Vang Vieng

Vang Vieng, set on the Nam Song river in central Laos, is surrounded by one of the most dramatic landscapes in the country, a jaw-dropping vista of soaring, jagged limestone karst mountains riddled with caves and hidden lagoons. Once notorious as a backpacker party town, it has reinvented itself as an adventure and nature destination, offering river tubing and kayaking, hot-air ballooning and paramotoring over the karsts, cave exploring, and viewpoints and blue lagoons among the peaks.

What you actually see

• The karst landscape - the soaring limestone peaks around the town.
• The blue lagoons - the turquoise lagoons and caves.
• Hot-air ballooning - the flights over the karsts at dawn.
• Tubing and kayaking - the river activities on the Nam Song.

When to go

November to March, the cool dry season, for the best weather and clearest views of the karsts; the dawn balloon flights are especially magical in the morning mist. It is now easily reached on the fast train from Vientiane or Luang Prabang.

Honest expectations

Its old reputation as a reckless party town, where drink, drugs and river tubing led to tragedies, has largely faded as it has cleaned up and shifted to adventure and nature tourism, though some party scene remains. The famous blue lagoons can be crowded and are best early. The karst scenery and ballooning, though, are genuinely spectacular.

Nearby

Vientiane, the capital, and Luang Prabang are linked by the fast train.