By rail
Vang Vieng station, ~1 h from Vientiane
Southeast Asia · Laos
Vang Vieng, Laos
Karst cliffs, lagoons and river days
Getting there
By air
Wattay International, Vientiane (VTE), then ~1 h by train
Best time to visit
November to April — dry season
Don't miss
Tham Chang cave
The Blue Lagoons
The Pha Ngeun viewpoint
The Nam Song river
Things to do
Kayaking and tubing the Nam Song
A hot-air balloon at sunrise
Caves and lagoons
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Tango7174 · CC BY-SA 4.0
What to pack
Swimwear, water shoes, a dry bag
A quieter corner
The third Blue Lagoon, quieter than the first
Questions travellers ask
How long is the train from Vientiane to Vang Vieng?
About 1 hour. Flying in, use Wattay International, Vientiane (VTE), then take the train to Vang Vieng station.
Is there a quieter Blue Lagoon in Vang Vieng?
The third Blue Lagoon is quieter than the first.
What adventures can I have in Vang Vieng?
Kayak or tube the Nam Song, take a hot-air balloon at sunrise, and explore the caves and lagoons. Pack swimwear, water shoes and a dry bag.
Is there a local dish I should try in Vang Vieng?
Try riverside Lao barbecue, known as sindad.
About Vang Vieng
- Riverside
- Hills
Where it is
Vang Vieng is a small town in Vientiane province of central Laos, on the Nam Song river, set among limestone karst mountains on the road north from Vientiane to Luang Prabang.
History
Vang Vieng grew as a staging post on the road between Vientiane and Luang Prabang. From the late 1990s it became a backpacker stop known for tubing on the river, and after the riverside party bars were closed in 2012 it reinvented itself as a base for caving, kayaking and climbing; the Laos–China Railway has served the town since 2021.
People
Vang Vieng's people are mainly Lao, with Hmong and Khmu villages in the surrounding hills, and rice farming on the river flats carries on beside the guesthouses and tour businesses. Lao is the main language.
Known for
- Kayaking and tubing on the Nam Song
- The Blue Lagoons
- Tham Chang cave
- Hot-air balloons over the karsts
- The Pha Ngeun viewpoint
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.