Karst country, grown up

• Kayaking the Nam Song — a half-day paddle down a gentle stretch of river with the peaks all around. In the dry season it is easy; in the wet the current is faster and guides matter.
• The lagoons west of the river — clear blue pools at the foot of the cliffs, several of them now numbered and developed. The first one is busy; the further ones are quieter and have caves beside them.
• Tham Chang and the other caves around the valley. Some are lit and easy, some need a headtorch and a guide.
• Cycling or a motorbike ride along the valley roads to the villages, the rice fields and the viewpoints.
• A viewpoint hike at the end of the day — a short, steep climb with the whole valley spread out below.
• A hot-air balloon at dawn or dusk if you want the view from the air; they run in the dry season.

The railway has made Vang Vieng much easier to reach. The fast train takes about an hour from Vientiane and about an hour from Luang Prabang, which makes it a natural stop between the two; the station is a few kilometres from the centre, and tickets sell out in busy months, so book ahead with your passport. By road, the expressway from Vientiane has cut that drive to roughly an hour and a half. The old mountain road north to Luang Prabang is spectacular and slow.

The nearest international airport is Wattay in Vientiane. For the visa, the usual Laos rule applies: e-visa and visa on arrival are valid at different entry points, so we check your route against your passport before booking.

If you do not want to be active, Vang Vieng has little else to offer; there is no old town and no great temple. If you are coming for the party of its reputation, you will be disappointed. It is worth one or two nights for people who like the outdoors and want to break the train journey, and it is a good stop for families with older children who enjoy caves and kayaks.