As the sun slowly dips behind the jagged peaks of Mount Nam Xay, a group of brightly coloured hot air balloons drift across the Vang Vieng valley.
In the river below, young tourists laugh and splash each other from their kayaks.
It’s not hard to see what draws so many travellers here to this little town in central Laos. The scenery is stunning, the fun cheap and plentiful.
But the town has found itself at the centre of an international scandal after six tourists died last week following suspected methanol poisoning.
It is believed their alcoholic drinks may have contained methanol, an industrial chemical often used in bootleg alcohol.
For the throngs of young…
