Tube with kids at Vang Vieng? Or just a boat cruise?

Hi, We will be in VV in July/August of this year and are wondering if it would be safe to do tubing with our kids aged 4 and 7. Would the water be too dangerous at that time of year? Will there be too many drunks to watch out for (have heard that this is a problem). If tubing is too much for the kids would you recommend any boat tours of the area?

Thank you!!

Tube with kids at Vang Vieng? Or just a boat cruise?

I%26#39;ve not been to VV in July, but thats the start of the rainy season so perhaps the water will be too unpredictable or rough for young person tubing or kayaking. Drunks aren%26#39;t a problem (or weren%26#39;t when I was there - I wasn%26#39;t one of them :-).

I didn%26#39;t see any sign of boat tours - when I was there in December the water level was too low in many places for anything but tubes or kayaks.

Not too helpful I know!

Cheers, --Kip

Tube with kids at Vang Vieng? Or just a boat cruise?

Woops. I have a few photos of VV and the Nam Song river there (in December) from my last trip on my site at www.noexpectations.com.au/images/Laos1207/

Cheers, --Kip

When I was there with my kids in May the water was fine and the my 7 year old coped just fine. You can check the state of the river yourself in Vang Vieng when you arrive and make up your mind. We went out before lunch while most of the ';drunks'; are still sleeping it off, but they arnt too much of a problem. You can take a small river trip by longtail boat but the tubing is sooo much more fun.

Definitely get travel insurance.

We were there in July a few years back and our son was 8, all he wanted to do was float down the river in an inner tube, but it had been raining so badly that it had washed away a bridge and the river was flooded, people were still going down the river in

the tubes but having to be bought back from miles away as they could;nt get into the side of the river to get out!

WE would%26#39;nt let him do it and he was furious!!! Other younger backpackers even confirmed our decision and said they would;nt let him either!

I suppose it will depend on the weather and how fast the river is flowing, but agree with the above poster who said ';Make sure you have travel insurance';!!!

Oh, l just read how old your kids are, my answer would now be ';NO';!!!

Thank you all for your advice....I guess travel insurance or not, the main concern is safety.....and it doesn%26#39;t sound too safe for a 7 year old (I%26#39;m sure, like your son, that they%26#39;ll be some foot-stamping, but we%26#39;ll just have to deal with the situation then!)

Thanks again!

Yes, there was a bit of ';Not fairs'; thrown and one of his ambitions is to return when he is old enough and float in the inner tubes! And that ok, as long as l don%26#39;t know about it!!!!!

Have a great trip, its a wonderful country and the people make it even better.

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