A town build and dismantled by tourism; Vang Vieng laos. Roughly 10 years ago, a group of backpackers grabbed some extra tire tubes and hopped into the river of this sleepy traditional Laos village. Locals started selling snacks and drinks to the increasing number of floaters, which escalated the town into a massive party destination for international backpackers. Now Laos faces criticism for the average of 22 deaths, and countless injuries every year from mainly young tourists on the river. Alcohol, drugs, and swift currents are the main reasons for fatalities, so during my visit the town was on hold, pending a conference discussing safety concerns in the Laos capital of Vientiane. I wished I could have experienced the famed river float in full swing, but It was also nice to see a community that was attempting to transform their brute party tourism into responsible/sustainable travel.
