THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN' - Vientiane and Vang Vieng, Laos

........on our last blog post, we were travelling in Serbia last year, hunting spomeniks.........

Vientiane's Buddha Park, Laos

The time since the last blog post has flown- it's hard to believe in September we were on the other side of the world with such a different routine and life! After a long stay in Penang and Ko Fruitopia over the Christmas period, we were excited to find ourselves in Laos, a country we had not visited in many years.

Our starting point, Vientiane, is not the most stimulating Asian city, probably one of the least interesting we have visited. It does, however, have one big draw- French/European food at bargain prices. The French were kicked out of Laos and the rest of Indochina in the 1950s, but their influence lives on through food. Fare varied from light and fluffy baguettes and pate as street food, to amazing cafes with cafe lattes and freshly baked pastries, and French restaurants with wine and all kinds of gourmet menus. It would be amazing coming here after some time out in the wilds of rural Laos, but as we were just starting out and not really craving such delights, we didn't indulge too heavily.

Extravagant shake concoction

Extravagant baguette concoction

Sights were thin on the ground in the capital, but we strolled around in the cooler weather looking at millions of Communist flags everywhere, some colonial architecture, and sorting out further travel options at the organised bus stations. The replica of the Arc de Triomphe was bizarre and apparently bigger than Paris's.

Paris or Vientiane?!

Rich's new Jag (he wishes!), Vientiane, Laos

Communist flags, Vientiane, Laos

Getting around Vientiane in a tuk tuk

The best day was spent taking the slow bus past the Thai Friendship Bridge to the Sala Kaew Ku Buddha Park on the border with Thailand. We had, years ago, very much enjoyed the Thai version and were keen to compare the two.

We had never really looked into the creator's background, but his biography shows him to have been an eccentric man with a spiritual background, and a cult following. After starting to create his Buddha Park in Vientiane, he fled to Thailand during the 1975 Communist revolution in Laos, where he built the twin park in Nong Khai.

Rich, coconut and cockerel, Vientiane, Laos

Serenity at Vientiane's Buddha park, Laos

The main sculpture at Sala Kaew Ku, Vientiane, Laos

Offering a woman, Buddha park, Vientiane, Laos

The Vientiane version was much smaller than the Thai, and in a pretty terrible state of repair. The gardens were tidy with many beautiful plants, but the concrete statues had been left to disintegrate, and we wondered what the entrance fee was being used for. Inside the main sculpture was a labyrinth of stairs and corridors leading to a Buddhist Hell-scape scene and a precariously dodgy lookout. 

Young monks enjoying the look out, Buddha park, Vientiane, Laos

Weird giants Gods, Buddha park, Vientiane, Laos

Buddhist Hell inside sculpture, Buddha park, Vientiane, Laos

Lucky we didn't take any notice of this sign!

Amazing banana plant, Buddha park, Vientiane, Laos

We were expecting the road from Vientiane to Vang Vieng to be atrocious, and we weren't wrong. Luckily we only had to endure four and a half hours of the dusty, bumpy, pot holed drive. There were endless rubber plantations and cement factories, alternating with small villages, and we passed some of the new Chinese built railway, seemingly constructed mostly for accessing industrial sites.

Not much room on Vientiane to Vang Vieng bus

On our trip to Laos 26 years ago, Vang Vieng was the most popular place with backpackers, with only two internet cafes providing those who needed it with contact with the outside world. We spend New Years Eve at a mad local street party dancing like idiots with little kids, and the following day with two friends floating down the Namsong River in rubber tubes in complete peace. At the time we thought Laos would be a good place to see in the new year of 2000- if the world stopped working, we wouldn't be effected too much in Laos!

An oldie from years ago in Vang Vieng, Laos

Climbing some unknown hill, oldie pic from Vang Vieng

A different looking Rich all those years ago!

26 years ago in Vang Vieng!

In most ways, the town was now totally unrecognizable to us, with nothing familiar from 1999, as one would expect! Vang Vieng is now a big, bustling town with noisy vehicles buzzing around and many cafes catering to the needs of backpackers. WIFI is everywhere, and bars and restaurants line the river for the hoards on a tubing adventure. But the vibe is still remarkably chilled out and we were pleasantly surprised how much we liked it!

Evening balloons over the hills, Vang Vieng, Laos

The river Namsong, Vang Vieng, Laos

Gorgeous scenery around Vang Vieng, Laos

We found a low-key rustic bungalow with views out to the karst mountains, and settled in for a few days of exploring the area.

Our simple stay in Vang Vieng, Laos

Spectacular view from our bungalow, Vang Vieng, Laos

We found many places where we were completely alone in the beautiful nature. Rich's amazing internal compass guided us to one particularity magnificent walk up a steep hill (Phra Poak), with not another soul in sight. It was quite a climb on jagged rocks up rickety wooden steps and bamboo ladders, but well and truly worth it for the view and sense of achievement. The rice fields surrounding the base of the hills were covered in faint paths for strolling, lovely and quiet, with the noise and bustle of Vang Vieng far in the distance.

Walking at the foot of the hills, Vang Vieng, Laos

Lovely scenery around the rice fields, Vang Vieng, Laos

Starting the climb up the hill, Vang Vieng, Laos

Happy enjoying the view from Phra Poak, Vang Vieng

Worth the hard climb to the top!

Another day was spent at the much more touristy Tam Chang caves, the gigantic complex complete with coloured lights and signs, concrete steps and a path leading through to multiple caverns of varying sizes. Down at the base, the mostly Chinese tourists enjoyed the blue lake, splashing around with life jackets and jumping off diving towers and a zip line into the water. Sal had a bit of a swim with the fish in the clear blue pool, and it was all quite entertaining (for a while).

Freaky lighting in Tham Chang cave, Vang Vieng

Small shrine, Tham Chang cave, Vang Vieng

Tunnels connecting caverns, Tham Chang cave, Vang Vieng

Blue water of the pool at the base of Tham Chang, Vang Vieng

In town, thousands of tourists participated in a plethora of activities. From balloon rides to 4WD buggys, motorised paragliders, boat trips and kayaks, there were an insane amount of people partaking in the fun. We joined in at sunsets at various scenic bars to view the dusk spectacle in the sky with a Beer Lao.

4WD buggys were extremely popular whizzing around the streets of Vang Vieng

Rooftop bar at sunset, Vang Vieng, Laos

Views and brews, Vang Vieng, Laos

After some time, we craved some travel in more authentic areas, and set out on an arduous journey to Phonsavan. The story continues, for now, thanks for reading!

So long for now, see you in the next destination!

.....we continue our travels in far flung Phonsavan where we visit the mysterious Plain of Jars....