A Nice Place Near Vang Vieng?

[tonititan]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone could suggest a place to stay that is somewhere near Vang Vieng (or between VV and Vientiene). We are looking to just relax and enjoy the beauty of the Mekong, so I'd prefer to find a place that's away from the noise of the backpackers/tubing/parties. So, ideally a place right on the river would be nice. Any suggestions for towns, or even better, specific hotels/guesthouses? (Budget-wise, probably looking for something in the upper mid-range.)

Thanks!

[Focus]

Not much between Vang Vieng and Vientiane. If you want a quiet place, try the Nam Nung River, tributary of the Mekong. Check out Ban Pako, or Ban Keung (not sure about the transliteration) near Vientiane.

Or check out Pak Lai in Xanyaburi province, about a hard day's journey from Vientiane and on the Mekong.

I recommend not going to Vang Vieng unless you want your soul wounded.

focus

[GreenSnapper]

I recommend not going to Vang Vieng unless you want your soul wounded.

focus

Very nice scenery, just get out of town.

And you will meet all your friends from Khao San road there. I still remember the fully drunken British chicks, crawling in bikinis on the street. Great scenes for photos....

[Sydebolle]

Try the Elephant Crossing Hotel, a nice boutique hotel for which we paid some USD 50/night. In general yes, Vang Vieng is Laos' answer to Khao Sarn Road but if you need to stop there en route then the Elephant Crossing will do the trick. See http://www.theelephantcrossinghotel.com/ for details.

[lemerou]

Why not go a bit further to Luang Prabang ?

Last time i went there (few years ago), the place was quiet and low down.

A nice place to relax.

[tonititan]

Thanks for all the information. I'll look into those places. I'm not dead set on Vang Vieng, it's just that I want to go a little further inland than Vientiene, but probably not as far as Luang Prabang. The scenery in Vang Vieng looks amazing.

So I'm wondering, just how bad is it there?

[tonititan]

Why not go a bit further to Luang Prabang ?

Last time i went there (few years ago), the place was quiet and low down.

A nice place to relax.

I've been there too, and loved it. What a great town.

I just don't think we want to spend so much time on a bus to go there and then all the way back to Vientiene. And I don't really want to spend the money to fly out of LP, nor do I want to do the slow boat trip again. So I was just looking for a place that's out of Vientiene, but not as far as LP.

[lemerou]

The scenery in Vang Vieng looks amazing.So I'm wondering, just how bad is it there?

Ow, the scenery IS amazing.

But the town itself IS bad. I really hated it ( drunk hippies, shouting and screaming, walking semi naked in the streets and then going to watch Friends in a bar lying on coach ...<deleted> ? Man you're in Laos and you're watching American TV in a bar ?)

My advice would be to rent scooters and go around explore caves and scenery like we did.

And not to stay in the town itself.

[BwindiBoy]

Try the Elephant Crossing Hotel, a nice boutique hotel for which we paid some USD 50/night. In general yes, Vang Vieng is Laos' answer to Khao Sarn Road but if you need to stop there en route then the Elephant Crossing will do the trick. See http://www.theelephantcrossinghotel.com/ for details.

Here here. Stayed at this hotel and it's right on the river and peaceful, even though it's on the outskirts of V V.

[kermitzkitchen]

Try the Elephant Crossing Hotel, a nice boutique hotel for which we paid some USD 50/night. In general yes, Vang Vieng is Laos' answer to Khao Sarn Road but if you need to stop there en route then the Elephant Crossing will do the trick. See http://www.theelepha...ssinghotel.com/ for details.

Here here. Stayed at this hotel and it's right on the river and peaceful, even though it's on the outskirts of V V.

+1 on The Elephant Crossing its a nice quiet place with an amazing view thats far enough away from the main part of the town not to be bothered by the noise, but if you do want to go for a walk down the road to see some different restaurants and some funny sights its only a 5 minute walk. Ive even taken my parents to The Elephant Crossing when they've been over to Laos and they definitely wouldn't fit in with the Koa San Rd crowd and they had a great time there.

If you just want to get out of Vientiane City there are a few places closer then Vang Vieng, as another poster mentioned theres Tha Lat on the big artificial lake about half way to Vientiane which is a nice weekend away. Theres the Dansavanh resort which is also on the Nam Ngum Lake, which also borders on the Phou Khao National Park, its a casino and golfing resort. Just outside the city if you take a left off route 13 south towards Tha Ngon theres the beautiful Riverview resort and you've got the nice floating restaurants at the bridge at Tha Ngon which you can kill half a day or even hire out a boat and go for a trip down the river. I might be wrong but I think theres two resorts around Tha Ngon? Also if you drive out to Tha Lat instead of going on Luang Prabang Road you can go through Tha Ngon and it takes you all the way up to Nam Ngum lake which in my opinion is a nicer more scenic drive. You've also got a resort not far from Thanaleng which is just past the friendship bridge on the new road which goes out to the new stadium, thats a few of the top of my head. I hope you enjoy wherever you go!

[Focus]

The scenery in Vang Vieng looks amazing.So I'm wondering, just how bad is it there?

Ow, the scenery IS amazing.

But the town itself IS bad. I really hated it ( drunk hippies, shouting and screaming, walking semi naked in the streets and then going to watch Friends in a bar lying on coach ...<deleted> ? Man you're in Laos and you're watching American TV in a bar ?)

My advice would be to rent scooters and go around explore caves and scenery like we did.

And not to stay in the town itself.

Drunk Hippies?? I beg to differ -- more like drunk Yuppies.

[ikis]

yeah i don't understand those potheads watching Friends in a bar.

but many bars show family guy and simpsons also and that is great fun.

.

[markprotti]

thanks for the links guys ..