A shack sells food well into the night on the riverbank at Van Vieng

If you catch the bus from Luang Phabang south over the mountains you’ll reach picturesque market town Van Vieng. Set on the banks of the gentle Nam Sueng River with limestone cliffs abruptly thrusting up from rice paddies in the near distance, it’s probably the most touristy spot in Laos and with good reason.

Van Vieng is relaxing and blessed with a number of stunning natural features. Caves honeycomb the nearby mountains creating huge caverns festooned with Buddha statues, falling stalactites, heaving stalagmites and ribbons of sharp sunlight.

Or for the more adventurous, follow one of the many dirt paths out of town to the base of the cliffs where you’ll find local tour guides lounging in rough bamboo huts waiting to take you down into the Earth’s underbelly.

There are no safety railings or new-age light and sound shows in these caves – they are the simple burrowing of water and time through the black guts of the mountains. Dark holes yawn in the shadows cast by feeble hand-held lights, ready to swallow visitors who slip or don’t pay attention to their guide. Claustrophobics stay away. On the topside, the limestone filters many subterranean rivers which emerge into the sunlight tinted a pure aqua and crystal clear – perfect for swimming.

There are numerous options to enjoy the water in Van Vieng – the best is spending a careless afternoon floating down the river or through some of the caves on a humble car innertube.

You can also visit outlying Mong villages – a minority ethnic group who are known for their bright traditional dress and handicrafts.