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ESCAPE
DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH
The Riverside Boutique Resort is one of the best destinations in Vang Vieng BY SALLY PRYOR
GETTING THERE Vang Vieng is only accessible by road. Take Route 13 North from Vientiane to Vang Vieng, or Route 13 South from Luang Prabang. CONTACT +856 23 511 726-8 info@riverside vangvieng.com
D
riving to Vang Vieng on a hot Saturday in the rainy season, there’s nothing quite like the sight of mist curling through the limestone karst formations as you reach the town. That, alongside the scattered iridescent rice paddies, is what all your visions of rural Laos are made of. Later, if you’re lucky enough to be staying at the Riverside Boutique Resort just out of the tiny main town, you will gaze out from your balcony into the courtyard, where staff are lifting the protecative covers off the cushioned loungers by the sparkling infinity pool. The rain has just stopped, and rolled up towels are being distributed. Shortly, you’ll head down for a dip and a poolside drink. The view, from the balcony and the pool, takes in the Nam Song river, gushing at this time of year, and populated by fishing boats. The limestone looms beyond, and the mist continues to furl. The scene is set. But this isn’t the infa-
mous Vang Vieng of 10 years ago; traces of that one are still there, beyond the resort and down in the town, one that is still, bafflingly, aimed at the 90s backpacker tourists. The three main streets are potholed and muddied, and many of the restaurants are still – still!- advertising cocktail ‘buckets’. Many have cushioned platforms with low tables, on which you can sprawl and watch Friends on a loop all day long – another baffling long-time tradition. The shops, rows and rows of them, are selling tie-dyed happy pants, fake Crocs and floppy hats. It’s surreal and out of place in such a stunning landscape. And it has long been thus. But there have been changes in recent years, not least due to the negative media reports about the town’s party reputation and lack of safety regulations. Vang Vieng has long been a magnet for young travellers looking for cheap party towns, and for many years, the narrow streets were filled year-round with European and Australian backpackers. As the years went on, the crowds grew more crass, badly behaved
