3 Inhabited Islands, Maybe 3,997 Clusters of Land

• Shyoungstr's Profile
• About this blog
• Entry from Don Khone

Trip Start May 04, 2011 Previous
Entry Trip End Oct 08, 2012 Next
Entry

  Don Khone, Lao Peoples Dem Rep
Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Once I decided to go to Cambodia it made sense to first visit the 4,000 islands. For sure I wanted to avoid the party, hippie scene that migrates on Don Det and immediately opted to stay on the more tranquil island of Don Khone. It was clearly a good choice as I watched all of the young backpackers get off at the Don Det pier. Left solo in the longtail boat, I admired the string of colorful bungalows on stilts that lined the Mekong River. We arrived to Don Khone juxtapose to Pan's Guesthouse, listed top choice in Lonely Planet; indeed it was. I settled into a large, clean, bungalow with A/C on the river for a mere $10usd/night.

Pan’s turned out to be the happening spot on the island. Moments after arriving, Andrew and Hannah from the UK walked up absolutely knackered and ended up taking the bungalow next to mine. In the meantime I was making plans to visit the nearby Li Phi Falls with my new acquaintances, Nic and Haddas. Since the best way to get around the two islands is to rent a bicycle, this was an opportunity for us to teach Haddas how to ride.

The next day I pedaled across the French bridge to check out Don Det. A much less attractive village, catering solely to the budget backpacker, this place was church quiet by day. I guess everyone was milking their hangovers. Eager to return to the true Lao culture found on Don Khone I made my way past the train tracks, through the woods and out towards Ban Hang Khon. This is the most southern tip facing Cambodia and is where people hire boats in hopes of catching a glimpse of the Irawaddy Dolphins. From there I made the full loop around the islands, through the villages and back to the guesthouse.

The remaining days were spent swinging in the hammock and planning my move into Cambodia. All in all, I really enjoyed Laos.

Slideshow Share

Post your own travel photos for friends and family More Pictures

Nic, Stacey, Haddas at Li Phi Falls	Local Game of Football	Sunset View from Don Khone	Pan's Residence
Don Det	Pedaling the Islands	Haddas Happy to be on Foot	Longtail Full of Monks
You're on my Pastures

Previous Entry Next Entry