The magical Four Thousand Islands

I keep on travelling to the south to finally reach the Four Thousand Islands. During my time in Laos I kept returning to the Mekong river, so somehow it feels right to finish my visit at a place, when the Mekong is the main attraction. Before the river crosses the Cambodian border, it splits into many branches creating thousands of little islands, creating this magical place: Si Phan Don.

I’m not the first pioneer to discover this area, and actually it is even more popular than anything that I visited in Laos since Vang Vieng. Tourists mainly visit three islands. Don Det is the cheapest and the most hippie. Don Khone is fairly popular, while Don Khong is the largest out of the probably forty inhabited island. Most of this islands are flooded during the rainy season, and people still have a traditional lifestyle her living of agriculture and fishing.

Exception is the three islands affected by tourism, and I heard also very controversial information on them. Some loved them, some described them, especially Don Det, as the second Vang Vieng in its worst period. I decided not to be influenced by the negative experience of others, and to receive from the island what I need: calmness, slow life, smiles, hospitality.

My travel from Pakse was quick and simple. The morning bus dropped us directly in Nakasang, a couple of minutes walk away from the pier. Waited a few minutes, and off we went with the boat. The boat was full, but still did not let negativity to create theories. I didn’t book anything in Don Det, but somehow I was sure I will find the right place for me. From the pier people leave to two directions, towards the sunset side and the sunrise side of the island. Guesthouses and bungalows form a line in each side, you can find a place to sleep at every step. I knew I had to walk out of the center of the party-weed-mushroomshake-reggaemusic concentrated in the north of the island, and my chances to find  chill place will be better.

I walked about 15 minutes on the sunrise side to start to ask for available bungalows. I found a place just around the middle of the island, 5 bungalows overlooking the Mekong, peace and relax. All bungalows have a porch and a hammock. A tiny paradise.

A circus artist couple stays in the neighbouring bungalow. I wake up every morning hearing them practicing a new trick, a new performance behind the bungalows. I never know if the are fighting over something or just discussing what to do and giving feedback to each other – it might be because none of them is using their mother tongue in the communication. Luise is French Swiss, the guy is Israeli. They stay here for around 3 weeks now, they feel at home walking in and out if the kitchen, sometimes they are eating together with the family running this place. One morning I woke up to a real fight, drama with arguing, crying and later not talking to each other, this was the show to watch while having breakfast.

Except this little episode, this is the calmest and most peaceful spot of the island. When I was cycling around the island, I looked at every place – either a party zone, or placed in between two bars, or the bungalows are actually not close to the river. As said, I just found the best place for me. I am grateful for these couple of days that I spent here.

And there is actually more to do besides laying in a hammock, even if you did not come for partying. Every guesthouse has bicycles to rent, and it is worth to go around the island at least once. It is funny to see people with the simple city-bikes fighting on the dirt roads, but it is just fine. There are two swimming pools for those, who prefer chlorine over the Mekong.

Once you know Don Det already, it is easy to get over to Don Khone via the French Bridge, that once hosted the first railway of Laos. The little rusty locomotive is still there at the foot of the bridge. It is easy to reach the beautiful waterfalls of the Mekong by bike on Don Khone. The Tad Somphamit and Tad Li Phi waterfalls are the easiest to reach and I highly recommend the visit. Getting to the Tad Khone Pa Soi waterfall is a bit more challenging, but you only need some patience and strong arms holding the bike on the bumpy road.

Swimming in the Mekong here is totally fine. Its colour is not chocolate brown anymore, it is close to turquoise green. They say, that during summer time, mainly in July and August the color gets even lighter. When swimming in the Mekong, consider two things: 1) look around where are the water buffalos in the river. Place yourself to the right direction from them not to have unpleasant surprises while you are having fun. 2) the water is not really deep, sometimes just knee deep, but just a feet away the current can be super strong and can carry the less trained swimmer off of its feet and the cascades are pretty close to the island. Getting there without control over your body can be fatal.

If you still have energy to be active, there are many possibilities for kayaking, tubing, or trying to observe the rare Irrawaddy dolphins. The latter is not too probable, as there are only 3 dolphins left in Laos. I skipped the water activities except swimming, but I loved the waterfalls –  this is not a huge surprise after my visit to the Bolaven Plateau.

All in all I think you can still experience paradise on this little island. I could observe the relaxed life of the fishing villages, the locals (at least the ones I met) have still a lot of trust in people, their smile is genuine, their life is slow – if you are looking for this, you will find it.

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Prices

• Pakse – Don Det tourist bus + boat: 60.000 LAK (7,5 USD)
• Pakse – Nakasang local bus: 40.000 LAK (5 USD)
• Tuk-tuk to the Southern Bus Station to catch the bus: 20.000 LAK (2,5 USD)
• Mainland – Don Det boat: 15.000 LAK (2 USD)
• Bungalows at Don Det: from 40.000 LAK per night (5 USD)
• Tad Somphamit National Park entrance fee: 35.000 LAK (4,5 USD)