Vang Vieng, the small little town between Vientiane and Luang Prabang, is home to some serious adventures in Laos. From hot air balloons over towering karsts to visiting caves on tubes bobbing gently down the river, there is plenty to do in Vang Vieng.

Vang Vieng has shaken off its old party vibes and reinvented itself as Laos’s premier destination for outdoor adventuring – perfect for those who want to cave, climb and kayak in some of the world’s most spectacular karst scenery.

From quiet rural village, to secret CIA air base, to notorious backpacker party haunt, to top outdoor adventure destination: Vang Vieng has certainly been on a journey. In fact, pretty much the only thing that hasn’t changed is what drew people here in the first place: the landscape.

As the Nam Song River winds its way south through this small town, something spectacular happens to the scenery. Huge limestone mountains tower over the river valley below, with near-vertical slopes dripping with greenery and peaks lost in the clouds. The town itself sits sandwiched between these karst cliffs and the palm-fringed river edge, and Vang Vieng is simply one of the most picturesque spots in Southeast Asia.