One of the main features of the town is a long, mostly unused, airfield runway parallel to the road. It was used during the Vietnam War by the Air America's planes

The town started to grow in the 1980s, due to the influx of backpackers. The opportunity for hiking and the laid-back atmosphere attracted more and more visitors.

Vang Vieng today is mainly a backpacker town. The main street is littered with guest houses, bars, restaurants, internet cafes and tour agencies. One of the main attractions of the town is inner tubing on the river and Kayaking. During the wet season, the river can be a series of raging rapids, but during the dry season, some of it is little more than a trickle. Climbing the limestone mountains is another popular activity.



The market is located five kilometres north of the town selling Lao textiles, household items and several stalls selling foodstuffs. The town is situated on the main north-south highway, Route 13 from Luang Prabang to the capital, Vientiane.

But the real attractions of the area are the scenery, the limestone hills and the numerous caves and caverns. Perhaps the most interesting is the Tham Phu Kham cave, half an hour from Vang Vieng by tuk-tuk or rented motorbike.

This town has a wealth of options available for those people looking to get a little more out of it. You can organize your own river tubing but for some of the more adventurous activities you need specialised equipments and guides.

If you like outdoor activities then this place is sure to have something for you! From whitewater rafting and rock climbing to scenic kayaking and trekking tours, this town has a full range of activities to suit every one.

Tubing in Vang Vieng is the most popular. There are bars lining the shore of the Nam Song river that have swing ropes or water slides for the tubers to use as an attraction.