We spent a couple more days in Vang Vieng. We had to try the most popular tourist attraction; tubing down the river. While not quite as fun as the kayaking, it was still worthwhile doing.
We started about 4km upstream from Vang Vieng town. Tubing cost 55,000 kip (about $7.00).We were all given one tube and each had to pay a 60,000 kip ($7.50) deposit on it. This would be refunded if we returned the tube by 6pm.
We took a boat across the river to the "official starting bar". You can see a picture of the bar in our last post. Once you get into the bar, the partying begins. As we stepped off the boat we each had whisky poured down our throats. While trying to breath again, we had whisky again shot into our mouths by party goers armed with super soakers. In the picture above you can see a "whisky train". Basically everyone sits in a line while people run up and down pouring whisky into open mouths. Or, as we found when we sat on the train, all over your face and t-shirt.
We were not at all interested in "getting wasted" so we jumped into our tubes and started off down the river 5 minutes after we got to the first bar. (Several people die a year on this river. This is not because the river is dangerous, it is because they are so drugged up, drunk or both and end up drowning. Another reason why some die is that they mix opium with lemon juice which the locals say has been a way for the locals to commit suicide.)
As you travel down the river there are many bars along the side. Boys along the side throw out ropes to people on tubes and drag them to the sides as the current is fairly strong and if you try paddle to a bar, you'll likely end up 100 meters downstream.
It should not be thought that tubing down stream is all about drinking at every bar along the way. Each bar has a lot of other things to do. There are some with water slides, tug of war against water buffaloes, jumping castles, slingshot competitions, volley ball, talking birds, relaxing hammocks, stunning scenery, river surfing, and far far more. It is worth stopping at these bars and seeing what they have to offer.
Here Stan and Nicole had a sling shot competition.
Here is some of the stunning scenery you float past.
This little myna bird could say hello in several languages.
This sign explains why one or two people a year die along the river. A bucket of whisky is $3.75. A bucket of malibu is $7.50. Look at the item on the bottom of the list, a joint is $2.50. The "more" refers to opium, magic mushrooms, extacy and so on. Drugs are cheaper than alcohol here.
People who drink too much and don't watch where they are going tend to get in trouble along the way. These two washed into a tree and couldn't get out as the current was too strong. We couldn't help them as we went past far too quickly to get to them. We saw a local from a kayaking tour helping them out after we went past.
Just before we got back to Vang Vieng it started raining. It was quite beautiful to watch the mountains get covered in clouds. We would recommend tubing. If you're not silly, you'll have a great day on the river. The kayaking is a lot more worthwhile, but tubing is a little more relaxing.
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The day after tubing we went to visit a waterfall. This was worth doing as we were the only people there. We got to do a bit of jungle trekking and then a bit of swimming under one of the smaller waterfalls. People who enjoy outdoors activities would find a lot to to around Vang Vieng.
The waterfall looks small, but we are several minutes away.
It is a lot more impressive below.
The water comes down too hard to get under the waterfall. Even the spray from standing nearby could hurt.
There are several smaller waterfalls down stream.
Even some nice swimming holes.
On the way home, Stan helped some locals when their car couldn't make it up the hill.
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