We passed through Vang Vieng on our way from Luang Prabang to Vientiane. It was meant to be just an overnight pit stop, but the dramatic limestone karsts and laid-back atmosphere made it feel like a proper little break on our journey through Laos.

We took the “VIP express” bus from Luang Prabang. They handed us a bottle of water and a travel sick bag — which turned out to be a very useful hint! The road over the mountains is steep, extremely winding, and still quite rough in places despite being recently sealed. We passed several small landslides and sections where the new tarmac had already washed away. Still, the scenery was absolutely spectacular as the bus crawled up one mountain and down the next.

As we descended the final mountain, the famous Vang Vieng landscape opened up before us — towering limestone karsts rising dramatically from rice paddies. It’s one of the most beautiful valleys in Laos.

Vang Vieng was once famous (or infamous) for its wild party scene, opium, magic mushrooms, and dangerous activities like swinging from ziplines while intoxicated. After several tourist deaths, the Laos government cracked down hard in 2012. The illegal bars were closed, the rave parties largely stopped, and the town has since returned to a much more relaxed and pleasant place focused on outdoor activities like kayaking, tubing, trekking, and rock climbing.

We stayed at the Inthira Hotel, part of the small group of boutique hotels we had enjoyed in other parts of Laos. It was clean, comfortable and well-located. In the evening we walked to their sister property, Ban Sabai, which sits right on the river with a beautiful setting. The food was decent and the views made up for everything.

The next morning we continued to Vientiane by minibus through torrential monsoon rain and flooded roads — a classic wet season experience in Laos!