Sometimes, the joy of traveling
isn't always about encountering new things.

Because sometimes, we just want to travel
to the same route, the same place, the same city.

To stand at the same spot, let the memories of the past
overlap with the images we see in the present.

What we encounter may not be new,
but we want to go there, and when we see it, we smile to ourselves.

Just this, this journey, happiness is born. #yay #happy



0. # The year-end closing program (last year) we went to Vang Vieng, a small town in the Lao PDR.
This city is said to be a legendary chill city. If you want to chill in this city, you don't have to do much.
Just carry your backpack and bring yourself to Vang Vieng, then stand and pick your nose, scratch your head and hum a song along the Song River.
Just like that, the chill will seep into your skin every pore, like applying lotion.

And if you want to go stand and chill in Vang Vieng, the easiest way is to take a bus from Udon Thani to Vang Vieng.

The bus departs from the old bus terminal near Central Udon Thani at 8:30 AM. Tickets are sold on a day-to-day basis, no advance booking.
It is recommended to wait to buy in the morning, around 7:00 AM, with 320 baht and your passport.
If you go late, the tickets will be sold out, because there is only one bus leaving at 8:30 AM.

Once you have your ticket, get on the bus. After passing through immigration on both the Thai and Lao sides, sleep for about two hours and you will arrive in Vang Vieng at around 3:00 PM.

The foreigners named Vang Vieng ..."The Lost Paradise" so I would like to name it..."Vang Vieng is a chic city, chic chic".

As for how chill it is, how chic it is, we will definitely find out.







1. # First, let's introduce the baby-level chill method, super easy, riverside hut sachet, definitely found in Vang Vieng
Please support them, whether it's food or drinks, then you can sit and read a book, listen to music, whatever you want.

Pick up your phone, take pictures, post on Facebook, show off to your friends, because some places are 3G huts with free wifi, hey!



2. # If you want to add a little more chill, we recommend upgrading from a regular hut
to a studio suite designed to catch the breeze from all directions. It comes with a translucent roof, so you can lie down and sunbathe comfortably.

With the larger size, the versatility increases accordingly. The gang sitting next to us is chilling out to the point of grilling pork and eating it.
I'm hungry just looking at it. I asked the owner of the shop to order some, and he told me to order it upstairs and bring it down to eat ourselves.

Well, the owner is too kind. You can bring anything you want to eat, just order drinks from the shop. How chill can you get?




3. # If you still think that sitting in a hut by the river or in a studio suite mall
Still can't shake the mood, build the chill enough

We're sitting facing each other, by the Song River, right? It's not difficult.
Try turning around, making eye contact with the owner, smiling sweetly.
Then say, "B e e r L a o b o t t l e." Especially when the weather is cold.

In your hand, you're holding a bottle of Lao beer, ice cold, sitting and swinging your feet, dipping your toes in the Song River.
If you're not chill yet, I suggest you go back to your hotel and pack your bags and go back to Thailand. Goose!!!





4. # Guaranteed to be cool, chic, and cool. Guaranteed quality, no disappointment. By Brother Horang

Because before, I didn't know how many bottles Brother Horang had. I only know that now, Brother Horang is in immortal mode.
The body is probably invulnerable, no heat, no cold, lying flat, sunbathing, wind, comfortable.

When he wakes up, he will return to his own country. I don't know yet. - -"



5. # Let's talk about chilling out with drinks, just a little more
Besides Beer Lao, you can find smoothie stalls everywhere in Vang Vieng.
As for the taste, it's not worth mentioning. One glass is more than enough. I guarantee your wallet won't be happy.

But when I came across the smoothie bar at Champalaou Villa, I had to buy another one because it was so delicious. Seriously delicious.
It might be a bit more expensive, but the taste is excellent. Vang Vieng's got talent!

Recommended menu: You must try the Mango Smoothie, which works with a two-stroke system.
That is, when you take the first sip, you get a sweet and smooth taste. It's already amazing.
But when you swallow, the aroma of mango will hit you again, reminding you that you're drinking mango smoothie, hey!

From what I saw when they were making it, they put in ripe yellow mangoes, syrup, and blend it with milk. That's why the Mango Smoothie works in two stages, like a magic trick.

I guarantee that after you have this drink, sit back and read your favorite book, your Vang Vieng will be much cooler and more stylish.



6. # Vang Vieng has a wide range of accommodation options, from budget-friendly guesthouses to luxurious resorts.
During off-peak seasons, you can easily walk in and find a place to stay without worrying about availability.

For us, the older generation, money is not a major concern when choosing accommodation.
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We only need a basic room for a few hundred baht.

We ended up choosing a small, vintage-style hut that was perfect for nature lovers. It was affordable, had good feng shui, and offered stunning views of the river and mountains.

Even though we only paid a few hundred baht for our accommodation, the view was priceless.
It was worth a million baht, even if we had stayed in a more expensive place.




7. # Luxury hotels are comfortable. We went there, but just to say hello, not to stay, haha.
That is, we went to see and take pictures, but didn't sleep there. Especially during the festival, the price is high, and it costs thousands of baht per night. If you can afford it, you should try it.

The villa-style accommodation focuses on peace and quiet, so there are only six houses. The location is in the middle of a rice field, surrounded by mountain views.
And they grow real rice and harvest it all year round. If you go during the rice season, the golden yellow rice ears are beautiful.

Just seeing it is a bit chic. If you actually stay there, it must be even more enjoyable.



8. # Let's continue to chill out by rafting on the Song River in Vang Vieng. The concise guide to rafting on the Song River states that
If you are traveling with a large family, a family man trip, that is, all members are present, including grandparents, children, and young children.

In summary, there are both the elderly and children who need to be taken care of, so adventurous rafting may not be suitable.

It is recommended to rent a long-tailed boat for the whole trip. Just pay the money, sit on the boat and wait for the wind to blow in your face.
The grandparents may be a little tired when getting on and off the boat and putting on and taking off the life jackets.

That's all. All members of the family can relax and enjoy the view along the Song River. Just drift along slowly and enjoy a comfortable life.
This method is as easy as sitting on a soft sofa and pressing the TV remote control to watch your favorite programs.



9. # Another option for exploring the Song River is kayaking.
Don't worry if you're lazy or don't know how to paddle, they have guides who will sit behind you and help you.

Paddle your way, your arms will be toned, enjoy the view and burn fat.
You'll get the atmosphere and good health, trust us, kayaking is chic, go for it!


10. # And then comes the way to cruise the Song River, which young men and women must try, which is "tube floating", a classic activity here.
If you come to Vang Vieng and don't go tubing, you'll miss out. Tubing packages are easy to find, with shops located in the city center.
Pay money, fill out the registration form, and get on the shop's tuk-tuk. They will take you to the starting point of the Song River with a large inner tube.

All we have to do is lie down, soak in the Song River, and slowly float and drift back to the city center.
Is that all there is to it? Vang Vieng tubing that they rave about
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Just floating around isn't enough to relax. Look for help from the beer bars on both sides of the Song River.
They play upbeat music and wait for us at intervals.

If you like a place, stop and go up. Just buy a beer at the bar and you'll be treated to a free international bikini party.
As for the girls, don't worry. There are plenty of handsome Western guys with model bodies who take off their shirts to show off their six-pack abs, making the aunts scream and drool.

It's a good idea to start tubing around two in the afternoon. Float, take a break, and stop by a bar to avoid the sun.
The normal tubing time is two hours, including stops along the way. By five in the evening, you'll be back in town, feeling good.

P.S. Come on, believe me. Come and go tubing together.
And the men will find the truth that Korean girls are white, white, and gin, gin :")





11. # Besides tubing in Vang Vieng, what else can you do? Well, first choose your trusty vehicle.

If you want to save money, rent a motorbike and ride it yourself for 300 baht a day. But make sure you're a confident driver, because the roads are rough and there are lots of rocks, dirt, and dust. If you fall off your motorbike and hit a rock, you'll definitely bleed.

But for those of us who are a bit more well-off, we can hire a car for the day. We ended up bargaining for a luxurious limousine for 600 baht round trip, including a driver.

The roads outside the city, leading to the caves and the Blue Lagoon, are so bumpy that even in a limousine, your insides feel like they're about to fall out. The car shakes and your head bobs like a bobblehead. If you didn't know better, you'd think you were on the Paris-Dakar rally course.
But hey, you're on vacation, not shopping at Paragon. So suck it up and enjoy the ride.
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As we drove, we breathed in the dust and our hair turned red. It was actually quite fun.




13. # Next stop: Tham Jang Cave - Like buying liquor with beer, after visiting the Orange Bridge, you have to go to Tham Jang Cave because they are next to each other.

There are stairs to climb, similar to Doi Suthep Pagoda. The air outside is already cool, but inside the cave is even cooler.
The cave is not that big, you can walk around it in a short time.

But it's not over yet because I met an elderly couple, Uncle and Aunt, who were walking slowly and unsteadily in the cave, at a speed slightly faster than a snail.
The cave is dimly lit, and there are stairs in some sections. We walked along, always excited about when they would fall.

With my naturally kind heart, I offered to help. I told the aunt to give me her hand and I would help her walk.
So I walked and talked with the uncle and aunt. I found out that they are real travelers.
They have a lot of experience, having traveled to Africa, South America, Asia, and Europe.

Even more impressive, Uncle Fred and Aunt Cholla (their names) walked from their accommodation to Tham Jang Cave.
They didn't take a car, ride a bike, or rent a motorbike... they walked! They are truly amazing.

They told me that they live in New York and both of them walk ten kilometers a day for exercise.
When I asked them how old they were... hey, they're not uncles anymore, I have to call them grandpas because they are eighty years old!

And Grandpa Fred is very funny, he always makes us laugh... This trip to Vang Vieng is even more worthwhile because I met this cool and chic couple.




14. # Next stop, Blue Lagoon. After a bumpy ride that left our intestines in a pretzel, we finally arrived at the Blue Lagoon, a vast, deep blue lake.
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Whoops, wrong place! After a long drive, anyone who sees this at first glance will be slightly stunned.

It's small, maybe even smaller than the canal behind our house, but the canal doesn't have this beautiful green color.
Anyway, you have to come here. It's another landmark of Vang Vieng, and if you don't come, you won't know what you're talking about when you go back and talk to people.

The main activity at the Blue Lagoon is jumping. There are 3 levels to choose from:
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Gear one # Grab the rope, hold the log, and jump into the water. That's it.
Gear two # Climb a branch about two meters high, jump a little more exciting.
Gear three # The top floor, probably five meters high or more. Let's say we have time to twist and play before we jump into the water.

Or if you don't want to jump, just play in the green water, we can be chic too.
Actually, there is a zipline and a tower jump, but you have to pay extra. Let me tell you, no... I mean, I'm not afraid, but I don't have any money - -"

There's also cave climbing there, but after asking several people, it seems that there's nothing in the cave above, so we decided not to go up.
Just stay below and enjoy the beauty of the Korean tour, oops, the Blue Lagoon is also great.




15. # Another cool activity in Vang Vieng at a low cost is riding a colorful hot air balloon for a bird's-eye view.
The cost of a hot air balloon ride is 80 USD per person for 45 minutes, which is about 2,500 baht. But why is it considered low cost?

Because the price of a hot air balloon ride compared to other places is over 10,000 baht. A friend once went ballooning in Burma for 350 USD per person.
Therefore, the hot air balloon in Vang Vieng is considered very cheap.

But wait, let me give you another perspective. The hot air balloons in Burma, the pilots are all licensed from England.
I've read reviews that emphasize safety as the top priority.

Now let's look at the hot air balloons in Vang Vieng. The captain is Chinese, the owner is also Chinese... As for the license, I'm not sure if it's from Shenzhen, haha.

Anyway, I'm just sharing this information as an option. Vang Vieng also has hot air balloons that are easy to travel to and affordable.
Some people dream of riding a hot air balloon once in their life but don't have a budget of tens of thousands of baht. So come here, for just over two thousand baht, you can enjoy floating on a hot air balloon.

Personally, just reading the information and doing my research is like floating in the air.
Because when I see the words "Chinese standard", I get a little nervous.
So when I got there, I just asked to take a picture, which is cool enough.



16. # If you're in Vang Vieng and you're short on cash, here's a free date idea:

Head to the wooden bridge by the riverbank around 5 pm and bring your date for a romantic evening.
Chat and watch the sunset together without spending a dime. It's super romantic!

But be warned, if you're single, don't use this date idea. Your Vang Vieng experience could go from chic to shocking.
Seeing all the happy couples might make you feel down and lonely. You might even shed a tear or two.



17. # Vang Vieng Summary What did we spend and what did we do on this trip?

Roundtrip bus fare from Bangkok to Udon Thani 1,200 baht
(Roundtrip flight tickets are around 1,000 baht if booked in advance)

Roundtrip bus fare from Udon Thani to Vang Vieng 680 baht per person

Tubing rental 200 baht per person

Hotel for three nights, around 600 baht per person for 3 days

Food 400 baht per person per day, for four days it's 1,600 baht/person

Songthaew fare, around 300 baht per person per day
(If you want to save money, rent a motorbike, it's much cheaper)

Entrance fees for caves, bridges, Blue Lagoon, around 200 baht per person

Laos border crossing fee, roundtrip 50 baht per person

Total 4,830 baht, rounded to 5,000 baht / per person

4 days 3 nights trip, average 1,250 baht per person / day
This is for heavy eaters, we ate like crazy, whatever we wanted
Food, smoothies, snacks, milk, Lao beer, all day long

If you eat normally, a budget of 800-1000 baht per day is enough
Stay as long as you want, just multiply the number of days by the cost per day




18. # Which city can you just stare out the window and chill? It sounds crazy, staring at walls and windows,
and my life will reach enlightenment beyond the Sotapanna stage. But I admit, it looked really mesmerizing at that time.
The air was cool, sitting still, looking out the window, vines, flowers, walls, it was pleasing to the eye. I stared for a long time.

There are many corners in Vang Vieng. If you find one you like, you can sit there all day. You can drink coffee, sip beer, read books, listen to music, whatever you want.
This trip, I just wanted to retrace Vang Vieng, where I had been six years ago. I wanted to come and relax, sit and lie down, and just chill out. And I did.

But Vang Vieng is not a city that only has slow corners. If you get bored of being still, there are many exciting things to choose from.
There are many adventure activities in Vang Vieng. Choose whichever one you want to do... Rafting on the Song River, driving an ATV, riding a hot air balloon, Blue Lagoon, visiting a cave, etc.
Party people will also be happy. There are riverside bars on the Song River, and at night you can go to a pub and practice your English or Korean. There are plenty of pubs to choose from.

The way of life in Vang Vieng is up to you. You can be slow or fast, you are in control of your own rhythm.

Getting to Vang Vieng is even easier now. You can take a bus from Thailand directly to Vang Vieng.
You don't have to change buses or get off at multiple stops like before.

In conclusion, I give this trip a five-skull rating. This chic city is a place you can come back to again and again without getting bored.
If you've read this far, hurry up and go! Vang Vieng is guaranteed to be chic : )



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