VANG VIENG – THE MECCA

I would like to introduce you all to the Mecca of all places awesome. Vang Vieng in Laos has to be one of the most TRULY MAJESTIC places in the world. It is a small backpackers haven located along the Nam Song river about 5 hours north of the Laotian capital of Vientiane.

The daily routine revolves around taking a $1 tuk-tuk ride to the start of the river with inter-tube in hand, taking a few early morning wake-up shots of gasoline tasting Lao-Lao or throwing down some ever-so-tasty Beer-Lao. Afterwards, you make your way down the river and bar hop to wherever your heart desires along the array of bars that aline the rivers edge. Once at a chosen bar there are tons of drinking games, free shots, beer bongs, and dance floors at your disposal. Plus, there are massive platforms with rope swings that catapult you into the river.


You are completely surrounded by backpackers from all over the world who are painted, in costume, hammered, on hallucinogens, or all of the above. At the bar you have your standard selection of cocktails and beer, plus the addition of mushroom shakes that come in “pint” size or “BUCKET”. Bar 2 was definitely my go-to place during the day, and after a full day of non-stop good times, we’d walk a few steps down and get loose at Mosquito Bar where we would limbo, fist pump, and frolic until sunset.








Vang Vieng is definitely more of a day raging spot, but there are also a few cool spots to hit up at night time including Q-Bar (where I managed to get hired and fired in the same day), Ooh-La-La’s, and Sunset Bar, which is located on an island in the river. The town itself is an awesome experience. It is totally catered to backpackers, very inexpensive, and it sits along an epic lush mountainous backdrop. The people in Laos are by far the friendliest and smiliest people I met in South East Asia. The food is great, and every single restaurant in the town plays either Family Guy, The Simpson’s, or Friends on repeat ALL DAY! This is definitely a place you have to experience. It’s like a Disney World for “big” little kids with cash for days, what bad could possibly go wrong, right?