4000 Islands

The Lonely Planet says “Si Phan Don, where the Mekong fans out forming an intricate network of channels, rocks, sandbars and islets 14kn wide is one of natures marvels” It therefore made sense that as this was enroute to Cambodia this should be our next and final stop of Laos. We travelled down to the area by Sleeper Bus (with double beds too!), then a Mini Bus and finally onto a small boat to get to the Island (which is in the middle of the river) of Don Khong. It was a relatively smooth journey even though we did feel like sardines on the mini bus!!

It was a pretty area and after settling into our hostel we went for a quick explore, as we actually knew very little about the area and what there was to see. There was not much of note on the Island except a little temple. We decided to go on a boat trip the next day, as the island had nothing much to offer.

The next day we all bundled on a little boat and were taken down the Mekong where we saw the collection of the 4000 islands, some of them big enough for settlements – others so small you could be forgiven for mistaking them as rocks that had been washed from the banks of the river. After a hour or so on the boat we were dropped off at one of the neighbouring settlement islands to see a waterfall. We were popped into a couple of people carriers. Ours was driven by someone who looked no older than 14 and drove like someone of that age! The only saving grace was the roads were so quiet there was nothing to bump into!!

We were dropped off in the waterfall car park and as we left the comfort if not the safety of our vehicles the heavens opened – rainy season had begun. After a wet 20 minutes looking a violently spectacular waterfall which had many tiers and vast amounts of water we headed off the local café to wait out the rest of the time in the dry.

Once back in our hostel we spent most of the evening sitting on the balcony watching the beautiful lighting that was striking over the other side of the river. It was mesmerising – so much forked lightening and wonderfully booming thunder. It really marked the beginning of the rainy season and although beautiful it showed that it was a good time to leave Laos, and the next morning we begun our journey out of Laos and into Cambodia.

Laos had been a beautiful country to visit, and I can’t help thinking that it was probably what Thailand had been like before the tourist industry really boomed there. While travelling round the country we saw an awful lot of building work, as the country began to embrace tourism and realise the money it would bring in – so I urge as many of you as can to visit this country before it becomes overrun by people like me!! Not that Thailand was in anyway bad – but I’m sure it has been influenced and changed by tourism, so I felt privileged to see fledgling Laos and it will take some beating for fun and beauty on our trip.