Vang Vieng

It took seven hours by minivan to get from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng, a bumpy, sweaty journey that I was happy to forget. I met two guys on the bus and we went for a beer as soon as we'd checked in to a cheap guesthouse.

Vang Vieng is one of the most famous party spots in South East Asia. A few years ago it was full of illegal bars along the river and 'tubing' between them became the drinking sport of choice for travellers. Obviously getting horrendously drunk while floating down the river on a rubber ring isn't the safest activity and there were quite a few accidents before the government cracked down on it a couple of years ago. Now it's still a party town but in a slightly more civilised and safe way.