WHERE AM I NOW: Bali, Indonesia
Diving and surfing.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

It's Vang Vieng

Laos is said to be a quiet, sleepy country. You won’t get hassled by Tuk-Tuk drivers or street vendors. It’s easy to see most of the country in a week or 10 days. That is only, however, if you survive Vang Vieng.
VV is the party capitol of the entire country – perhaps one of the top spots in the whole of Southeast Asia. While there are lots of activities for the non-alcoholics, getting wasted (again and again) is name of the game in Vang Vieng. And you have your choice of where to do so.
The riverside is the spot for those with an early thirst. It gets going around 1 pm and lasts until nightfall – but be careful making your way back along the unlit and unmarked banks in the dark. Along the river, bars that are little more than wooden docks jut out into the river. It’s easiest to swim from bar to bar and they staff are more than willing to throw you a line and pull you in. If budget isn’t a concern, you can rent a tube rather than swim. At every new bar, you are given a bright bracelet and a free shot.
When the riverside dies down, it’s back to town for a shower, a sandwich, and….a bucket. Cups be damned. Drinks in Vang Vieng are served in small buckets, like the ones you see children playing with at the beach. The best spots in town for finding free buckets: Sakura, Smile Bar, and of course, Bucket Bar. Again be warned: if they let you pour your own bucket, don’t make it straight up. The liquor is really cheap and you will shortly find yourself blacking out, being escorted back to your hotel, and waking up with the spins.
Vang Vieng is not for the faint of heart (or liver).

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