If you’re going to Vang Vieng in Laos, you’ve no doubt heard about the infamous Vang Vieng tubing on the Nam Song River.
It’s one of the most popular activities in Vang Vieng, and it’s actually one of the most memorable – and funnest – experiences we had on our 2-month trip.
If you’re scared it might not be safe because of the stories you’ve heard about Australian tourists drowning in the river, don’t be. All you need to do to be safe is not drink and drug yourself to oblivion.
Basically, don’t be stupid. It’s a river, and if you’re mixing alcohol with hallucinogens there’s a real chance you might end up badly hurt, or worse.
With that being said, Chris and I drank moderately and had an absolute blast tubing down the Nam Song River for over four hours.
Here’s everything you need to know about Vang Vieng tubing.
1. Choose the right Vang Vieng tubing company
There are two Vang Vieng tubing companies you can choose from.
Yellow tubing company: This is the original river tubing company. It’s more party-oriented and has more bar stops along the way. They require a 60,000 kip deposit for the tubes which you can get back upon your return. The cost of the activity is also 60,000 kip per person.
Red tubing company: This is the tubing company we chose. It only has two bars along the way, with one more bar once you reach the very end. They do not require a deposit for the tubes. The cost of the activity is 60,000 kip per person, including transport to and from your hotel. I highly recommend this option if you’re not looking to get absolutely demolished but still want to have a great time.
Finding the red tubing company is nearly impossible because the locals don’t want to help you find it. They prefer you choose the yellow tubing company instead for whatever reason.
If you ask your hotel, they’ll be able to book it for you. Otherwise you can go to the ticket office that is supposed to be located in front of the Amani hotel.
2. What to bring on the river
Since you’ll be on the river all day, you should bring as little with you as possible.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Dry bag (they sell them everywhere in Vang Vieng)
- Cash (drinks and snacks are fairly expensive on the river)
- Bottled water
- Sunscreen
- Your phone (if you want to chance it)
You don’t need to bring a change of clothes – it’s not worth the hassle. And definitely don’t bring a towel.
I also don’t recommend wearing any loose or expensive jewelry, and forget about your sunglasses unless you’re cool losing them.
3. What to expect
Chris and I have go river tubing in Montreal every summer, so we had pretty high expectations of Vang Vieng tubing.
And it did not disappoint.
Here’s a breakdown of our experience:
- We were picked up from our hotel in a truck full of strangers.
- We were all dropped off at the Nam Song River with individual tubes.
- Chris and I rushed to the river, sat in our tubes, interlocked legs, and began our descent.
- After about 15 minutes, we arrived at the first floating bar.
- A couple of local kids helped drag our tubes to the bar and stored them for us.
- We bought drinks and struck up conversations with fellow tourists.
- 20 more tourists arrived, we took shots, we jumped off the diving board a few times, we tanned, we danced.
- The whole group decided to continue our journey down the river. We interlocked our tubes with 15 random people and we sang and exchanged stories whilst going down the river for the next two hours.
- We stopped at the second floating bar. The 2-hour descent gave us plenty of time to sober up, so we resumed our drinking. The dancing continued. We ate questionable BBQ chicken and gobbled down oily chips.
- We continued down the river for another hour or so until we made it to the very end. And yes, you guessed it, there was another bar waiting for us on land. And a campfire. And a volleyball net.
- A truck picked us up after sundown and drove us back to our hotel.
All in all, it took roughly 4.5 hours to go down the river (including the bar stops along the way). The current isn’t strong, but that’s what makes it a lazy river perfect for tubing.
I can’t recommend this experience enough. We had a great time, met cool people, and were left with memories we’ll never forget.
