Four Thousand Islands, Si Phan Don, Laos
Trip Start
Apr 04, 2009
1
16
50
Trip End
Aug 23, 2009
Where I stayed
Pon's Guesthouse
Don Khong, Si Phan Don, Lao Peoples Dem Rep
Thursday, May 14, 2009
In the rainy season this part of the Mekong fills out to a breadth of
14km, the river's widest reach along its 4350km journey from the
Tibetan Plateau to the South China Sea.
In the dry months between
monsoons the river recedes and leaves behind hundreds (or thousands if
you count every sand bar) of islands and islets. The largest of the
permanent islands are inhabited all year round and offer fascinating
glimpses of tranquil river-oriented village life. The communities are largely self-sufficient, growing most of their own rice, sugar cane,
coconut and vegetables, catching fish and weaving textiles as needed.
