Vang Vieng is a small town in Northern Laos, located between Luang Prabang and Vientiane.
As professional landscape photographers, we were drawn to Vang Vieng for the incredible scenery. Sitting along the Nam Song River with dramatic limestone mountain scenery as its backdrop, Vang Vieng is absolutely breathtaking.
When it comes to snapping those perfect Instagram photos, Vang Vieng in Northern Laos is an absolute treasure trove.Β
We have created this guide to showcase what we consider to be the top 5 Vang Vieng photo spots.
1. Nam Xay Viewpoint
The MOST Instagrammable photo in Vang Vieng!

The best location for that perfect Vang Vieng photo is undoubtedly the Nam Xay Viewpoint just across the wooden bridge from the βcity centre.βΒ
In fact, this may be the most Instagrammable location in all of Laos (apologies to Kuang Si Falls).
The entrance to the Nam Xay Viewpoint is about 15 minutes out of Vang Vieng by car or scooter, so you will need to arrange transport. There is also a 10,000 kip ($1.10 USD) entrance fee for the hike, but the epic photo and view from the top is so worth it.
Once youβve arrived, be prepared for a VERY strenuous walk up a VERY steep hill; without rest, it will take about 15-20 minutes, but most of us will likely need 20-25 to catch our breath.Β Make sure you bring water!Β
For the best Instagram photo, I recommend a golden hour/sunset visit.
π READ MORE: Northern Laos Itinerary
2. Rice Fields at Vieng Tara Villa
The 2nd best place for Instagrammable Vang Vieng photos

This was a tough call, but I think the second-best Instagram photo location in Vang Vieng goes to the rice field boardwalk at the Vieng Tara Villas.Β
Technically, you have to be a guest to take this photo, as indicated by a sign at the entrance.Β When I visited, we had a coffee at the restaurant, which seemed sufficient for them.Β
The best Vang Vieng photos will come when the rice fields are green and lush, or at least golden, but there are times when they plough the fields and youβre left with brown dirt.
We took this photo on May 26th, 2019; they were literally ploughing the fields while we tried to shoot! If youβre there in low season, just be prepared for this possibility. Also, be prepared for the possibility of being denied entry if they are busy at the time or get fed up with visitors.
3. Bridge at Pha Tang
The 3rd most Instagrammable location in Vang Vieng

Pha Tang is located about 30 minutes north of the city and is one of the first villages in the Vang Vieng district. On a blue-sky day, the bridge at Pha Tang makes the number 3 spot for Vang Vieng photos, as the afternoon light on the mountainscapes is simply breathtaking. On a cloudy day, the colours can be quite muted and a bit less dramatic, but the scene is still worth the stop!
If you have someone to help you with the photo, my favourite composition was shooting from the bridge with the subject down by the water below. I also liked the composition with both the cameraman and model down by the river.
As a bonus, there is a temple, Wat Pho Karm Chai Mong Kol, right next to the bridge that is very beautiful and well worth the visit. In addition to some gorgeous artwork, there is a 3-story tower that was open to climb when I visited that provided an unbeatable aerial view of the valley below.
4. Sunset along the river
The 4th most Instagrammable location in Vang Vieng

The number four spot for Vang Vieng photos is sunset along the river. If you are luckier than we were, hot air balloons often drift by and really add some drama to the photos. Most nights, however, you will have a beautiful view of the sun setting behind the mountains as net fishermen, tubers, and boaters travel back and forth across the scene.
There are a number of bars along the river, many of which offer a happy hour during sunset.
It doesnβt hurt that you can have a cheeky beer or cocktail between photos!
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5. Nam Song Pedestrian Bridge
The 5th most Instagrammable Vang Vieng photo location

The last location to make our Top 5 Vang Vieng Photos list is the orange pedestrian bridge on the south side of town. This is not to be confused with the wooden toll bridge! It can easily be visited by foot from anywhere in the Vang Vieng centre in 15 minutes or less.
The bridge itself offers some great leading lines with beautiful mountains filling up our background and a nice pop of orange all around.
If you have a zoom lens, I recommend having the photographer stand further from the subject and zooming in to have the mountains fill more of the frame. The closer you are to the subject, the more they will block out those stunning mountains that define Vang Vieng.
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Not-so-Honourable Mention: Blue Lagoon

Wondering why the most famous photo location in all of Vang Vieng didn’t make the list? Mostly because I didn’t want to disappoint anyone. The famously blue water is often actually a murky brown after rains, and almost always stuffed to the brim with visitors local and foreign alike.
The photo below of Blue Lagoon was taken in 2013 (before I knew anything about photography!) on my first visit to Laos. Β On this most recent trip in 2019, we didn’t even bother going after scouting with the drone to discover a brown pool crawling with people.Β
Vang Vieng is simply too beautiful to spend the time and money on Blue Lagoon from a photography standpoint, in my opinion.Β
By all means, though, go for the experience if you need an escape from the heat. Β Plus, if you’re the first one there at the right time of year, you might get some great photos with nobody else in them!
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I love how you sum up all the important stuff to know!! So good and easy to read! And your pictures make me wanna visit all those places! π π looking forward to read more posts like this. Love, Jules
Thank you so much Jules, I really appreciate your kind words. I’m glad you enjoyed the post π
Loving your travel brochure for photographers! Well done Sophie! The photos are beautiful and itβs well written and informative. I need to stop following you guys, it makes me want to drop everything and travel. ???
Haha thank you Tina!! I’m happy to hear it’s providing some inspiration :-*
The photos from your visit to Laos have been some of my favorite. Absolutely gorgeous!
Thank you! I’m happy to hear you’ve been enjoying them π
Love these spots! I was recently in Vang Vieng and I have to agree with the Blue Lagoon- so overrated. Another really great Insta shot is one tubing. I don’t know if you did tubing while there, but it really is one of the best things to do in the city. You can get some really great photos tubung with the stunning mountains as the backdrop
Thank you Magda. I went tubing the first time I was in Laos and didn’t really enjoy it. As we were there following dry season this time the water levels were also really low, so not ideal for tubing! I know lots of people enjoy it though and I’m glad you had such a great time and got some good shots π
Some great photos and recommendations, definitely agree with them. Blue Lagoon 1 is often packed (at least prior to Covid, now its pretty quiet all the time), but there are plenty of other lagoons that are worth a visit, the earlier you head out the better.
Thank you so much! Yeah I think the key to getting most places without the crowds is to get there early, at least during pre-Covid times!
I want to thank you for the amazing tips! I’ve just been to all these places and were incredible, together with the road to get there. Nam Xay was definetely my favourite, although the climb up quite challenging especially now that rains quite often. Just one thing to mention, the last bridge is now replaced with a ferry crossing. So it doesn’t exist anymore. Safe travels!
Hi Dan,
Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and provide us with some updated information! That’s great to know. I’m so glad to hear you had such a great time in Vang Vieng and found the tips helpful π
– Sophie