Arriving in time for a late lunch we took quite a long walk across from our hotel to the Namsong Garden restaurant on the other side of town, but it was well worth it for the beautiful view of the limestone karsts beyond the river. Unfortunately this place really struggled to provide any food quickly, so the late lunch became even later and for some (who got fed up of waiting, or got something they hadn't ordered) it was a case of giving up and waiting until dinner! Most of the food was freshly cooked but nothing special so if you choose to go here for the views be warned; I recommend preparing to lose a couple of hours from your day!

There has been quite a lot of travel days in our itinerary so far, and this is only day 5 of the trip, so the second day in Vang Viene we were keen to make the most of the variety of activities that on offer.

Vang Vieng is well known on the backpacker trail for tubing and caving, so of course these were high up on my to do list despite the dangers associated with the former, following a number of accidents and deaths that have happened here. There is of course always more to the stories than it first seems, and I can honestly say that the tubing down the river Nam Song was completely the opposite of what I had been led to believe it would be. 

I was adamant I would give this a go, despite the warnings, but minus the alcohol and drugs. However, even if I had wanted to jump off the wagon and consume a bucket drink or stop at the Fluid bar, I would have been doubley disappointed, as the bars didn't even seem to be open and we barely saw much more than few passing kayakers along the 4km 'drift' downstream.

In conclusion I'm glad I gave it a go but perhaps one of the many other activities on offer would have been a better way to spend those 3 hours, given the short time here!

The afternoons activities were a complete contradiction... A trail of 4 wheeled buggies almost racing through the countryside with the wind in our hair was totally the best way to experience a bit of everything.

I was a dedicated driver in order to ensure our pro-photographer was hands free to capture it all on camera, and there really were some great shots of local life as we bounced our way past it all, as well as some F1 style poses.

Part way I managed to stall the car and create a small traffic jam, although it later turned out this was due to a severed (!) starter cable rather than my woman driver skills. The replacement car was much easier to steer as well as faster so we were soon back with the rest of the group.

The route included a stop and hike up to Kaeng Nyui waterfall followed by a short drive along the main road and a visit to Phat Hao cave where we had a caving experience by torch light.

I think the combination of activities included in this half day off road trip coupled with the buggies is definitely the highlight of my time here so far. Bouncing through pot holes and racing past local villages whilst dodging muddy puddles, was actually very tiring, but I'd put that down to the fun and laughter along the way - it really was brilliant!

If you want to give either of these activities a try don't carry anything with you for the tubing, although little plastic pouches can be purchased throughout town to keep money dry. For the buggy tour make sure you are caked in sunblock and wearing sensible shoes (that won't come off!). 

If you include a caving experience swimwear will be necessary, and I recommend water shoes. My trusty Crocs, despite their lack of style, have featured a lot today and are just so practical.

It's possible to turn up for tubing without a reservation. Current cost 55,000 Kip (60,000 Kip deposit for the tube) including transport to the start point.

A few companies have buggies but we went with TCK Amazing Tours who looked after us very well and who I would definitely recommend. Cost 400,000 Kip for a half day per person; no discount if you share a car.

I didn't spot any episodes if Friends or Family guy in the bars here, perhaps that is just something from the past or because it's out of season?

The love/hate feeling that people have about this little town, in my view, is an exaggeration. It's the sort of place you can pick and choose what you do, with something for everyone. One member of the group hired a motorbike, another went hiking to a nearby cave, a few went out on a boat and I'm pretty sure someone tried the kayaking, its certainly doable. There is a lot here so spend a couple of days or more if you want to relax as well as do some activities.