Vang Vieng

Located close to the midway point between Vientiane and Luang Prabang, the tiny settlement of Vang Vieng is a convenient place to break the journey between these two towns in either direction. Set by the banks of the Nam Song, amidst a startlingly beautiful natural terrain of limestone karsts, Vang Vieng originally developed as a backpacker stopover. It quickly developed a reputation as an anything-goes party town – complete with raucous full-moon parties, as though a Thai beach resort had been transported to landlocked Laos. Today the main attraction is the surrounding countryside, and the town has become an attractive, relaxed base for rock climbing, cycle tours, kayaking and other outdoor activities, with some excellent boutique accommodations and decent places to eat.