I am stuck on Laos. It’s quite possibly one of the nicest countries I’ve ever been to. The people are friendly and hospitable. The scenery is untouched and unspoiled. The never-ending range of activities will keep you occupied for weeks. We’re both itching to go back to this captivating country.

We have been told by several travelers on every trip we’ve embarked on over the past two years that Vang Vieng is a MUST if you are traveling to Laos. Naturally, I was captivated by the idea of spending my time in this small riverside village, where, I was told, there would be a barrage of daily eco-friendly tours and activities all waiting for me.

And it was everything we thought it would be. We went caving and hiking. We rented motorbikes and hunted for fresh water pools to swim in. We indulged in mouth-watering dishes and sucked back giant bottles of BeerLao, but the absolute best part of Vang Vieng, and I’m sure any traveler will agree, is the river tubing.

Seven dollars can take you a long way for the day in Laos. We rented our inner tubes in town and were taken to the mouth of a swift moving river several kilometers outside of town. The fast moving currents swept us downstream and once we rounded our first bend, we were in heaven.

It took us six hours to make our way down river. We couldn’t help stopping at all the mini-bars set up on the riverbanks. Each bar had zip-lines, trapeze bars and swings that released far out over the river. We stopped at each one. We swam, had a dunk and washed it all away with beers. By the time we arrived back in town, we were tired, but deliriously happy. So happy in fact, we did the same thing three days in a row.

Traveling is what you make it. We spent six weeks on the road in Asia. Some of that time was really harsh and some of it was a blast. I think every traveler needs a mix of good and bad experiences to really make a journey worthwhile. Cambodia was completely off the rails. Vietnam was an intriguing mix of old and new worlds colliding. Loas was relaxed, upbeat and completely out of this world. Asia is a diverse, wonderfully challenging and completely captivating experience. Don’t miss it.