Several operators run hot air balloon flights from a field near the town centre. The standard flight covers the valley and circles some of the major karst formations before descending. Prices are higher than most activities in Vang Vieng but the experience is exceptional and genuinely different from everything else on offer.
Bookings fill up in the peak season (November to February), and flights are weather-dependent — a cancellation policy that allows rebooking the following day is standard. Sunrise flights are the most popular and typically the most spectacular for photography. If you are visiting in the shoulder season, walk-in bookings are often possible the day before.