The Kuang Si waterfall is located approximately 30 km south of Luang Prabang. Carved out of a limestone backdrop, it has multiple levels, and inviting pools scattered around it's base. With it being too cold to swim, we climbed the adjoining slope, explored the views, then enjoyed some lunch and chucked a frisbee around the car park.
The journey from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng travels along the infamous 'Route 13'. There haven't been any major incidents of bombings, hijacking, or mass murder along the route since 2003, but as a precaution, one passenger on the bus was armed with an AK47 - "when you absolutely, positively have to kill every mofo in the room, accept no substitute". I'd like to think that the reason he wore no uniform, was that he was some sort of special forces agent, but I'm guessing he was just another badass bus driver. Thankfully, he never needed to scratch his itchy trigger finger and our journey passed without incident. We arrived in Vang Vieng around 3am and booked into the nearest accomodation we could find. Given it's advantageous proximity to new arrivals the guest house didn't bother with cleanliness, & consequently we didn't bother staying longer than necessary - turned out to be after about 6 hours sleep.
Vang Vieng is a small town that has developed around an old US air strip. It is quickly gathering a name as Th Ko San road of Laos due to the availability of activities and party prescriptions. The government is apparently cracking down on the drugs issue, but as there was opium tea & mushroom shakes freely advertised on restaurant menus, I kind of doubt their presumed level of intolerance.
Our first activity whilst in Vang Vieng was an afternoon tubing. In Laos, they really know how to make you feel laid back. They give you an inner tube from a tractor tire, drive you a few km up river and then drop you off near the shore. After that, you sit in your tube, let the river take you back towards town, and stop off at whichever bars take your fancy. A few bars bars also had 'death slides' and swings throwing you out into the river which cost a few thousand kip to use, or were free if you bought a beer - you gotta love their stringent health and safety codes! Anyone for a bungee jump out here? I think I'll wait for a country that understands the concept of liability. With the sun quickly setting we continued floating on a psychedelic haze until mild pneumonia awoke our senses to a random taxi depot at the side of the river. As fun as the tubing was, everyone agreed to cut the day short in favour of warmer pastures.
The next day, we started our journey to the capital, Vientiane, but this time, broke up the ride by kayaking some of the way. This was apparently through some sections of grade 3 rapids but there was nothing too taxing for a couple of beginners. We stopped for a BBQ lunch at the side of the river and our guide took us to a couple of good jumping spots. The first was off a rock about 12 ft high. The 2nd was off a cliff, reached by a narrow ledge, at a height of about 30 ft. I always get an urge to throw myself off anything high so jumped as soon as the way was clear. The weirdest thing was that you'd be falling, expect to hit the water and then realise that you were only halfway down. Unfortunately, telling everyone else this proved less than motivational - I can't guess why.
Vientiane didn't really hold much interest for us as it was more of a stop gap before heading over to Vietnam. Still, we checked out the National History museum and went Ten Pin bowling before catching our night bus to Hanoi. Nothing too stressful as we had a bit of a journey ahead of us.
Note: We have now been informed that the speed boat trip we so thoroughly enjoyed on the way into Laos, currently has a record of one fatality a week. Funny, considering the only thing we were worried about at the time, was the fact we couldn't feel our legs. Oh lord.
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