The Real Backpackers Hostel is what you would expect. Sociable, buzzing atmosphere and lots of travellers. I really enjoyed this hostel, if you had read Part X of The Backpacker Series you will know that Vang Vieng is a very sociable place. If you don’t like interacting with other travellers then you probably won’t enjoy this as much. The reason I say this is that the hostel just promotes sociable scenes, they organise bar crawls, beer pong and the tubing days. Staff want to get involved as well. It’s a mix of Laotians and English speaking travellers so they are always up for a laugh.
The hostel itself isn’t the cleaned one we staying in, or the tidiest, but it was exactly what we needed for this area of the trip. It was clean enough, don’t get me wrong. It was secure as well with small and large lockers to stall all your bags. It was very basic, just a frame for a bunkbed, but it was a bed, right? In Vang Vieng the days are long.. you start early morning and you finish late at night. And definitely not in any state at that point to be complaining there isn’t some sort of turn down service. You just want to pass out.
They had a lot of bathroom facilities here, I never remember waiting, I also remember there was hot water as well. We really wanted a hot shower when we got back from exploring waterfalls, which was just a nice feeling.
Location of the hostel is on the prime street of all the action, so you don’t have to walk very far, to either get involved in the drinking action or to get your hangover Banh Mi in the mornings. You can rent mopeds or cycle bikes from right outside. The hostel does also have a pool as well and bar area. I don’t actually ever remember going in the pool, doesn’t mean to say I didn’t though. So basically, the hostel has everything a backpacker needs.
LEAH HANCOX 