Vang Vieng

Vang Vieng is a small town north of Vientiane, on the Nam Song River in Laos. It's surrounded by striking limestone mountains and caves. Tham Poukham, to the west, is a cave with a blue-green lagoon and a reclining Buddha statue. North is the deep Tham Nam Cave, which has a spring at its entrance. You can stay anywhere between three to five nights in Vang Vieng, depending on how much time you want to spend relaxing. However, three nights allows enough time to see and do most of what this beautiful spot in the Karst Mountains has to offer. The best time to visit Vang Vieng is during dry season from October to April. This is the most popular time to visit Laos, meaning increased prices but there are also more things to do in Vang Vieng during this time, including tubing, kayaking and hot air ballooning. If you do decide to visit in the off-peak months of May to September, during rainy season, be prepared for heavy downpours, and a lack of water sports as the Nam Song river flows too strongly. However, during this time the rice paddies in Vang Vieng are incredibly lush and beautiful, and you can still do activities like indoor yoga when it rains in Vang Vieng.