8/30/2012--
MK and I got up to an early start eating a "Parisian breakfast" at a local cafe and headed to pack up for Vang Vieng. We boarded a mini-van to head to the bus station to board another mini-van for a 7 hour ride to meet up with the rest of our Chapel Hill group! After frequent snack stops we finally arrived around 5 PM, in time for dinner and celebrations for Ty's 21st birthday!
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| The birthday boy with his cake! |
8/31/2012--
Feeling adventurous, the group decided to rent mountain bikes and head to a waterfall about 8 km away from our guest house. The bike ride there was mostly uphill and of course there was no shade blocking the beating sun. We finally made it to the ticket booth- dripping with sweat and out of breath. Quickly purchasing our tickets we bike on only to find what seemed like a thousand stairs leading to the sound of rushing water.
Revamped with excitement, we hop up the stairs to find the biggest waterfall I could imagine- it had rained a ton recently and words don't describe the sheer power behind the waterfall. Mist was spraying everywhere at the top of the stairs and we walked back down to venture into the stream below, which also had an extremely strong current. It took the help of one of the guys for me to cross certain parts (to whom I may owe my life as I almost slipped between his legs and into the rushing stream). Once we made it across we were rewarded with freezing cold water to cool down in.
The ride back was relaxing and incredibly easy as it was all downhill or flat...but took us just as long as the way there because our frequent stops for pictures. The landscape was breathtaking- we were surrounded by green and gorgeous mountains in the distance.
We capped off the day with dinner at a restaurant on the Nam Song River- getting a mix of Lao and Western food. We ended up getting stuck at the restaurant for much longer than anticipated thanks to heavy monsoon-like rains that occurred pretty much every night.
9/01/2012--
Our last day in Vang Vieng was also filled with activities and adventure- we did a tour through Green Discovery that involved hiking, kayaking, tubing, and caving! After a brief ride to 14 km north of Vang Vieng, we hopped in a tiny boat to cross the river (which was slightly terrifying because we were weighing down the boat).
We hopped off the boats and head out to the first cave, Tham Xang, (Elephant Cave) on foot. The cave is small but dark and cool, with a Buddha shrine in the center and off to the side a rock that was apparently naturally formed into an elephant shape.
We continue on to the next cave, Tham Hoi (Snail Cave) which winds deep into the mountains but unfortunately was extremely slippery and wearing Rainbows was not conducive to wandering around this cave. Making our way down the hill leading to the cave was a slippery, muddy mess, and we quickly regained our bearings and set off for the next cave on a few hundred meters away called Tham Loup (Deep Cave), which is known for its stalagmites and stalacites. It was sadly too dark to get any good pictures but you will have to trust me that it was gorgeous and the rock formations were amazing (shoutout to my geology internship a few summers ago for which I owe my current appreciation for rocks).
We were allowed a quick break for lunch that was included in our tour fee and was surprisingly delicious- a baguette (something about SE Asian countries that were ruled by the French at some point), beef and various vegetables on skewers, and yellow rice! Inhaling our food and "playing" with the roosters, chickens, and puppy that lived at the nearby farm; our next cave two feet away.
Grabbing some tubes we walk through the shallow part of a stream (an offshoot of the Nam Song) that leads to the Tham Nam (Water Cave). In order to cross the stream you had to pull yourself across with a rope hung from tree to tree (while not losing your balance in the tube). Skirting around some jutting rocks at the mouth of the small cave, we pull ourselves along the rope also strung inside the cave, which proved to be slightly difficult with a strong current inside. We didn't end up getting to go far because the current was so strong, but it was definitely a cool experience.
Quickly drying off and heading out again, our tour guide lead us through rice paddies, mud puddles, and a Hmong village on the way to kayaking. The scenery again was breathtaking with green fields and stunning mountains in the background. While walking through the Hmong village our tour guide told us about local life- they practice polygamy (even today!) and the women bear the brunt of the work. Our tour guide told us that he had recently seen Hmong women walking up the mountain with children on their backs working away while the men sat around the village and slept. It kinda felt like being in a documentary because we were allowed to walk completely through the village and no one even bothered looking up at us.
Post 40 minute trek through the mud, we reached the river where our kayaks were. We paired up (boy-girl) and headed down the Nam Song. Normally this kayak trip can take about 2 hours with some physical exertion, but because of the heavy rain our trip only took 1.5 hours with pretty much no physical activity needed. The only paddling necessary was steering which really didn't require a lot of effort. This was my first time going through white water with a kayak and it was awesome! I was in the front of my kayak so I was splashed the most (which got a bit tricky with my contacts) but was so so much fun. The big thing to do in Vang Vieng is go tubing down the river but after seeing the rapids and the people that were tubing we were all relieved we chose kayaking and caving instead of tubing. Being the only ones kayaking on the river and completely submersed in nature was a nice change of pace from always being in the city (in Bangkok) and refreshing.
After an exhausting day we headed to bed early, ready for the long train ride back to Bangkok.
Big thanks to Ty, MK, and W for pictures seeing as my bulky camera isn't ideal for trekking or bike riding.
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