South East Asian Trips

Si Phan Don (Lao for 'Four Thousand Islands') is a group of islands in the Mekong River in Southern Laos near the Cambodian border. The Four Thousand Islands have two main destinations for travellers:Don(Island) Khong is the biggest, but apart from the usual chill&look there's nothing great to do there. Most people head to Don Det, where accommodation is cheaper, you can walk to one of the big Maekong-Falls by yourself, and biking and walking and swimming in the river is just the same as in Don Khong. A beautiful set of islands, set against a lazy and winding section of the Mekong. Be sure to check out the largest waterfall in Southeast Asia, and have conversations with the friendly locals. There isn't much to do in Si Phan Don, but that's the point. The islands are laid back, with small huts mixing in with guest houses along the banks of the Mekong. But, if you get a bit restless, try renting a bike and pedaling around the two main islands, which are connected by a bridge. You can also ride out to the largest waterfall in Southeast Asia in about 45 minutes from most guesthouses. Boat tours around the islands are very popular, and custom tours can be arranged. Pink Dolphin Tours are very popular day trips on the island. For around $10, you get taken by bus and boat to a small patch of sand, which is technically in Cambodia. There you drink beer -- Angkor, not Beer Lao -- and watch small pink spots bop in the distance. It's not bad, and usually includes a stop at a nearby waterfall to round off the afternoon. Si Phan Don is the gateway to Cambodia. Buses leave early every morning from across the river. It's about an hour to the border, but that's only the first stage in what's sure to be a long day of travel. After paying a "stamp tax" on the Laotian side, money for a boat across to Cambodia, and "stamp tax" on that side, you'll be forced to take a dangerous fast boat to the nearest town. This costs a flat fee. Don't bother trying to haggle any of this down; they have a monopoly and know it. All together it takes about six hours to get from the islands to the first town, if things are following smoothly. It's possible to get all the way to Phnom Penh in one day, but don't count on it.