Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ZIP-LINING
Phone Travel Near Central Backpackers in town
020 5552 8090,
laokim.com
.
Twice-daily zip-lining tours from the centre of town. Participants are bussed out to Kaeng
Yui Waterfall and have the chance to swim after taking on the high wires. $28 per person.
BUGGY TOURS
TCK Amazing Tours
On the main river road 023 511691,
tckadventureslaos.com
.
From its garage towards the south of town, TCK organizes self-driven tours in powerful
dirt buggies, capable of tackling some of the bumpier roads around town. $40 per person.
DIRT BIKING
Uncle Tom's
A short walk west of the toll bridge on the western side of the river 020
2995 8903,
uncletomstrails@hotmail.com
.
Explore off-road routes around Vang Vieng
on good-quality dirt bikes. Previous experience recommended, though lessons are avail-
able.
LONGER EXCURSIONS
Aside from a number of organized tours around Vang Vieng itself, there are also one- to
three-day excursions to
AngNamNgumReservoir
that can be booked through most gues-
thouses.
Chang Cave
Around 1.5km southwest of Vang Vieng ∙ Daily 7.30am-5pm ∙ It costs 2000K to enter the resort (4000K with a
bike) plus 15,000K to access the cave
Vang Vieng's best-known cave,
Tham Chang
, has been developed for tourism to such an
extent that the proprietors of
Vang Vieng Resort
, whose land you have to cross to get to the
cave, levy a fee to enter the resort and again at the cave's entrance. In the nineteenth cen-
tury, the cave earned its nom de guerre when it was used for defence during an invasion of
Chinese Haw from the north (“chang” means steadfast). Chinese bandits would have an easy
run of the place these days, with steep stairs leading up the side of the cliff to the cave mouth.
Inside, gaudy coloured lights illuminate cement pathways leading through the cavern, past
rock formations that bear an uncanny resemblance to monkeys, frogs, a white elephant and
the three-headed elephant, symbol of Lao royalty. Follow the path to the left and you'll wind
up at a second cave mouth which affords a bird's-eye view of the valley below. At the base
of the cave, cross a stream to find a third cave mouth out of which flows a spring leading into
the Nam Song. It's possible to swim up the stream about 50m into this cave, which also has a
Buddha image inside. The grassy lawn around the base of the cave is a pleasant spot to catch
some rays.
Pha Puak Cave
Around 2km west of Vang Vieng; signs point the way ∙ 10,000K
