Luang Prabang - Heritage City

Vang Vieng ~ Backpackers' heaven!

Vang Vieng, backpackers' heaven  

We were in Vang Vieng from 31 Oct to 2 Nov 2010 

Vang Vieng (also Vang Viang) is a riverside town Laos

After 2 Nites in chill-out Vientiane, we took a VIP Bus ride (3.5 hours, 170km) to a backpackers town called Vang Vieng.


Vang Vieng still has those unused, airfield runway, used by the Americans during the Vietnam War but now are filled with backpackers.

In Vang Vieng, we watch the Caucasian youth drank cheap Beerlao & Lao Lao (Lao whiskey) while Tubing, Kayaking and Tarzan-ing along the Nam Song River. There are numerous Bars lining the shore of the Nam Song river which are stopovers for Tubers to swing and slide.

We stayed in the Vilayvong Guesthouse for 2 Nites (a simple US$24 Guesthouse) and was fortunate to bump into 60 year old Daniel Bedard from Victoria, Canada as soon as we arrived in Vang Vieng. Daniel, a retired school teacher recommended us the Sanaxay Restaurant in town and we were there almost every meal trying on dishes like grilled fish, stuffed chicken, barbeque pork etc. Beerlao and Tiger beers costs only US$1.25 for a large bottle!! Needless to say, Sanaxay Restaurant was, to us, the best Restaurant in town.



Daniel brought us to a rural school - Phone Ngeun Primary School (60+ students) - about 3.5 km off the main road using a Tuk Tuk. On the way, we made a stop at the Blue Lagoon, a popular picnic place with a nice stream, quiet picnic areas and caves.

Apparently, when Daniel was in Vang Vieng, Phosit, a village elder asked for his help at the village school to help teach the children English . He soon found out that the school was built by the villagers 6 years ago but it has no floor, no windows or doors and when it rains, they have to close the school. Daniel started the English classes from 4pm to 6pm which were attended by 40+ students. Before we visited the school, Felicia and Kenny bought color pencils and stationaries for the children from a local store and Book Haven committed to help Daniel furnish one of the rooms with Cabinets, Tables, Chairs and Books to cater for a mini- Library.
Daniel Bedard is going to be helping at the School till early Mar 2011 and we told Daniel we will get home and think of ways to raise funds and ship stuff over for the children of Phone Ngeun Primary School. Nov and Dec 2010 were going to be quite cold and it was reported in the Vientiane Times that the rural school-going children will be most affected as they lack warm clothes. Schools were told to start at 8.30am or 9.30am instead of 8.00am because of the cold and fog.

I read in the Lonely Planet travel book that in Vang Vieng, the backpackers goes Tubing, Kayaking and Drinking at Nam Song River during the day and watch re-runs of Friends in the many Restaurants/Bars at nite and it was absolutely true!!
Vang Vieng has also many small stalls selling Crepes for US$1.25, the price of a large Cold Beerlao, right late into the nite!!

Backpackers drinking Beerlao at US$1 per large bottle! 



Tubing is one of the major activity besides drinking and partying 








Overlooking the Nam Song River are nice Boutique Hotels, Restaurants and Limestone Karsts  



Barbeque seafood is popular since the town is situated next to a river 

One of the few Restaurants serving delicious fare






Barbeque Fish & Chicken are delicius and very popular among tourists



Simmalai, on my right, is a part-time scvhool teacher and waitress in our favorite Sanaxay Restaurant





There are many Street Vendors selling Crepes at 10,000 Kip (US$1.25) each

Phone Ngeun Primary School Buildingwhere the windows &
doors were fixed only recently 



Daniel Bedard (left) with Felicia and Kenny Chng, my fellow Travellers 






Chilling out in a stream in Blue Lagoon, not far from Phone Ngeun School

 

Girls wanna have fun.....

in Blue Lagoon................

Blue Lagoon Visitors.............

A little Cafe serving Thai Food near the Phone Ngeun School on the way to Blue Lagoon



At the Lao Farm where the Owner, Mr T, is involved with some Charity Work   



The Restaurant at Lao Farm serves Organic Food 

One of the many Beer Stops for Tubing Enthusiasts, this one next to the Lao Farm 

Organic Food at Lao Farm with Mulberry Wine & Mulberry Shake



One of the largest Beer Stops where there are hosts of activities for Tubers besides loud music and free flow of Beerlao & Lao Lao (Lao Whiskey) 




Tuber



Another Tuber - Tubing while drinking is a popular sport with backpackers and sometimes when they drink too much........  



Sights ~ Bus Trip from Ho Chi Minh to Phnom Penh

Note: This is a Work-In-Progress. Target Completion Date: 31 Jan 2010



Sun, 20th Oct 2009. Phnom Penh:

At 8.30am we boarded a 45-Seater Bus for what is supposed to be a 6-hour drive to Phnom Penh with one breakfast/lunch stop near the Vietnam/Cambodia border.

The one-way trip cost us only US$10 per head and this Bus was recommended by the friendly staff of the Saigion Mini Hotel 1.

We travelled for 2 hours before we arrived at the 1st Immigration Checkpoint which took approx. 30 mins to clear us. Boarded the Bus agian & arrived at a restaurant near the border where we have another 30 mins stop. Some passengers were having breakfast, some bought foodstuff including maize from the street vendors.

When we board the Bus again, we passed thru quite a number of Casinos built on the Cambodian side. The Vietnamese Government do not issue license for Casinos, so the Casinos were built at the border to attract the Vietnamese Gamblers, after all it's only a 2-hour ride form HCMC!

Jeff Tips: I bought 2 packets of Hersheys for US$4.90 each which actually costs US$10 in the Duty Free shop at Phnom Penh Airport.