From Champasak we headed south near to the Laos boarder with Cambodia to an area called Si Phan Don (area of four thousand islands). The Mekong forms a delta of islands of which 3 are populated. It is a beautiful and relxing place, watching wooden canoes motor by, children playing in the river and visiting the rare river dolphins. It is also extremely hot! I think that languid is the right word to describe this place and nothing much happens for most of the day as people escape the heat and sleep it off in hammocks.
We headed to Don Khon, the quietest island although connected to Don Det by an old french railway bridge (unused). The island had no electicity, very few visitors and was the perfect place to get away from tourists and see the relaxed pace of the Lao people first hand. We stayed in a floating bamboo hut and ventured out on bicycles to explore the islands. We also took a motorised canoe down stream to see the rare Irrawaddy river dolphins. We headed off in time for sun set and the river journey was worth it alone and seeing the dolphins was just a bonus.
It was such a lovely place and we just hope that the infamous friends bars of Vang Vieng do not make it this far. More thumbnails ...
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