While tubing in Vang Vieng used to be synonymous with lots of drinking, crazy partying, and even death, it still is a big attraction in the small riverside town. These days, the tubing is a lot more relaxed but still tons of fun!
The first stop on the tubing adventure is to get your inner tube! Located in the center of town, the stand has hundreds of tubes for visitors to rent. There is no need to book in advance, just show up when you are ready to tube! Tubing starts at 9:00 AM and goes until 18:00 (6:00 PM).
When you show up, you must sign a waiver stating that you can swim (it's extra for a life jacket) and that they are not responsible for anything stupid you may do to hurt yourself. You also acknowledge that the tube is their property and, if you want your deposit back, you will return it. Then you pay to rent the tube (55,000 kip) and leave a deposit (60,000 kip). If you return your tube by 6:00 PM, you get all of the deposit back. The latest you can return the tube is 20:00 (8:00 PM).
The price of the tubing includes a tuk tuk ride up the river. The drive is about 15 minutes and drops you off at the first bar… and usually the party is already well under way.
When my boyfriend and I arrived at the first bar, I was greeted with a free bracelet (which I still have as I write this) and a shot! Not a bad way to start off the journey. We got there around 1:00 PM. There were a bunch of people there already dancing to music and playing drinking games. We grabbed some beers, drank a little and then walked down to the river to start our tubing adventure.
The first bar was right around the corner from the first. Little tip: It is best if you float on the right side of the river, but don't worry if you float over to the left. At each bar, there are men with ropes attached to water bottles. They throw these out to passing tubers and pull you in to the shore. This bar had even more people than the first! There were platforms for people to sit and drink in the shade or sun. The best part was the muddy volleyball field, where tubers were slipping and sliding all over the place! The bar did have a hose nearby to wash off all the mud once you were finished playing.
After this bar, there were about two more bars along the way. One you had to climb up some rickety looking wooden steps to the top of a hill overlooking the river. The other had lounge platforms right out in the water where people could lay and drink. Both were a lot of fun and a great way to meet people. After each, we would grab our tubes and continue to float down the river.
The last bar, Smile Beach Bar, was probably one of my favorite in Vang Vieng. It had platforms by the water, some further back, and a whole long row of hammocks looking out on the water. It was incredibly relaxing just swinging back and forth with a drink, watching other tubers finish their day. It also didn't hurt that they had a happy hour from 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM for Buy 1-Get 1 free whisky buckets! Yum!
When I visited, it was the dry season (November to March) which meant the river wasn't flowing as fast and you could float down the tubing stretch of river in about two hours if you didn't stop at all. During the wet season (May to October) there is generally more water from frequent showers, so the river flows a lot faster.
The views while tubing down the river in Vang Vieng were spectacular. All around are beautiful limestone mountains and green forests on either side. With the sun beaming down on you and the cool water all around, it was heavenly just floating along without a care in the world. As we drifted along, others would float past us, sometimes together as a group but also alone.
The tubing in Vang Vieng is great for anyone regardless of age or group size. It also can be fun even if you don't drink just by meeting new people and making friends. Once 6:00 PM rolls around, there is a mad dash for the tubing shop so people can keep their money. Then time for dinner and the party continues at one of the many other bars in town!
