A swimming hole in Vang Vieng, Laos

As I rode my bicycle out of Vang Vieng, Laos, I entered into a beautiful countryside filled with bright green rice fields, villages and smiling faces with tall limestone karst mountains towering above. Riding the bike along the rough dirt road in the hot humid heat of the wet season was hard work, so when I saw a turn off to a swimming hole on my way to Poukham Cave, I decided to take the opportunity to cool off with a refreshing dip. Two kids ran beside me as I made my way to the swimming hole, and this is what I was treated with. The fast flowing creek had a nice deep swimming hole next to a nice grassy bank. The water was absolutely lovely and a real relief from the heat. I could have just floated around here all day.