Vang Vieng: A Hedonistic Backpacker Town Reborn
As I tubed downwardly the dull river dorsum into town, all some me were signs of a previous era: nada lines too rope swings sitting unused, bars long agone boarded up, too fading signs advertising inexpensive drinks. Vang Vieng’s riverbank was a reminder of the town’s recent past, similar a modern Gomorrah.
Now at that spot was barely a peep coming from the surrounding area. No blaring music. No backpackers jumping into a too-shallow river. Just a few kayakers, tubers, too friends enjoying the day’s lastly warmth from the sun.
I came to Vang Vieng to run into what had croak of the house instantly that the infamous tubing had been close down.
I flora a finish reborn.
In the piece of cake 1990s, backpackers discovered this piddling town inwards the middle of Laos. Located past times a beautiful, refreshing river too surrounded past times caves, lagoons, too mountains, it was the perfect mountainside chill-out spot. It was cheap, drugs abounded, too anything went here.
Over the years, the cloak-and-dagger got out, too Vang Vieng became a symbol of everything that was incorrect amongst backpacking: a town heaving amongst bars too clubs catering to tourists who came to acquire every bit shitfaced every bit possible too produce drugs (all of which are illegal inwards Laos), flouted local customs, too treated this house every bit their ain playground. The surrounding landscape too its activities were ignored inwards favor of the river, which became lined amongst bars selling drugs, inexpensive drinks, too fun times.
Every yr to a greater extent than too to a greater extent than people came, too every yr backpackers acted foolishly too recklessly, resulting inwards an average of 24 deaths annually from drinking, drugs, or jumping into the shallow river. Along the river was a slide called “The Death Slide” — it was a really literal name.
Finally, plenty was enough, too inwards piece of cake 2012, local officials close tubing downwardly completely. There would live no to a greater extent than river parties.
With the tubing gone, the backpackers went too. For months, Vang Vieng was a ghost town. The economic scheme suffered, too locals worried close the future. About a yr later, officials allowed tubing 1 time over again — but amongst to a greater extent than stringent rules. Now, solely 3 bars tin live opened upwards at once, too at that spot are no to a greater extent than river swings, drugs, expiry slides, or unsafe activities. And, amongst a midnight curfew now, the political party doesn’t rage all night.
From speaking to numerous locals, I learned that the let on of backpackers has been cutting inwards one-half too replaced past times a growing Korean too Chinese tour grouping population, which doesn’t underground too spends to a greater extent than money. Now the backpacker bars on the riverfront sit down empty piece the pump of town grows amongst boutique hotels too high-end restaurants catering to the novel waves of tourists.
“This is good. There are few people, but they pass to a greater extent than money,” 1 eating seat possessor said.
“It’s a lot amend instantly that people aren’t dying. The former days were fun, but this is safer,” a long-time Western bartender told me.
No longer is Vang Vieng the hedonistic jungle town it was 1 time was. It is instantly a calm pump for outdoor adventure, jungle hikes, too lazy days cooling off inwards the river. Though at kickoff I worried the town would notwithstanding live a crazy backpacker house too I would loathe it, I instantly flora myself wishing I had to a greater extent than fourth dimension too solely begrudgingly leaving.
Vang Vieng has reclaimed its house every bit 1 of the must-see places inwards Laos.
The novel Vang Vieng notwithstanding retains some of the former ways: the famous Sakura bar notwithstanding pumps out music until midnight, gives away costless drinks until ix (seriously), too serves upwards whip-its (not cool); Gary’s famous Irish Gaelic bar is notwithstanding around; too backpackers notwithstanding come upwards to drinkable too socialize.
And tubing does exist. But it’s a much to a greater extent than relaxed thing now.
With too therefore few people around, some days 50-60 people volition casually float downwardly the river; other days solely twenty (it varies greatly amongst the season). But it’s never the hundreds upon hundreds that used to underground too view the bars each too every day. Moreover, a lot of people instantly skip the bars too parties, too only rent a underground for the sake of renting a tube.
Locals, witting of their city’s previous reputation, are happy amongst this novel version of tubing.
Tubing’s pass upwards has allowed people to finally direct maintain run inwards other activities. Now the focus tin live on exploring the dozens of local caves too relaxing inwards swimming holes. H5N1 lot of tour operators instantly offering kayaking tours, zip-lining adventures, too full-day hikes some the mountains. The town pump bursts amongst Korean restaurants, boutique hotels, too fifty-fifty a surprisingly expert Mexican eating seat called Amigos.
That’s non to grade you lot won’t run into lots of backpackers — they can’t live missed. But they don’t come upwards inwards the numbers they used to too tend to focus to a greater extent than on those other outdoor activities. Others notwithstanding come upwards expecting the Sodom of former but rapidly respect out that’s no longer around.
As I threw my bags on the midday rider vehicle to Vientiane, I looked dorsum too flora I was lamentable to leave. The novel Vang Vieng is the urban meat it ever should direct maintain been. It’s working difficult to shed its former reputation too attract a better-quality traveler. I was going to fille the fiery pinkish too orangish sunsets, the tree-covered limestone karsts jutting into the sky, the mind-blowing aquamarine blueish swimming holes, too the tranquil countryside that seems to utter from every pore “Slow downwardly too bask yourself.”
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