| Vang Vieng |
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| Quick lesson in Thai/Laos language: Here "V" (as in English "Very") is actually pronounced as an English "W" (as in English "Water"), and so this place is pronounced "Waang WEEung" - not "Vang Vee-ANG" as it is universally mispronounced. Am I annoying you? Sorry. It just goes over better with the local people if they can acually understand what you're saying. By the way, "Wieng" in the northern dialect means "town" or "city" as in "Wieng Jan" (aka "Vientaine", aka "Moon City") and "Vang Vieng" therefore means "Palace City". Similarly "Savannaket" is pronounced "Sawanaket" or as the local people simply call it "Sawan" which means "heaven"). Enough said. Just trying to clarify. |
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| Language comment aside, Vang Vieng (no, "Waang WEEung") is a small town along a minor tributary of the Mae Naam Khong (aka "Mekong") which just happens to be in a particularly gorgeous setting and about halfway between Luang Prabang and Vientiane. For these reasons it is a stopping point for virtually every tourist coming down the slowboat-to-Luang Prabang to Vientaine treadmill. For this reason as well, unfortunately, sleepy little Vang Vieng (aka "Waang WEEung") has become increasingly invaded by backpacker tourism and lost much of its previous charm and cultural innocence. Sure you can say the same thing about many tourist destinations around the world (Goa, Kuta, Aswan, Byron Bay, Hoi An, Interlaken, etc. etc.) but I think Vang Vieng ("Waang WEEung") is a particularly sad example, given the sheer contrast of how quiet and charming it is/was and the degree of noisy invasion taking place in just the past few years (e.g.. thumping Australian-owned boom bars and packaged river tubing trips). I humbly hope people will just show some respect for what we have done to the place. |
| Just a few quiz questions: 1. The main reason for travelling to a foreign culture is... (A) to respect and learn about something new (B) to get drunk and have a loud party 2. While pausing to take local food and drink it is a good idea to... (A) observe the streetlife and chat with other travellers and local people (B) watch the latest big-hype American action movie full of loud explosions 3. When enjoying a refreshing swim in rural SE Asia it is appropriate to... (A) observe local customs and wear a sarong or other modest garment (B) stomp down the main road half-naked in a bikini ;-) |
| Expressing opinion about how travellers should behave is vastly unpopular, sort of like nations instructing each other in foreign policy. However it is my humble opinion, now that tourism is the worlds number one industry and now that intercultural understanding is such a vital issue, that tourism plays a significant role in promoting a respectful and safe world. Or at least if we choose to visit other cultures the least we can do is allow them to retain their uniqueness which attracted us to visit in the first place. |
| And now back to the pictures... |
| Vang Vieng (Waang WEEung) is still a gorgeous and peaceful place, but in the past six years I have watched it become swiftly packaged, commercialised, and over-run with noise and western intrusion. What sets it apart from the thousands of similarly invaded spots around the globe is the swiftness of transformation in light of how truly unspoiled it was just a few short years ago. |
| Fortunately it is still easy to take a bicycle and get out of the town and experience remote villages which have little or no exposure to the outside world. You do have to ride a while - at least 10km or so to escape the tourist-affected area, but to me it was worth it. So because I rode all day and got far away to these untouched remote villages, does that mean I have spread tourism to these areas? Good question. |
| ...and just remember - Laos is still a communist country. Signs like this, showcasing the relationship with China and the former Soviet Union, are commonplace along the main roads. |
| One more gorgeous sunset along the river. Actually this picture was taken at about 4:00 when the sun was still up high, but like everywhere in the region it was a very harsh dry season this year (2004) and with no rain and lots of agricultural burning throughout the season the sky was continuously hazy. |
| To the south of Vang Vieng on the way south towards Vientiane, you cross the Naam Ngum river, which flows out of the Naam Ngum reservoir - a vast lake created by a dam project in the mid 80's. With a little effort you can reach the lake's edge and arrange to spend some time on some of the many small islands which stick out of the water. Some of these islands have homes on them and some of them cater to visitors. I went with three other people and spent a week in an old colonial home run by a single Laos woman of middle years. After the Communist government reclaimed power in 1975 one of the things they did was round up all the thieves, protitutes, and other "undesirables" in the Vientiane area and banished them to these islands. So perhaps in 1975 our hostess was a young hottie - who knows. |