What to know about the Laos backpacker town at centre of suspected methanol poisonings

Recently, the deaths of six foreign tourists, suspected to be caused by methanol poisoning, have once again brought the Southeast Asian town of Vang Vieng into the spotlight. The town has been striving to shed its reputation for excessive indulgence in recent years. Vang Vieng, a popular backpacker destination in northern Laos, is currently at the center of a tragedy. Several Western countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, have confirmed the deaths of their citizens in Laos recently and have warned that consuming contaminated alcohol in the country could lead to fatal consequences.

While the full circumstances surrounding these deaths are still unclear, the connection to suspected methanol poisoning has put Laos and its vital tourism industry under scrutiny, and has evoked memories of some of Vang Vieng's darker past. Known for its stunning karst landscape and relaxed atmosphere, Vang Vieng is an ideal stopover for travelers between the capital Vientiane and the UNESCO World Heritage city of Luang Prabang.

After being "discovered" by Western backpackers in the late 1990s, Vang Vieng rapidly transformed from an agricultural community into a hedonistic party hub. However, a series of fatal accidents linked to low safety standards and a culture of excessive riverside indulgence frequently made international headlines, forcing local authorities to intervene, which changed the party atmosphere. In the early to mid-2000s, Vang Vieng was notorious on the Southeast Asian "banana pancake" trail for its wild parties and tubing culture, as well as the widespread availability of cheap alcohol and illegal drugs.

In 2012, the government closed many of the cheap bars catering to backpackers, shifting towards developing adventure tourism and ecotourism hotspots. Vang Vieng and its surrounding mountains serve as a base for outdoor activities, including kayaking, jungle trekking, paragliding, rafting, and rock climbing. In recent years, the town has become increasingly popular among a wider range of tourists, especially families and tour groups from South Korea and neighboring China. However, Vang Vieng's drinking culture is once again in the news. Following reports of recent tourist deaths, New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States have all issued statements urging their citizens to exercise caution when drinking alcohol in Laos.

The U.S. Embassy in Vientiane stated in a health alert on Friday, "(We) are aware of several suspected cases of methanol poisoning in Vang Vieng, likely due to consumption of alcoholic beverages adulterated with methanol." The alert also advised travelers in Laos to "purchase alcoholic beverages from licensed liquor stores, bars, and hotels," to avoid consuming any homemade alcoholic beverages, and to check bottles for signs of tampering or mislabeling. The U.S. State Department confirmed to CNN that an American citizen had died in Vang Vieng, but did not specify the cause of death, and stated that the U.S. is "closely monitoring the situation and providing consular assistance."

Tourism is a major source of revenue for Laos, an inland country of about 7 million people and one of the poorest in Southeast Asia, lagging behind its neighbors Vietnam and Thailand in attracting tourists. According to the Lao government, 2.6 million international tourists visited Laos in 2024. The three largest groups of tourists are from Thailand, Vietnam, and China, with tourists from France, the United Kingdom, Russia, Japan, and the United States also being "other notable sources." The "Visit Laos Year 2024" initiative was launched this year, aiming to attract 4.6 million tourists and generate $712 million in revenue.