was incredible fun! We made friends with fellow backpackers from Ireland, Korea, Germany and even Tahiti! Since it was a tuesday night, the hostel organised a moon light dinner party. Free food and drinks on the house. There was vegetarian food too. In a short while, a cocount bearing classic Lao rice whiskey was making its way around the table! And once the dinner party ended, some of them even left to another party in town from 12 am to 5 am! Talk about a wild night!

The party culture takes a slightly infamous turn here. Vang Vieng was popular as a hippie town since the Vietnam war ended. In the 80s, the drug menace had turned uncontrollably wild, but soon the cops enforced very strict rules. Today, although the drug flow continues, its done discretely. In some cafes, hostels and hotels, there’s a small potted marijuana plant. That represents a point of sale and safety to consume. But many foreigners have been arrested by cops soon after, only to be bribed for a release. Many of these are often ‘setups’ between the locals and the cops. 

Other places to visit nearby

Vang Vieng is a center point in the travel triangle of Luang Prabang – Vang Vieng – Vientiane. Together, these three cities make up the main tourist attractions in northern Laos. Both of these cities have a lot to offer to visitors and suit every budget too. These two cities also have international airports.

Luang Prabang is famous for its beautiful Kuang Si waterfalls, traditional Lao Palace and classic temples and the Mekong river. Most tourists spend their time here and once you are there in person, you’ll agree why its well worth spending your days.

Vientiane is the capital city of Laos. It is modern and noisy, much like any other Asian capital city. There are a few sights to see in Vientiane. We recommend spending a day here for arrival/departure purposes. If you enjoy shopping for souvenirs, clothes, street food and more, the night markets of Vientiane will be your perfect choice!

Check out the best places to visit in Laos here

Stay, food, transport, weather and budget

Stay: Vang Vieng is very popular for its hostel culture and there are many good ones all over town. We stayed at the Magic Monkey Garden Bungalow and Dorms. Prices start from USD 2 per person per night. We slept in a private cabin USD 15 per night and breakfast was included. There was a big swimming pool and lots of open spaces. But we enjoyed the hospitality the most. You can checkout more hostels and hotels here. 

Food: Food was absolutely delicious in Vang Vieng. We had traditional Lao food at our hostel. Outside, we had Pizzas, Mexican, western food and of course, more Lao food. If you find street food carts, taste a Baguette sandwich. Those are really good and cost less than USD 2. 

Transport (local): There is no public transport in Vang Vieng. The cheapest way of getting around is to hire a bicycle for USD 2 from any bike store, hostel or cafe. A slightly more convenient way is to rent a motor scooter for USD 8 per day. The most comfortable yet expensive way of getting around is to sign up for an ATV or minivan tour of Vang Vieng. We highly recommend the scooter option as some of the main attractions like blue lagoons and hikes are far from town and a bicycle ride is exhausting!

Weather and best time to visit Vang Vieng: Vang Vieng is hot and humid, especially in Summer between April and October. The rains from June to September make the lush greenery very vibrant! However, if you want to enjoy clear weather, we recommend visiting in the winter months between November and March. The Limestone mountains and Blue Lagoons are good to visit all year round.

How much we spent on our trip to Vang Vieng

We spent about USD 33 or INR 2,500 per person for two days and two nights including stay, food and drinks, local travel on a sharing basis. We took the bus between Luang Prabang and Vientiane. Of course, some of these expenses could be even lower, but this should give you a general idea of the cost.

Budget and costs: Street food and local dishes are reasonably priced in town. Expect to pay under USD 1 to 2 for most street food snacks and small baguette sandwiches, crepes, fruit shakes. Expect to pay above USD 4 for the same dishes in restaurants. Indian food is expensive. Stay is cheap in hostels. Prices start at USD 2 per night, per person but may need to compromise on a few luxuries there. Private rooms cost USD 8 and above and are good. For USD 13 or more, you can easily find very good accommodation with AC and breakfast (and sometimes, bicycles too). ). Rent a scooter for USD 8 per day or a bicycle for USD 2 per day.

How to get to Vang Vieng

Vang Vieng is connected to both Luang Prabang and the capital Vientiane by road. A seat in a bus or minivan from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng costs USD 15 (INR 1,200) and takes 4 hours. Vang Vieng to Vientiane costs USD 12 (INR 900) and takes 3 hours. The route from/ Luang Prabang is infamous for landslides and sometimes, the time taken to travel might double due to detours. We drove by a landslide on our journey and it added an hour to the journey.

Cheaper local buses are available but take a very long time to reach. We recommend taking the shared minivan. 

If you have more questions or want to explore Laos with us, please write to us – we’d be very happy to help!

Useful links

Here are some useful resources to plan and book your next trip. These are the same websites and apps that we use for our own bookings! We may earn a small commission if you make your booking using the below link, at no extra cost to you. 🤓