13th.February, Vang Vieng – Drive & Tham Chang Cave
Today’s visit was the opposite of yesterday’s, long caves but with only a few small Buddhas at the end. This was after a 300km drive Southwards over passes of up to 1800m. Again we stopped at villages but this time they looked more genuine with better houses and no souvenir stalls.
The drive to Vang Vieng was scenic but not spectacular. There is no primary jungle left but lots of secondary, however bamboos often replace the trees because they grow faster. We had a pleasant hotel in Vang Vieng (only a village) with a veranda directly by the Nam Song river looking across at the very steep limestone hills. The area is known as the action centre of Laos for caving, canoeing, biking, bungy jumping, etc. Where we had our evening meal was just next to a backpacker hostel full of young Australians. It was more their sort of place I think.