Many young travelers dream of seeing the world.
But for 19-year-olds Holly Morton-Bowles and Bianca Jones, that dream turned into a nightmare — one they would never wake up from. 💔
Now, their grieving parents are pleading to people to cross a certain destination off their bucket lists, forever.
They were best friends chasing their biggest dream, an unforgettable adventure through Asia. But what was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime trip for 19-year-olds Holly Morton-Bowles and Bianca Jones turned into an unthinkable tragedy.
While staying in the tourist hotspot of Vang Vieng, Laos, the two Australian teenagers accidentally drank methanol, a deadly, odorless chemical often mistaken for alcohol. Within hours, both girls were gone, along with four other young travelers staying at the same hostel, Nana Backpackers.
Just 0.85 fluid ounces of methanol can be fatal. And for these six backpackers, that invisible poison ended everything.
“Your life is worth nothing over there”
Now, the families of Holly and Bianca are demanding answers — and urging other Australians to remove Laos from their travel bucket lists.
In a powerful statement, Holly’s parents, Shaun Bowles and Samantha Morton, said they’ve lost all faith in the investigation:
“We recognize how corrupt and unhelpful the Laos Government (is), there is no evidence whatsoever to suggest there is any type of investigation going on.
(Our) hope is that Australians remove this country from their bucket list, your life is worth nothing over there and we have seen this first-hand as well as other families that have been involved in this tragedy.”
The families say they’ve been left in the dark for months, ignored by authorities, denied answers, and robbed of closure.
“We’ve heard nothing,” said Mark Jones, Bianca’s father, during an emotional 60 Minutes interview. “I cannot have my daughter’s passing not mean anything.”
“No one has been held accountable”
Almost a year later, not a single person or business has been charged.
“To date, no individual or organization has been held accountable,” said Mark and Michelle Jones. “It appears these deaths of innocent young women may be forgotten, brushed aside and left unresolved.”
Even Australia’s Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has acknowledged the families’ pain, calling their frustration “very real” and noting that no meaningful “change” has come from the Laotian investigation.
When 60 Minutes tried to contact officials in Laos, they were denied entry into the country.
“No Lao officials will meet with the devastated families, not even in private,” reporter Tara Brown revealed.
Vang Vieng: Both a dream and a danger
Vang Vieng is a small town in Laos, nestled along the Nam Song River and surrounded by dramatic limestone cliffs, lush jungles, and rice fields.
Once a quiet farming community, it exploded in popularity in the early 2000s as a backpacker paradise, especially for young Western travelers.
What made Vang Vieng so famous was its wild, carefree vibe and the tubing on the river. Tourists would float for miles down the Nam Song, stopping at riverside bars blasting music and serving cheap alcohol.
But beneath the tropical beauty, Vang Vieng has long had a dark side.
The town gained a notorious reputation for drugs, dangerous drinking, and preventable deaths. Bars along the river once handed out free shots, hallucinogenic “happy shakes,” and methanol-tainted alcohol.
In the early 2010s, dozens of young travelers were killed or seriously injured each year in tubing accidents, diving mishaps, or alcohol poisoning. After international outcry, authorities shut down many of the bars and tried to clean up the town’s image.
But as the deaths of Holly Morton-Bowles and Bianca Jones show, the danger never fully disappeared.
“It was supposed to be an adventure”
Holly and Bianca had been inseparable since childhood. They were two bright young women ready to explore the world together.
Instead, their names became headlines.
The tragedy sent shockwaves through Australia, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese offering condolences and hundreds attending candlelight vigils in Melbourne.
Bianca was laid to rest at Mentone Girls’ Grammar, her former school. Days later, Holly’s friends and family gathered at Beaumaris Secondary College to say goodbye.
Their loved ones have since launched a crowdfunding campaign, not just to cover expenses, but to raise awareness about methanol poisoning, which continues to claim lives across Southeast Asia.
What began as an adventure for two best friends ended as a global warning, one their families are determined the world will never forget.
“Your life is worth nothing over there,” Holly’s mother said.
“We’ve seen it first-hand.”
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