Travelling takes us to incredible places such as Vang Vieng in Laos - sadly my time in Laos wasn't much fun and I want to warn other travellers of the dangers of Vang Vieng and how not to go tubing. What went wrong for me can go wrong for anyone so really - be careful!
Arriving in Vang Vieng you can feel the buzz about the place - it's a mad place to party. You will meet new friends and drink and party the night away in the many bars there. But be aware that you will be wakening up the next morning to go tubing - know your limits!
It was an early start to move hostels and enjoy a French baguette and Irish Coffee breakfast to get ready for the day of tubing! A truck picked us up after a spot of poll playing in a local pub. We didn't pay a penny so far and had arrived at the first bar of the tubing. Free shot on arrival. Too good to be true really, we still hadn't paid anything but I got on the beer at this bar, which is when I first bought a drink.
I loved the next few hours as the tubing began. Everyone started dancing, drinking, partying and just having a great time. It was fun and all was good!
Before starting the tubing I bought one of those tubing waterproof bags. Big mistake by the way - they are not safe or secure in any way. I shouldn't have bought one and I shouldn't have brought it with me. After getting in my tube at the second bar, I struggled in the fast waters and didn't make it over to the next bar. In amidst the struggle I lost my wallet and camera and my green waterproof bag in the madness of it all. It was gone forever.
I lost my money, credit cards and ID cards as well as my camera, all in the quest to reach another bar to drink more alcohol. Crazy. I met my mate Chaz again though but it was a bad idea taking the green waterproof bag with me.
My mate kindly bought me a drink but I wasn't in the mood anymore. I still had my flip flops and my Northern Ireland flag but I had lost my wallet and camera. Crazy.
Later on it was obvious that I also had an ear infection from the swimming in the Nam Song river. The only good thing was my passport was back at the hostel and that I was healthy and safe!
By the time I was in the third bar I wanted just to go home, I had lost everything and couldn't even pay for a ride home. It was now almost dark.
By chance I came across a local Laos girl with a motorbike. Her name was Mickey and she gave me a lift back to the hostel in the town called Vang Vieng. I was actually safe and healthy, but gutted to lose the wallet and camera. I hadn't had fun tubing the way most people do.
Drugs and alcohol are readily available in Vang Vieng and in the tubing. Be careful and watch out for the countless people on magic mushrooms and opium!
So a few lessons to be learned from tubing at Vang Vieng in Laos:
- ONLY take money with you. BELIEVE ME - that's all you need!!
- DON'T take - a camera, keys to hostel rooms, wallets, credit cards, passports (as you can see I still have photos of the tubing experience thanks to Chaz and friends so a camera is not an essential - leave it behind and enjoy the party)
- NEVER buy or take a useless waterproof bag!
- Try not to drink too much alcohol (easier said than done)
- Try not to take drugs (there are lots available)
In closing - head to the town of Vang Vieng and go tubing but be very careful - it's dangerous, people die tubing every year.
It's still a great town though!
Happy travels!
Living the tubing dream in Vang Vieng...
Tubing in Vang Vieng Laos - oh the madness...
Arriving in Vang Vieng you can feel the buzz about the place - it's a mad place to party. You will meet new friends and drink and party the night away in the many bars there. But be aware that you will be wakening up the next morning to go tubing - know your limits!
It was an early start to move hostels and enjoy a French baguette and Irish Coffee breakfast to get ready for the day of tubing! A truck picked us up after a spot of poll playing in a local pub. We didn't pay a penny so far and had arrived at the first bar of the tubing. Free shot on arrival. Too good to be true really, we still hadn't paid anything but I got on the beer at this bar, which is when I first bought a drink.
I loved the next few hours as the tubing began. Everyone started dancing, drinking, partying and just having a great time. It was fun and all was good!
Before starting the tubing I bought one of those tubing waterproof bags. Big mistake by the way - they are not safe or secure in any way. I shouldn't have bought one and I shouldn't have brought it with me. After getting in my tube at the second bar, I struggled in the fast waters and didn't make it over to the next bar. In amidst the struggle I lost my wallet and camera and my green waterproof bag in the madness of it all. It was gone forever.
I lost my money, credit cards and ID cards as well as my camera, all in the quest to reach another bar to drink more alcohol. Crazy. I met my mate Chaz again though but it was a bad idea taking the green waterproof bag with me.
My mate kindly bought me a drink but I wasn't in the mood anymore. I still had my flip flops and my Northern Ireland flag but I had lost my wallet and camera. Crazy.
Later on it was obvious that I also had an ear infection from the swimming in the Nam Song river. The only good thing was my passport was back at the hostel and that I was healthy and safe!
By the time I was in the third bar I wanted just to go home, I had lost everything and couldn't even pay for a ride home. It was now almost dark.
By chance I came across a local Laos girl with a motorbike. Her name was Mickey and she gave me a lift back to the hostel in the town called Vang Vieng. I was actually safe and healthy, but gutted to lose the wallet and camera. I hadn't had fun tubing the way most people do.
Drugs and alcohol are readily available in Vang Vieng and in the tubing. Be careful and watch out for the countless people on magic mushrooms and opium!
So a few lessons to be learned from tubing at Vang Vieng in Laos:
- ONLY take money with you. BELIEVE ME - that's all you need!!
- DON'T take - a camera, keys to hostel rooms, wallets, credit cards, passports (as you can see I still have photos of the tubing experience thanks to Chaz and friends so a camera is not an essential - leave it behind and enjoy the party)
- NEVER buy or take a useless waterproof bag!
- Try not to drink too much alcohol (easier said than done)
- Try not to take drugs (there are lots available)
In closing - head to the town of Vang Vieng and go tubing but be very careful - it's dangerous, people die tubing every year.
It's still a great town though!
Happy travels!
Living the tubing dream in Vang Vieng...
Tubing in Vang Vieng Laos - oh the madness...
About the Author:
For more quirky travel stories and tips like Tubing Going Wrong in Vang Vieng head to Jonny Blair's extremely resourceful site A Lifestyle of Travel.
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