VANG VIENG ONE DAY SIGHTSEEING TOUR

Vang Vieng is a tourism-oriented town in Laos, located in Vientiane Province about four hours bus ride north of the capital. The town lies on the Nam Song river. The most notable feature of the area is the karst hill landscape surrounding the town. Vang Vieng was first settled around 1353 as a staging post between Luang Prabang and Vientiane. Originally named Mouang Song after the body of the deceased King Phra Nha Phao of Phai Naam was seen floating down the river, the town was renamed Vang Vieng during French colonial rule in the 1890s. Significant expansion of the town and its infrastructure occurred during the 1964-73 Vietnam War when the US developed an Air Force base and runway that was used by Air America.

The day trip to Vang Vieng begins as we depart Vientiane and drive along one of the most scenic routes in the whole of Asia to Vang Vieng which is located on a bend in the Nam Song River. This small and tranquil town is rapidly developed with the advent of tourist, but the beautiful scenery with a mixture of quiet water and limestone outcrops is unchanged for a century. On arrival at Vang Vieng, we cross the river and walk through the breathtaking mountain landscape to visit some hill villages and caves. The most famous of these caves, Tham Jang, was used by local people around 200 years as a hideout from Chinese invaders. The trip ends after arrival in Vientiane.