Photo of the Week: Cooling Off in Vang Vieng, Laos

Image by Stanislas Fradelizi Text by Lee Sheridan, whl.travel local connection in Vang Vieng
20 December 2009

This photo of a young boy cooling down was captured on the banks of the scenic Nam Song River in Vang Vieng, Laos.

The Nam Song River is the heart of the tourism industry for this small mountain town. Set against a backdrop of karst limestone mountains, the river enables the ‘river tubing’ for which Vang Vieng is so famous. Add to this the kayaking trips and the caves the Nam Song and its tributaries have created and it becomes clear just why the river is a central point to so many people living in Vang Vieng and working in the developing tourism industry.

While the river activities have for a long time been solely used by international visitors, a growing number of domestic Lao tourists are now flocking to this riverside haven to find out what all the fuss is about and to join in with the fun and games found daily along the riverbanks.