vang vieng laos diy itinerary

COMPLETE VANG VIENG LAOS DIY ITINERARY & BUDGET FOR FIRST TIMERS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

I have a confession to make! Laos is a country I never thought I will truly love. We came here last September 2025 as part of our Indochina backpacking trip — covering Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. And to my surprise, Laos did not disappoint! So if you’re planning to visit other Southeast Asia countries, you might want to save this Vang Vieng Laos DIY itinerary & budget for your future reference.

Laos is quite unpopular in the Philippines and my conscience cannot just gate-keep this! I will not rest my mouth about this place because Laos is worth it! You will be seeing more of Laos all over my social media platforms so keep posted.

To give you a bit of information about Laos, it is the only land-locked country in Southeast Asia. Thus, making it known for its sprawling mountainous destinations. Aside from that, Laos is also known for noticeable French colonial architectures, hill tribes settlements, and Buddhist monasteries.

vang vieng laos
Vang Vieng Laos DIY Itinerary

ABOUT VANG VIENG, LAOS

Vang Vieng is a small town north of Laos’ capital City, Vientiane which is approximately 3 hours away. What makes it a very unique destination is because of its surrounding karst limestone mountains, lagoons, rice fields, caves, and its picturesque country side. Vang Vieng reminds me so much of El Nido, Palawan in my home country!

Language & currency used – the main language spoken in Vang Vieng is Lao, which is the official language of Laos. Since Laos is quite know to Western foreigners, most people can speak in english so I guess there won’t be much of a problem in terms of communication. Moreover, the official currency used is the Laotian kip (LAK). There are ATM machines around the town so there is no problem if you need to withdraw for extra cash.

Best month to visit Vang Vieng is from November to March during the dry season. Although we visited in September, we were lucky to still get to see the small town with a nice weather.

Here are some of the most popular things to do in Vang Vieng: (1) tipsy tubing, (2) lagoon hopping, (3) hot air balloon and (4) paramotor. Furthermore, Vang Vieng is filled with backpacker hostels and bars which makes the small town “the adventure capital and backpacking heart of Laos!

PRE-TRAVEL GUIDE: VANG VIENG, LAOS

How to Get to Vang Vieng?

The proximity of Vang Vieng from its capital city, Vientiane is only about 2-3 hours. This makes it the perfect reason to not skip this beautiful small town north of Vientiane! I have mentioned earlier that Laos was part of our Indochina trip and so we flew from Hanoi, Vietnam to Vientiane airport via Vietjet Air. They offer cheap flights with baggage allowance. You can check on their website for available dates and fares.

From Vientiane

Vientiane is the gateway to Vang Vieng. It is the capital city of Laos and you can also book flights to Vientiane (VTE) if you are coming from neighboring countries like Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia.

You can book a shared van transfer to Vang Vieng on Klook and the travel time is about 2-3 hours. The fare is PHP715/USD12.25/266,000LAK per pax. We also tried the local bus and took us almost 5 hours to Vang Vieng. The bus had a different route and it was very bumpy which made the trip super stressful. Moreover, the van fare is almost the same with the bus fare so the smartest decision to take will be the van.

BOOK SHARED VAN TRANSFER FROM VIENTIANE TO VANG VIENG HERE

From Luang Prabang

Travel time between Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng is approximately 4 hours and the fare is PHP815/USD14/305,000LAK. The most convenient and cost-efficient way is via shared transfer on Klook.

BOOK SHARED TRANSFER FROM LUANG PRABANG TO VANG VIENG HERE

From Bangkok, Thailand

From Bangkok, Thailand you can either book a plane to Vientiane and then travel by bus to Vang Vieng. While flights may get expensive, you can choose to travel via sleeper bus from Bangkok to Vientiane first and then transfer to a shared van transfer to Vang Vieng which is a cheaper option.

We booked our sleeper bus via 12go website and the travel time was approximately 11 hours. The border-crossing was smooth, we didn’t have a problem and you can sleep comfortably in the bus.

READ HERE: HOW TO CROSS BORDERS FROM LAOS TO THAILAND?

Where to Stay in Vang Vieng?

Below are hotels you can choose from depending on your budget. For bookings made through Agoda, you can use my code JFAGODA to get a discount.

BOOK ROOMS AT INTHIRA VANG VIENG FOR PHP3,200/USD55 PER NIGHT GOOD FOR 2 PAX HERE

BOOK ROOMS AT RIVER VIEW HOTEL FOR PHP1,200/USD20 PER NIGHT GOOD FOR 2 PAX

CHECK & BOOK ROOMS AT VANG VIENG ANGSAVANH RESORT FOR PHP2,200/USD38 PER NIGHT GOOD FOR 2 PAX

Where to Eat in Vang Vieng?

I highly recommend going for local foods in Vang Vieng. We went to the Night Market about 2 blocks from our hotel and we tried the local hotpot and it was the best hotpot soup I’ve ever tried in my life! The soup was flavorful and even better than the ones in restaurants and malls and plus it was cheaper at the night market.

I couldn’t get my mind off of its taste so I looked it up online and found out that Vang Vieng is known for its hotpot sold at Night Market! Never leave Vang Vieng without trying their hotpot! Expect to pay 4-8 USD, price depends on your food quantity.

How to Get Around in Vang Vieng?

For DIY travelers/budget travelers, there is an option to rent motorbikes and they are everywhere in Vang Vieng. The rate is PHP320/USD5.5/120,000LAK for 12 hours use and PHP450/USD8/170,000LAK per motor for 24 hours use. You will need to surrender your passport and show your driver’s license before renting.

Another way is to hire or rent a tuk-tuk for transportation. But it’s quite expensive for us because it will be like a private tour. So we opted for motorbikes instead.

Tips From Joan’s Footprints

  1. For transfers from Vientiane to Vang vieng and vice versa, you can book it on Klook and use my code JOANSFOOTPRINTSKLOOK to get a discount.
  2. For accommodations booked via Agoda, my discount code is JFAGODA.
  3. If you are planning to hike Nam Xay Viewpoint, use comfortable footwear. The hike to the top is about 500m but the trail is very challenging. Be prepared for slippery muddy trail and sharp rocks.
  4. To help you get around Vientiane, you can download their ride-hailing app available which is Loca.
  5. For SIM card, it is very cheap when you buy at VTE airport upon arriving. Mine cost only PHP180/USD3 for 5 days use.
  6. The charging port in Laos is the same with the Philippines which is a Type A port.

THINGS TO DO IN VANG VIENG LAOS

Visit Lagoon 1, 2 and 3

Take a refreshing swim at Vang Vieng’s Lagoon 1, 2 and 3 with a perfect view of Vang Vieng’s karst limestone mountains. The most popular and touristy is the Lagoon 1. So we rented a motorbike and visited all 3, it’s all on Google maps so don’t worry! I also saw some photos online that the color of the lagoons turn blue during summer. However, we experienced a blue-green color when we came but it was totally fine!

There was an entrance fee of PHP50/USD1/20,000LAK entrance fee per lagoon. I can also remember some food stores and souvenir shops outside the lagoon entrance.

vang vieng lagoon 3
Lagoon 3

Explore Around Via Motorbike

Vang Vieng’s karst limestone mountains reminds me so much of Avatar mountains! So it was really fun driving around the town with an incredible view of the mountains! It was so surreal that photos couldn’t even justify it.

Motorbike rental: PHP450/USD8/170,000LAK per motor.

vang vieng laos diy itinerary
Vang Vieng Laos DIY Itinerary

Experience Hot Air Balloon at Sunrise

Did you know that Vang Vieng, Laos is one of the cheapest hot air balloon in the world? But it wasn’t because it’s the cheapest that’s why we tried it. But because the view is spectacular! Vang Vieng’s picturesque country side is already breathtaking from below, what more if you see it from a bird’s eye view!

Furthermore, hot air balloon and paramotor can get really expensive in Vang Vieng. The starting price for hot air ballon is PHP4,700/USD80/1700000LAK. I noticed that the Lao’s love to negotiate so we were able to haggle it down to PHP4,000/USD70/1500000LAK. Hotels offer tours including the hot air balloon and paramotor so feel free to ask arround or go to other hotels around the area to inquire.

vang vieng laos diy itinerary
Vang Vieng Laos DIY Itinerary

Experience Paramotor at Sunset

One of the best ways to end your day is to do a sunset paramotor! It’s cheaper than hot air balloon but I promise you that flying/gliding through the beautiful karst mountains during sunset is one for the books!

Our pramotor experience was initially USD70 but I was able to negotiate it for USD50. Hotels offer tours including the hot air balloon and paramotor so feel free to ask arround or go to other hotels around the area to inquire.

vang vieng laos diy itinerary
Vang Vieng Laos DIY Itinerary

Try the Best Hotpot at Vang Vieng Night Market

You’ve never been to Vang Vieng without trying its hotpot! It’s one of the best hotpot I’ve tasted in the world. Especially the ones sold at Vang Vieng Night Market.

vang vieng night market hotpot

Sunrise Hike at Nam Xay Viewpoint

Get a panoramic view of Vang Vieng’s beautiful town at Nam Xay Viewpoint. The best viewing time is sunrise so better start hiking around 5:30AM! It gets touristy around 9am so better start your hike early!

Nam Xay Viewpoint is the iconic photos you see online where there is a motorbike on top and a Laos flag. The view is worth it so don’t skip this activity when in Vang Vieng! Just make sure to be prepared because the trail is very challenging. While it is only about 500m to the top, I can say that it’s the most challenging short hike of my life! Lol.

Dine at a Restaurant by the Rice Fields

While driving around we saw some restaurants located in the middle of a field so we also tried it. It has a very relaxing vibe and a beautiful view of the mountains and the rice field around.s

Sunset Dinner at Elevate9

If you are looking for another unique way to dine in Vang Vieng, Elevate9 rooftop bar is one of the best places to spend sunset! The rooftop bar gives you a panoramic view of Vang Vieng’s karst mountains and river. And what makes the view even more spectacular are the paramotors and hot air balloons around!

vang vieng laos diy itinerary
Vang Vieng Laos DIY Itinerary

SAMPLE 3 DAYS & 2 NIGHTS VANG VIENG LAOS DIY ITINERARY & BUDGET

Here is a sample 3 days & 2 nights Vang Vieng Laos DIY itinerary. We did this the DIY-way of traveling by renting a motorbike and driving around the town by ourselves. It’s doable but if you don’t know how to drive, there are tours you can join in and it is offered in most hotels.

If you are going to follow this itinerary, we travelled to Vientiane the day before the start of our Day 1 itinerary. We flew from Hanoi airport in Vietnam to Vientiane airport and checked in at a nearby hostel for the night. The budget below is per person.

DAY 1:ACTIVITY:EXPENSES:
8:30-11:30AMShared van transfer from Vientiane to Vang Vieng booked on KlookPHP715/USD12.25/266,000LAK per pax
12NNLunch at the terminal, hired a tuk-tuk to our hostelPHP80/USD1.38/30,000LAK food; PHP100/USD1.84/40,000LAK tuk-tuk transfer per pax
1PMChecked in a HaNa Vang Vieng Hostel booked on Agoda for 3 days & 2 nightsPHP290/USD5/107,800LAK per pax per night
2PMFREE TIME, walk around the town
5PMSunset paramotor experiencePHP2,900/USD50/110000LAK per person
6PMDinner at Vang Vieng night market, try hotpotPHP400/USD6.8/147,000LAK per person
DAY 2:
5AMCall time, sunrise hot air balloon experiencePHP4,000/USD70/1500000LAK per person
7AMFree breakfast at hostel
9-3PMRent a motorbike for 24 hours, visit lagoon 1, 2 and 3PHP450/USD8/170,000LAK per motor; PHP50/USD1/20,000LAK entrance fee per lagoon
3PMBack at hostel, rest, freshen up
5PMSunset and early dinner at Elevate 9 rooftop barPHP130/USD2/130,000LAK consumable entrance fee at Elevate 9
DAY 2:
4:30AMCall time
5AMTravelled to Nam Xay Viewpoint jump-off point using our rented motorbikePHP50/USD1/20,000LAK entrance fee per person
5:30AMStart of trekk
7:45AMBack at the jump-off point, travel back to hostel
8AMFree breakfast at hostel, rest, freshen up, pack up luggage
12NNShare van transfer from Vang Vieng to VientianePHP715/USD12.25/266,000LAK per pax
3PMETA Vientiane

Upon arriving Vientiane after our 3 days trip in Vang Vieng, we booked a sleeper bus from Vientiane to Bangkok, Thailand at 12go’s website. I will be creating a separate travel guide for our VTE-BKK border-crossing experience soon! If you have any questions, feel free to drop it in the comment section.


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