Vieng Xai historical caves

We visited Vieng Xai for its history and small town vibes. There are very few Western visitors in this area of Laos, making it feel authentic and relaxed. This area is also gorgeous!

There's no taxis in this village, and buses are somewhat infrequent. With this in mind, we set off for the main road to try to get to some waterfalls we had heard about. We managed to flag down a bus, and we squeezed in. They dropped us off at an unmarked part of the road. The driver and ticket seller got off to take a photo with us! Getting to the falls was difficult. We explored an old metal bridge, pathways and other things, only to struggle to find an access. So, we walked about 30 minutes in the heat to a gas station, where we managed to beg a ride from the one person in the area who had a car and spoke English. He drove us right there.

The Nam Nuea falls were incredibly tall. And, we were alone at the water. We managed to catch lifts back in two pick up trucks. They boys loved getting to experience hitchhiking. It helps that it was quite successful, as far as hitchhiking goes.

Vieng Xai has a great market. We got some delicious eats, but also saw dog meat for sale. Ugh.

The main attraction for this area is the Victory Caves, where the Laos People's Revolutionary Party was based during the secret war. "It sheltered and protected the leaders of the party as they orchestrated their war effort and tried to unify the country under communist ideology."Les mer