Tubing

​ສະບາຍດີ​ປະຊາຊົນ​ທີ່ປະເສີດ

I'm going to take a wild guess that the majority of people have no idea what tubing is; I too wouldn't have a clue if I had not been myself. Basically, scores of young backpackers grab their own giant rubber ring, float down a less than clean river, and stop off at several riverside bars to get merry. However, if you do know what tubing is, or have been pre 2012, then you'll know it ain't what it used to be!

Tubing has a legendary status on the South East Asia backpacker scene, and has really put Laos on the travelling map. However, due to several tragic deaths the tubing scene in Vang Vieng has dramatically diminished. Prior to going myself I had heard hundreds of stories about tubing 'back in the day' and was slightly worried that it was going to be a huge let down. The backpacking grapevine told of the legendary tubing heyday, when thousands of young travellers drunkenly floated down the river and frequented the huge variety of bars for dancing, sports, drinking games and time to chill in hammocks. Sadly, when I arrived in June 2013 there were only three bars remaining along the river and a dramatic lack of backpackers.

 

Not to be put off by first impressions, a large group of us headed down to the tubing shop to pick up our huge, black rubber rings and jumped in a tuk tuk headed straight for the river. We all dived into our rings and were immediately separated by the current. I got stuck in a couple of bushes along the way and spent the first 15 minutes of my wild tubing experience slowly floating down the river on my own. Crazaaaaay, I know. Thankfully, the rest of the day wasn't so sedate and passed by in a slightly drunken blur.

 

The three bars we visited were all pretty similar; they had sports such a volley ball and basketball, drinking games, free Lao Lao whiskey with a free bracelet and loads of places to sit back and chill. The bars and river weren't exactly heaving, but they also weren't the ghost town that I was expecting thanks to the backpacking rumours floating around.

 

While tubing proved to be hilarious and a surreal experience I've never done before, I can also see how the whole day can be a bit of a death trap. Alcohol and rivers are probably not the best combination in the world, especially when drunken egos thinks it's a cracking idea to jump off a ledge into the unknown depths or shallows of the river. And getting to the bars can also be a challenge; they merely throw a rope out to your tube and if you miss it, though luck, off you sail down the river drunk and alone (thankfully this didn't happen to any of us).

 

Sadly, I have no pictures from tubing as taking a camera (or any personal belongings) is pretty difficult when you're spending the majority of your day in the water. Even though tubing is now a much tamer version of what it was, it's still worth heading to Vang Vieng on your way through South East Asia as it's a beautiful part of the world, and you've got to try tubing for the crack!

 

ລາ​ທີ່ດີສໍາລັບ​ປັດຈຸບັນ