Vangvieng: quiet, but showing signs of revival post pandemic

Many people used to tell their friends that if they wanted to see a lot of foreign tourists they should go to Vangvieng, but the Covid-19 pandemic has changed things and the tourists have largely disappeared.
Although Laos and most other countries have now reopened their doors to tourists, it is taking a while for foreign visitors to spread their wings again and explore Asia as they did in the past.
Last weekend I went to this delightful riverside town with my colleagues from the Vientiane Times. Although the government reopened Laos to foreign tourists earlier this month, there were few to be seen in Vangvieng and the area’s many visitor attractions were quiet.

The tranquil Xong River passes through a mountain backdrop.

Vangvieng’s reputation as a riverside idyll has spread around the world and its name is increasingly recognised among younger travellers.
But my visit last weekend revealed a different Vangvieng to the bustling little town I had spent time in before the pandemic hit.
However, there is one place where it seems that time has stood still. When my colleagues and I met up for dinner at sunset we walked along the riverbank in search of a place to eat and drink. As soon as I saw foreigners at the Khop Chai Deu restaurant, memories of days past came rushing back and it felt as though nothing had changed.
While there, we talked to the owner of the restaurant, Mr Inthy Deuansavanh, who said he was now trying to lure Vietnamese tourists to Vangvieng.
“Vietnamese people like nature and are interested in local customs. Thai tourists are already coming to Vangvieng and next on the list will be visitors from China when that country lifts Covid restrictions and more people can travel,” he said.
Before the pandemic, foreign tourists gathered in large groups by the Xong River, even during the traditional low season.
Despite the vagaries of nature and unpredictable global events, this small riverside town, the placid river and the surrounding mountains continue to entice and enchant visitors.
The growing number of tour groups from Asia was largely responsible for the surge in visitor numbers pre-pandemic, with more Koreans, Chinese and Thai nationals coming to the town. And these days there is a lot more accommodation available.
During my visit last weekend, the weather was quite hot but there were occasional showers and it was easy to feel refreshed in the cool waters of the river. I was sorry that I had to go back to my office in Vientiane and could stay in Vangvieng for only two nights.
I vividly remember once sitting under a tree after lunch on a hot day in late May. When I gazed at the blue line of water and the mountains alongside the river, I immediately felt refreshed.
Sitting there, I felt no need to go anywhere else, and others nearby were clearly as contented as I was. We sat and watched groups of kayakers go past and I sensed a youthful spirit in myself.
Conveniently situated about one hour along the expressway north out of Vientiane, Vangvieng boasts a wide range of activities such as tubing, kayaking, climbing, cycling, trekking, caving, boat trips, quad bike riding, and village visits.
There are also three so-called blue lagoons and the Nangfa cave has recently opened to visitors.   
Tourism in Laos was on the rise pre-pandemic and is expected to revive when the peak season arrives later this year. More than 4.1 million people came to Laos during Visit Laos Year 2018, an 8.2 percent increase over 2017, according to the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism.
In 2017, Vientiane province welcomed over 846,000 visitors, including 353,874 Lao and 592,650 foreign tourists, a significant increase from the 589,948 people who visited in 2016.
The ministry’s report revealed that the total number of visitors to Laos increased every year from 1990 to 2016. But after 2016 the number dropped by 9.6 percent (to 4.2 million tourists) and there was a further drop of 8.6 percent in 2017, when there were 3.8 million visitors.

By Khonsavanh Latsaphao
(Latest Update May 31, 2022)