The Town Where Gap Year Kids Went To Die
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- Опубліковано 15 вер 2024
- In Laos, there's a town with a very seedy reputation. Not long ago, you could buy opium direct from a store menu. The time that earned it the reputation has passed, but not before leaving its mark. This is the story of tourism, and what locals have to give up to obtain it. This is Vang Vieng.
The title for this video was chosen by my friend Brad, as he was the inspiration for making the episode.
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The music for this video was graciously provided by Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com. It is Creative Commons, and he is no doubt unaware we're using it, but hey. I still think he's great for letting it happen.
incompetech.co...
Thanks for watching! You're clearly one of the good ones.
Thanks to everyone who asked about our Patreon. I'll put out a full video when I get the time, but for those who want to jump the gun and get on board from the start, here's the link: www.patreon.com/rareearth
It means a huge deal that so many have asked us to start an account. I never thought anyone would watch these videos, let alone support them.
ok
The correct pronunciation for Vientiane would be (we in jon)
Loser, I have 3 friends; jk you have 2 now too, and now I have 4! Yaay, friends are mathematical.
sounds like a no win scenarios either way.
Sub worthy, you have earned my subscription.
"man, i sure hate tourists" - tourist
I hate myself too.
Damn howlies, lol.
I don't hate tourists per sé, but i hate ignorent tourists who don't adapt or respect the local culture but instead have an attitude of "this is my holiday, I'm paying for it, so I'll do whatever the heck i want" 🤮
Tourists = terrorists (very mild terrorist).
Chinese tourists are the worst and most disrespectful
Imagine my confusion when I thought gap year and leap year were the same
Same. I think it's also the phrasing of the title, "gap year kids" kind of sounds like something your brain would autocorrect to children born in leap years. Not a phrase I would immediately associate with college student tourists taking gap years to travel
I'm glad I'm not the only one xD
Imagine my confusion knowing that Gap also stands for gay and proud
I was about to cry
Thank you for explaining it to me I was confused
I also read as leap year
@@vinylhedgehog5574 My brain literally thought of leap year kids and I thought this would be a video of a culture that decided to kill a child who was born on the 29th of February because they thought those kids were cursed or something XD
My sister went Mexico. She loved the food. Everyday she ate something different. One day she saw this big line, and she followed it. At the beginning of the line was a McDonald's Restaurant.
McDonald's Part sounds like old soviet union.
I went to Japan in senior year of high school. I ate local food every day. The only day I ate McDonalds I felt like shit. I felt like I had missed out on food and good things. If I could go back, I wouldn’t have bought that cheap bento. It was not good quality and drove me towards a familiar flavors.
Still, I don’t regret eating Japanese food in Japan. Why the hell would I eat American outside of America?
That's the point where I leave the line.
You wouldn't fucking believe the length of the queue when Taco Bell first opened in Shibuya, Tokyo in 2017
@@juanpablorobayo3437 Cause it's a novelty to the locals, and it's interesting seeing how they receive this new culinary intrusion on their society. When I was in China it was fantastic seeing all the dutiful mothers bring their kids to McDonald's. It's run professionally, it provides a clean environment, and it's a first sampling of an American enterprise, and all these mother's aspired to send their kids overseas for college someday. Might be sucky for us, but still something to learn for us tourists.
When he started talking about the backpackers I immediately knew it was Aussies, God to love them
"God to love them" lol??
You mean "gotta love em"?
Turabbo, all you had to say was “Got*”
I just knew one of the 2 comments had to be a correction!!
Can’t love them because they ruined the area
@@marksullivan6319 *marks bingo sheet*
I’ve been to Laos before and I couldnt remember going to Vang Vieng. But as soon as you mentioned the tires in the river I had the most vivid flashback to watching drunk white tourists floating down the river in Vang Vieng. Thanks for unlocking a long lost memory
I was one of them. 😂
I clicked on this video eager to see about a civilization that sends their leap year children into a town in the mountains to die...but the actual story was just as rewarding.
Honestly, I did the same and was waiting for some old story from the town... Hahaha
(English is not my native language)
Gap year gap
What's a gap year tho?
Sameee
Sounds like the expression "Nobody goes there any more. It's too crowded."
YOGI BERRA QUOTE
@@PADE1RTW It aint over 'til it's over
6:55 What kind of monster travels to Southeast Asia and then walks into an "Irish" pub?
Dave Lawlis Irish people who are homesick I guess
Someone who just wants a goddamn Guinness?
Guilty
We have Korean restaurants in Ireland...is it OK to visit them?
Dave Lawlis this guy!
They Laost their way.
r/wooosh it was a joke
/r/woosh
Ｉ ｄｏｎ＇ｔ ｕｎｄｅｒｓｔａｎｄ ａｎｙｔｈｉｎｇ ｙｏｕ ｊｕｓｔ ｓａｉｄ
Dey did not kno da wae
@@Angiemaruu Laos + Lost = Laost
They lost their way
They _Laost_ their way
Thank you this has been catonice... Tune in next time when I explain what YEET means to my grandmother
Tourism in Laos kicked off in the 90's because King of the Hill came out.
So.. is that in china or japan?
which ocean?
hwhat?
I wouldn't have known of laos without it....
Also, wtf is a gap year kid?
LaviniaVeiled ahh. Ok.
How many foreigners did you have to kill to secure that high chair in the middle of those marshes?
@ Hostile
Mwahaha!
"Foreigners"
Foreigners as in the Laotians or foreigner backpackers to Laos?
Hey hostile didnt expect to see your comment here, cheers
@mtksbctk
Meow.
I think its sad how the government doesn't care about their own people dying, but when tourists do, they act upon it.
ouch
Whatever country the tourist comes from the Govt. Will act on it especially since it's a foreign matter. It's more to do with international relations between poorer and more richer countries.
That's not a legitimate reason for the different reactions
yeah cause its not about death, its about money
It's a communist government, so when people are starving they don't care; but when it's about ending people's fun with drugs, they rush.
lol the Korean sign @3:19 is hilarious. It says "We don't take questions. Just shut the hell up and have chicken bacon & ham bacon. Absolutely recommended." Clearly the area is very popular with Korean tourists, though I've never heard of the place before.
Evenstar and that specific line of stalls is where I got food poisoning from, small world
BEFORE HE TALKED ABOUT KOREAN TOURISM I WAS SO CONFUSED AND LAUGHING SO HARD AY THAT SIGN
Never buy from food stalls unless you've stood there and watched them cook it from raw to cooked or you'll probably end up in hospital.
Astto Yes and watch the unfortunate cockroach fly in to your food.
Haha dam sorry to break it to ya. Not only would they fly... they have a tendency to fly into you! It thinks you're a tree or something.
Worse thing about tourist is when they decide to move to the area that they loved to visit. But after moving they decided they want to change things to fit their ideology, various social and political beliefs, forcing the locals to change, shut up deal with it.
Fun fact about this episode: The audio is wonky in the opener because it started pouring rain and the drone almost died. Lost my cadence a bit watching the rain sweeping in.
Chris Hadfield's Rare Earth thanks for the great video
Chris Hadfield's Rare Earth Great vid as always, glad the drone survived hahahah
Chris Hadfield's Rare Earth .....chris hadfield can you show your self in the camera?
Aerus Soriaga No, sorry. If you're here for him, you'll be perpetually disappointed. He isn't traveling with me in Laos for a non-monetized UA-cam series, so it is impossible for him to show up in episodes.
Didn't even notice!!!
venice was one of the most heartbreaking travel experience ive ever had, i dont believe many truly live in the city. it is 90 percent tourists and you can see it in every single shop and restaurant. its beautiful old architecture, art, and history is in stark contrast with the artificial tacky tourist culture. makes me feel gross.
Another really beautiful and well researched piece... You are doing an amazing job. Thank you.
Dhawal Priyadarshi There's no research done. There's not a single source of this being true. Nothing. It's just his opinion.
Kero Kero That's not true. We spoke to dozens of people, including hotel owners, street vendors, restauranteurs and the elder in charge of the community when it was decided to make the changes. Just because I don't include an interview doesn't mean we made it up. Get a grip, dude.
Kero Kero Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one. Try to stop being such an opinion.
Kero Kero se
Dhawal Priyadarshi I am not sure what you mean
>strip the local identity
Man, that's such a good way to explain translation and localization of literature/stories as well.
why translation, and localisation?
Hasn't translation of literature help preserve cultures, and made their plight be seen in many places?
Stick to drugs and booze kids. Building businesses ruins the environment. 😏
Drugs and booze ruin your body, business destroys the environment, ideology toxifies cultures, and hipsters ruin everything else :^)
Joints don't ruin your body :)
Rachel Lambley the lungs
Drake Nichols if it's so fatal to your lungs then tell me who's died smoking weed lol tobbacco vs. weed
Rachel Lambley i never said it was fatal. Inhaling any burning substance is certainly bad for the lungs, throat, and mouth. As bad as tobacco? Probably not. Also, smoking marijuana while one's brain is developing can also be damaging.
This is a great video! I lived and worked in Laos for 3 years; during that time I visited VV 3x - the first was way back in 2000 and the last one with my (future) wife in 2009.
Did the "tubing" and got the shirt :)
On my first (2000) you paid the guy, he gave you the inner tube, you bought the beer and off you go. The guy just told you to bring it back once you were done. Along the river people (on boats or by the banks) would be selling you weed, opium, more alcohol, etc. We'd be passing by passed-out drunk (or stoned) travelers floating on inner tubes.
In 2009, we were required to wear lifejackets, a guide accompanied us on a kayak, no alcohol was allowed (but the guide allowed me to buy some, once we were far enough; it was his friend's store) We were allowed a few stops to try rope swings, and we ended at a designated point.
In 2000, it was loud parties on both sides of the main street. Alcohol and assorted drugs were everywhere. The guesthouse that I stayed in had a photo album of girls you can choose from, ranging in age and prices.
In 2009, we saw a lot of Chinese group tours in their big tour buses, less western travelers. The restaurants that did cater to the westerners were all showing either Friends or The Simpsons on DVD, the whole day!
Yes there is inflation but everything cost 3x more!
As the t-shirt says - same same, but different
(sorry for the long comment)
I was super confused with this video because I thought the title said “Leap Year Kids” so I expected this to be a town that killed people born in leap days
Literally same lol
man I thought this would be about leap year kids who would kill themselves in a remote village 🤷♂️
same
Slightly clickbaity title but I forgive you
Blame Brad.
God damn it brad!
Yeah, because the key to successful film making is to give your art a title no one wants to investigate.
This video is an example of the blurred subjective bias of travel edutainment. Did you interview or even talk to Mr Thanongsi Sorangkoun for this video Evan? Did you ask him about his original goals for the community (his vision and principles) and what he sought to achieve by encouraging WWOOFers to stay? For those like myself who stayed at the mulberry farm early on, I think that the characterisation of those who spent time in the community teaching and working as hedonistic thrill seekers is somewhat overstated. When you say - "the volunteers could sorta get away with anything", you're effectively throwing all backpackers into the category of "the disrespectful traveller". I don't expect you to encapsulate an entire town's history in 8 minutes. Just be careful when you make blanket statements like - "they were (backpackers) looking for a place without rules, they didn't want a clean bedroom, so much as a place that didn't care if they vomited on the floor". I do care, and cared then - as did a great number of people who contributed to Mr Thanongsi's farm and the community.
Dylan Bird Yes, I did. I also talked to the village 'boss' and a number of hotel owners (thanks to the wonderful people at Bearlin Bungalows for setting it all up). Interviews we don't do because it puts locals at risk in an unsafe filming environment. Local recommenations were integral to me telling the story the way I did. My original intent had been to talk about the opium's history in town. They changed it to the new vs old issues, and how things were in both eras.
You're conflating two groups who I separate in the episode, the farm backpackers (who had proclivities all their own, as anyone local would attest) and the people who came after their inspiration (who took it to the next level).
You're taking it too personally, reading into it in a way it isn't being presented. Just because the town and its visitors were famously seedy doesn't mean that every single person who showed up was. Many bad things start with good intentions. Look at the full moon party on Koh Phangan.
"You call someplace paradise, kiss it goodbye."
After seeing your videos on Laos, I am convinced it is one of the most mind-blowingly gorgeous places on the planet. I literally cannot believe a place that beautiful exists. I'd love to visit some time.
Also, as always, amazing video. You don't know me but just know that there are so many people out here that appreciate what you do a lot, including me. You are really making the world a better place, so thank you.
I was so confused what Chris Hadfield had to do with this channel but reading the comments I see that you're his son. Love everything your father has done and you yourself have a natural knack for being in front of the camera. Keep up the great work, Evan. On an aside, I bet conversations with your family are wonderful. Best to you and your father!
I've never come away from any of your videos without learning something - often something rather important. Thank you.
Moral of the story ; don’t wear gap kids...
I knew they'd be Australians lmao
oustreelian
oiiii caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaant.
STRALIAR
Or brits ;)
Oy mate, now bugger off or tell me what you fucking wont
I love that the sign says "Get drunk don't climb to jump". Sensible advice.
"Specifically Australians." Are we really that bad? [opens fridge] Oh, yeah, OK. I get it.
well it was founded by criminals and hookers
Schoolies, they only go on holiday to get away from their parents and Australian laws, its farked mate
Scott Junner lol XD
I dont get you Aussies, you live on one of the roughest continents and from i what ive seen are pretty rowdy people, yet have the pussiest laws.
As someone from hawaii, the Australian tourists come in at number 1 for worst attitudes shortly followed by Chinese. Australians and Chinese here to work or study are fine but as tourists they're terrible😫😫 entitled, impolite, and oblivious to local customs
This is super interesting ! I went to Vang Vieng in Early 2017 when the change was just gaining traction . I will definitely come back in a few years to see how much this place has really changed . After all , cities that change A LOT sometimes are just as interesting as the ones that decide to stay the same
"Staying yourself" despite the tourists isn't incredibly hard. It's impossible. It's really just a matter of gradation. It's not like there's a cut-off amount of tourists after which a culture changes and before which it stays the same. It starts changing with tourist 1.
There's nothing more frustrating to me than hearing a traveler say he's looking for "something authentic". They seem to imagine that they've seen something "untouched by tourism", oblivious to the fact that that is simply impossible for the mere reason that they were there to see it. People simply need to make peace with the fact that they cannot experience life like others from other cultures. Even after over a decade living in a foreign country, even being fully integrated into the community where I live, a place that I now call home tbh, I'm still a foreigner and I've only grazed the surface of whatever "authentic" things there are about life here. And there are only few foreigners where I live, but I know I've changed the people in my community, just as they have changed me. To me the "changing the identity" question is not the right question. The right question in my mind is whether we, as foreigners, are going in to a place with a respectful attitude of the culture or not. But there's nothing we can do to prevent having an influence on the places we visit, except of course to not visit them at all. The rest is on them, and what they decide to do with our "input" as foreigners.
exactly
a thing that constantly bugs me about documentaries about other cultures is how authentic or accurate it is because its still filmed by somebody and edited etc, but i still like watching them. it gives you the broader perspective about what humans are like, and how humans can be, without having to get stuck in a tourist spot, though i wish it were easier to go see things for yourself. like a ghost. to just walk around in the streets of somebody elses life
lol maybe culture virtual simulations would become a thing that'd be wicked cool, i was at a museum and they had you sit in the middle of a busy market somewhere in asia, and it just -felt- authentic, like who cares about this round camera on top of these grates they had other things to do, and i feel like, if it were a livefeed, i'd love to just sit there and look at people. for thirty seconds at a time cause dizziness but you get the point
This is insightful as fuck
Reminds me of the scientific problem of being unable to measure values without influencing them.
I live in Venice, Italy, and i know exactly what you mean. Actually, I live it daily. People here are constantly trying to keep our authentic culture alive, but we are not as different from Laos in terms of what is happening with tourism. It's sad that what keeps you alive is the same thing that kills you
I went there a few years ago backpacking. It was shortly after the drug ban and there were still not many Asian travellers. Vang Vieng was AWESOME! I loved every minute!!
I like this series because it shows me places and things I'd likely never be able to experience
Why do you say that?
You can if you fight for it
mrwinwin009, Apey will never get the chance to visit Vang Vieng now, it's sadly been rinsed.
You’d think Aussies would be better adept at swimming in dangerous waters.
Never mix Molly, rum and strong river currents. You're gonna have a bad time.
*W E L C O M E T O T H E R I C E F I E L D S*
I thought this was gonna be like a creepypasta thing. Ended up being a feelypasta.
I love this video but it is seriously sad when you come to the realization that they chose the option that included destroying their own Mountain
sheshe7 j I come from a third world country. believe me, government and people in these kind of places don’t realize the natural nor cultural beauty they have. they would rather destroy everything they have than helping nature or people.
Many countries worldwide do that. The material has to come from somewhere. So they either import or pick their own.
Where I come from we have limestone (and other types of rock, but limestone is really abundant) everywhere for example. It's a relatively small country with just 600+K of citizens, but one thing abundantly present throughout the whole land are mountains. Rock. It's everywhere.
Now some of it might be rare, or a part of rare natural formations, but importing rock for building in a small country like that, would in all the honesty be truly ludicrous. These guys seems to also have enough mountain, the again I'm just guessing about Laos, and could be terribly wrong.
The bottom line however is, you can't have urbanization and nature no more than you can have a raging fire and a flood in the same place. It's just the fact of life, sad perhaps, but a fact of life nonetheless.
Mr e Hunger is hard, stop judging poor people for trying to get enough money to eat 3 times at day and for dressing decent clothes or having the chance to dream with a better live...
Realizing that every major country in the world had to do exactly that and had destroyed so much of their own country to sustain an unsustainable growing population, country- or world-wise, is much sadder.
???
That's motherfucking progress boyo. Get with the fucking times, they have a right to industrialization just like every other country does. It's their mountain, if they want to make money off of it they have every right to do so and I applaud them.
Your videos are so high quality. Some of the best content I’ve seen on any platform - TV included! Thank you.
1:54 "Can you see my tattoo? good good, I'm not trying to show it off or anything"
if you looked properly youd see hes just had it done
Pretty sure he just had it done. From someone heavily tattooed. Notice the red?
seems like some people let the option of loose clothing just go right out the window. i'm heavily covered, but i was also, ahem, prepared ahead of time, cause well, i wanted a tattoo and it costs money and takes time, unless it's just like a nickel and ten minutes in that area, i'm probably going to know ahead of time if i'm getting a tat or not. So, yeah, that person was 100% sticking out on purpose.
🤣
some of us are a little more spontaneous. Don't hate
Alcohol aka drinking is a drug. Dont get it confused.
Broads in Africa coffee is a drug too
SUGAR is one hell of a legal drug too! Over indulgence of anything is over rated and unnecessary. Self regulation kids, it is PARAMOUNT for any kind of success.
fuck it vitamin gummies are a drug
Mr.Sweg what I’m wondering is why are y’all just answering now haha my comment is 2 years old
@@shababsbotten69 it's never too late to learn something new.
This is sad earth
ruzlan karim lol
Play despacito
I came expecting a crazy story but got a lecture on tourism.
nice >:]
"hey man, we're just here to have a good time and not hurting anybody..."
Ten years later... "Dude what the hell man!? We're just here to have fun and we're not hurting anyone!"
All I'm saying is it gets old.
Is it just me ?? I just discovered this channel and had been binging on the videos from 2 years ago!!! I can listen to this guy all day long.
When you live in Central Florida and can’t go 10 minutes without seeing a tourist even in your smaller town outside of Orlando
You have such an aptitude for describing great stories. With such vivid colors in description and footage! You go boy!
I saw similar changes while I was growing up in Kenya. In the '70s there were many places for residents with a little bit of extra money -- or just some time -- to enjoy amazing natural beauty. Now you either have cultivated land or super expensive tourist venues.
@EnriqueLovinLife not really. Locals are usually priced out of those amenities.
Looks like you guys were there around the same time i was this year....end of the rainy season. I have been to Vang Vieng many times, as my wife is Lao, and have been very disheartened by the over development that is going on. Especially now that big hotels are starting to be built on the western side of the river. The picturesque Karst mountains is a major draw card and once they start to be crowded out by haphazardly building concrete monstrosities, the appeal Vang Vieng once had will no longer be there and the small locals will pay the price...
An excellent series on Laos. Thank you for highlighting such a beautiful country which is so often overlooked, and a country i have come to love 💚
But... What's a gap year? And who are the kids? The backpackers? I'm still confused.
Lord LunaEquie is me A gap year is a year off work/university, typically to go travelling.
A backpacker is a low-budget tourist who travels with all their belongings in a backpack.
Oh my goodness. Have you heard of google? Gap kids are those who take a year off in between high school and college, and yes, they are the kids who died.
@@jasonsmith384 if they're going into college they're not kids anymore we need to quit extending me either children or we're going to make people perpetually file by. And when I tried Googling gap-year Kids the first thing that came up with a leap year kids. It depends on where you live how Google specifies your search results. Or did you not know that Google specifies your reserve search results based on u-pass search history with popular and areas with most people look up in your region etcetera Etc. Yes there is a general thing that you can type in and get a same response like Pokemon is going to be the same no matter where you Google it but the links that show up will be different depending on where you are.
@@kateajurors8640 For me it was explanation enough to translate gap year into my native language😅. So I guess if you only google "gap year" without the "kids" part it'll tell you enough.
Sometimes between graduating and starting work, too
man im wondering about the INGSOC room 101 on that bilboard, thats really strange.
Also great and informative video!
Laos certainly is a beautiful country. Love your videos. I am a huge fan of your father as well, Commander Hadfield.
Jamie Godman oooh Laos..... Why the fuck was he saying louse all the way through??
James Collins I thought they were called Laoiations my self. But I don't know if it's that it Lao like he called them
So glad I stumbled upon this channel! I just binge watched your videos through the night.
Love the work you did for this job man proud to be a new subscriber.
Vang Vieng actually started as a US military airstrip built to run bombing missions into Vietnam the airstrip is still there right in the centre of town. Then shops and entertainment sprang up to serve US military personnel. After the Vietnam war the town would have almost been forgotten but then came the volunteers who cleaned up land mines and uxb the US left behind. That is where your story picks up...
1:45 Wait is that a sign saying Room 101 in the background with the ingsoc logo on it?
Holy shit you’re right
I'm Laos and loved that lengendary party places too... I agreed that they're more Korean nowadays and more restaurant and hotels and being constructed, but i can still see those spiritful backpacker/western usually works in the bar just to exchange for some drinks and living which is so cool, they were so living in the dream (im jealous really but my culture is different i cant do that) I've talked to a few from South Africa and Australia
"The drugs were gone" xD what an ignorant statement. The drugs are never gone
The drugs were well hidden
@@SuperSMT not even, I was there a few months ago. Happy menu
They're probably selling harder, higher end shit now too
This entire story reminds me of what happened to Patong Beach, Thailand after 1990. Until then it had backpackers, mainly, with a spattering of more wealthy tourists. It had only a handful of "better" hotels. The roads were mostly packed dirt and you could get a bungalow room with fan for 5 bucks a night. Now it looks like Las Vegas and is populated with every conman and hustler in Asia. I saw it when it was relaxed, fun, friendly and cheap. Now I wouldn't go back if somebody offered me airfare.
6:13 The guys in the buggie waving to the camera is so wholesome.
Vang Vieng is still awesome. You only have to go 5 minutes out of town to be away from the tourists. The best place is the lake. Nam Ngum Reservoir. I go fishing there every year. That place is vast and deserted. An hour in my boat and I am lucky to even see a Lao fisherman. Nothing but the jungle around and the sound of the wind in the trees. The water is crystal clear. I go snorkelling after fishing. There are some resorts there to stay. The Green View Resort is best. Last one at the end of civilisation and as far away from the tourists as you can get.
"Extremely hot country"
**searches up average temperature in laos**
"around 29°C Across Laos, throughout much of the rainy season, daytime temperatures average around 29°C in the lowlands and 23°C in the mountain valleys."
that's not hot bro maybe it's just me since I'm Australian but that's not hot.
Humidity plays a huge role. 29°C plus humidity makes you sweat like it’s 38°C. Therefore, it feels like it’s hot. 29°C with no humidity ain’t that bad.
It's the humidity which is the problem
It’s scorching there on a really sunny day. You can really feel the burn on the skin, and I had a tan after a few hours in the sun 😳
In the Maldives it gets 34 degrees on some days, which definitely is hot, but below 31 isn't that hot for me.
@@Ilovehuggable oh god I'm from the Maldives and I feel you. At 2 pm, on a sunny day the sun literally can toast you. Nobody ever goes out at that hour.
U know its rare for youtubers to just be on location and have high quality videos in other countries good job man!!!!
This guys thesis : man it was so much cooler here when there weren’t so many people
What a great video! I have very similar sentiments, especially as a relatively well seasoned travellers. It’s all so import for the backpacking community to adapt to the ways of the community they’re taking from. Like you established here, it’s a difficult and strange balance. Thanks for creating this video!
Was there in January, there's still some of the 'backpacker culture' left. I got the feeling you're not a big fan of the whole backpacker crowd, is that the case? Not every so called backpacker is there just for the cheap alcohol. I was around there to learn more about foreign cultures, but affordably. Thanks for the series, I really enjoy the depth of the videos.
MartijnL94 I used to run a backpacking company. I've got nothing specifically against it, although at the moment we travel differently due to filming.
I'd say everything has its positives and negatives. Backpacking is no different.
Who is replying here? I just got a tad confused, Googled and realized that Evan Hadfield (the guy in this show) is Chris Hadfield's (ie, "Chris Hadfield's Rare Earth" and also the astronaut) son... Are you Chris or Evan?
Lyonharted Astronauts don't spend a lot of time answering questions on UA-cam. :)
Chris Hadfield's Rare Earth lol you have got better at answering this frequent question.
Lyonharted I wonder this as well.
Who would have ever thought of THIS? More very good writing from Rare Earth. Very good. Please continue. I'm a writer and a fan.
Loved every bit of this video: the research, the context, but especially the part where you just gave the audience the facts and let us get our own conclusions.
Will subscribe, will watch previous vids, and will turn on notifications.
I have a friend that went to Vang Vieng about 10 years ago and he would tell me horror stories about it, he said he could see why so many tourists were dying because of irresponsible drinking while tubing on the river. However, I recently visited myself and it really has cleaned up since. There is still a party atmosphere in town if you want to find it, but the tubing is far more about seeing the river and landscape instead of an excuse to get drunk (though a few bars still exist).
Basically what I'm saying is: My anecdotal evidence backs up this video. Nice work!
"Get drunk don't climb to jump" xDD Gotta love those asian signs haha
I was there about 15 years ago and there were very few tarred roads besides the abandoned airstrip along the main road. I can barely recognise the town. There was one restaurant that played episodes of Friends all day long. There were no Chinese tourists and there was a bamboo toll bridge crossing the river so that you could go visit the caves. I guess Myanmar/Burma will be the new Loas...
Great job and extremely accurate description of the town I remeber. Very nostalgic video.
I'll be honest- you were not the chris Hadfield I was expecting.....
Still, interesting :)
(Misleading profile icon though)
I'm his son, Evan. This is his channel, and he exec. produces the series.
Chris Hadfield's Rare Earth that'll be why you're just as interesting to listen to then!
It's a wonderful series
This was very pleasent to listen to, beautifully worded, eloquent, at times poetic and most of all unbiased and wholesome considerations.
"And yes, I DO have a friend..."
I'll have to remember that when I make a video so I can rip him off rip RIP! heh
that's my first time on this channel. this was not a video, it was an experience. very immersive one at that. amazing video quality, subscribed!
Man I love when a sign tells me to "get drunk" 5:13
Growing up in a tourist town, I dont really mind tourists. It can be annoying sometimes, but being somewhere where I'll be stood next to people from all over the world is always a little bit amazing to me.
1:47 Room 101 with the IngSoc logo. Love it.
I love this channel. If the Travel Channel aired their own twist of Unsolved Mysteries, this would be it. I just got back from LP and Vientaine. My next trip will be Vang Vieng and Pakse.
Such a great video, thanks!
Oh, what a shame! I visited Laos back in 2005 and spent 2 idyllic, completely sober days in Vang Vieng, tubing and trying to imagine what it must have been like before the country opened to tourism in 1993, and I was absolutely charmed by the place. Chinese tour groups were just starting to visit then and hadn't made their way to VV yet. The local culture was still strong and I had wonderful if slightly miscommunicated encounters with all kinds of people.
I clicked because I wanted to know wtf a gap year kid was.
I can’t remember if he explained it. A gap year in Australia is a year taken between the last year of high school and the first year of Uni. Hence the poor young backpacking Australians with terrible manners and little respect. I suppose it’s kind of like an extended “spring break”, the idea is to come back with wild stories and “experience”. Obviously this is a generalisation and possibly a bit of a millennial thing (I was in high school in the early to mid noughts). Not sure if it is still a thing with the zoomers.
@@Jellibox
Thank you, from those of us that were more ignorant than we are now, thanks to you.
Gap kids, lol ...
I visited in 2010,a couple of 40 somethings on a motorbike tour of Laos; what a place it was just nuts. We hired some tubes and went down the river watching all these drunk and stoned teens raving it up on these platforms over the river then jumping off slides and swings. I can see how quite a few kids died there. We just had a couple of beers.
Strange place, all the bars had "Friends" showing on their TVs, and I mean all.
Sweet, me and my tourist buddies are gonna go gawk at that place now.
Misleading title, but still watched it to the end, good piece of filming. Been to Laos and countries around there and you show a real picture that I witnessed as well.
old mans face in the mountain 6:23
where?
left side to his head
i see it better on 2:45...thats so creepy looks like its looking into you soul through the camera
I can't see it? Can someone explain?
RIght next to his head on 2:45, on the left side, not far away, you can see the face with a green beard made of trees, it's leaning on his right shoulder. I think that that's it
The titles are so strange one becomes instantly curious and we click. It works. But the content does not disappoint so it's all good
Well thought out analysis. It's a shame how traditions die.
I loved about the way you were filming at the beginning and going up in the air while you were still talking. Nice shots during the whole video by the way !
I always wonder, how does this channel get the means to create such high quality videos? If it would be just for the ad revenue they could probably not even afford a cheap camera? How do you make money with this???
I don't.
Here's hoping one day you do. :) You deserve it, that's for sure :)
[Apparently I was wrong and the videos don't make money]
Countries like Laos are also not exactly expensive if you stay in low star hotels, shop around and book early. I assume Evans partner works too.
Generic User nothing wrong with using your dad's account since he is one of the most famous Astronauts ever. I don't blame Evan.
I knew that was Vang Vieng as soon as I saw the hills. Let's not forget the bars on the high street that never stop playing Friends
yeah ... just episode after episode all day long ... there were a couple of friends specialist joints opposite each other on the main road ... and they seemed to be the most popular ones
So basically you’re saying small overhead and dozens of dead tourists beats environmental change? I get what you’re saying but one negative is significantly worse than the other
We have too many people anyway, better to make the world last longer than worry about people who were too dumb to drink or take drugs responsibly
Zack Osborne overpopulation is not a severe problem by the mid 2100 the earths population is estimated to stabilize at around 9 billion. The issue is infrastructure and making sure distribution networks are advanced enough that any one point in the world can profitably supply another. My problem with the video is the fact it kind of assumes that low income tourism somehow involves dozens of deaths and that is equal to the downsides of high income tourism. It’s off by a lot and it ignores the responsibility local government has on the matter
Luis Manuel Espinosa Castillo not sure where u heard that about the population stabilizing, but I hope it’s true. You make a good point tho, the local govt could have done more to lower death rates but keep the same type of tourism
Zack Osborne overpopulation is an issue but it’s just been gravely exagerated, look up Malthusian theories on it. They started as a justification for treating low level workers like shit so that worker deaths balanced population growth. The population stabilized and lowers as a country develops economically. The world population growth is currently between 2 and 3 children per sex couple. As long as it goes below 2 eventually we are fine
Zack Osborne the data was a UN study, can’t link but you should be able to find it pretty easily by remaining within their webpages reports
I was in Van Viang in 2002. Can't say I remember dead drunks. Perhaps I missed the onslaught. It was a great place with friendly locals, where you could hire a bike or motor bike and explore, as well as tube. There was another place in Laos, where they were building residences as I stayed there, which was calm and beautiful, where the sun would set between the mountains, and you could tell the tourists would ruin it. The last time I looked it Lonely Planet, Muong Noi had been destroyed.
Oh no capitalism destroys the land? Never knew that.
Leggon Arm compared to communist countries? Ha. Ha. Ha.
I just came across this video randomly and clicked it just because, and this is amazing. Love this content.
You've just described capitalism
Actually, he just described government intervention.
The crackdown on drugs, alcohol, safety standards, and new regulations are all government interventions not capitalism.
Ikr? It almost feels like this entire series is shedding one big fat light and the ever consuming nature of Capitalism
@@Tyler_0_ the irony of your post and username
@@bri1085 How so? Do you think Tyler Durden would support government crackdowns on back-packers in favor of wealthy tourists?
@@kdandsheela *consumerism not "capitalism"
Wow in 2011 i was that 20 year old Australian tourist. Crazy to hear the full story. Your videos are amazing, I love it! And your dad plays a mean Bowie cover!
I can go tubing with a joint in one hand and a beer in the other in my home town, USA. Haven't died yet.😎