Mass Methanol Poisoning in Laos Explained: Bianca Jones & Holly Bowles | Episode 12
🛫 Destination: Vang Vieng, Laos
In this eye-opening episode, we investigate the tragic case of Australian tourists who suffered from methanol poisoning at a hotel in Laos. This shocking incident serves as a crucial reminder for travelers about the hidden dangers of alcohol consumption abroad.
🔍 In This Episode, We Discuss:
The alarming details of the methanol poisoning incident
Understanding methanol: What travelers need to know
Essential travel safety tips for avoiding dangerous situations
How to choose safe hotels and make informed decisions while traveling
Listen here:
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Watch the Full Video Episode here:
What the hell happened to
Bianca & Holly in Laos
▸ Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles got severe methanol poisoning in Vang Vieng, Laos, while staying at Nana Backpackers hostel. After being found unresponsive, the girls where rushed to hospitals in Thailand, where they passed away.
SOURCE: BBC NEWS▸ The mass methanol poisoning also took the lives of Simone White (28), Anne-Sofie Orkid Coyman (20), and Freja Sorensen (21), and a 57-year-old American man named James Louis Hutson.
SOURCE: THE NZ HERALD
Everything we mention on
Episode 12 of True Crime Travelers
▸Tiger Vodka, the local spirit served at Nana hostel that Holly, Bianca and 4 other tourists consumed.
SOURCE: CNN
WHERE IT HAPPENED…Vang Vieng, Laos
Vang Vieng is a scenic riverside town in central Laos, known for its stunning karst limestone mountains, caves, and the Nam Song River. Once a backpacker hotspot famous for raucous partying, it has transformed into a more laid-back destination focusing more on outdoor activities like kayaking, rock climbing, and hot air ballooning. The town is also popular for its tubing adventures, where visitors float down the river, taking in the beautiful surroundings. Laos remains somewhat of an “underdog” destination in SouthEast Asia, as it not as widely visited as Thailand, Cambodia and other SEA destinations.
▸Vang Vieng became famous for it’s “Tipsy Tubing”, basically floating down the river while drinking…a lot. People got way too drunk, putting themselves at risk, leading to this practice becoming regulated by local authorities.
SOURCE: BBC.COM / GETTY IMAGES▸Vang Vieng is also known as an outdoors adventure destination.
▸Where Bianca & Holly stayed:
Nana Hostel, a backpacker’s favorite stay in Vang Vieng Laos, known for it’s “free flow” alcohol Happy Hour (well more like 2 hours).
Raising Awareness About Methanol Poisoning in Memory of Bianca and Holly
Holly and Bianca’s family created a GoFund me campaign, asking friends and family to support them by making a donation instead of sending flowers. Donations will help to relieve financial funeral burdens for the families, as well as support funding methanol poisoning awareness campaigns and initiatives.
Hey witches, do you have a tip or a piece of information
related to the case that we should know?
Never travel without travel insurance!
Whether it’s a canceled flight, a lost bag, or a last-minute doctor’s visit,
this affordable travel insurance is like having a safety net for travelers and nomads.
We’re not here to scare you,
we’re here to prepare you.
This episode’s travel lesson:
Stay away from free, cheap, and “free-flow” alchohol…
Sadly, stories like this one are way more common than we think. Cases of methanol poisoning have happened in Thailand, Mexico, Fiji, and even in the U.S. Free shots and free-flow-alcohol can be laced with methanol, not only hostels like the one in this episode, but in all-inclusive resorts too. Do as we do, as stick to beer while traveling.
What to do in case of methanol poisoning…
First: What are the symptoms to be on the lookout for…
dizziness, nausea, blurred vision, or difficulty breathing can take hours to show but act quickly regardless.What to do:
Call for help or get yourself to the hospital asap!However, drinking alcohol may help you buy some time if you have methanol poisoning. Here’s why:
Ethanol competes with methanol for metabolism in the liver. By doing so, it slows down the conversion of methanol into toxic substances like formaldehyde and formic acid, which cause the dangerous effects of methanol poisoning (such as blindness or organ failure).However, if you suspect you may methanol poisoning call for help or get yourself to a hospital immediately.
While ethanol can help buy some time to save your life…it can also cause permanent damage.
If you haven’t listened to the episode, listen here:
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What do you think happened?
Do you have any other theories?
Join us on Reddit to discuss this case!
See you on the next case of True Crime Travelers…
xo, Alexa + Emilia
