Travel from Bangkok, or elsewhere, to the town of Pakse in Laos and then take a bus to the over 4,000 islands (locally known as Si Phan Don in the Champasak Region), surrounded by seawater, but the murky brown waters of the mighty Mekong River.
No trip to Laos is complete without a few days of island hopping in the southern Mekong River.
Why travel to the Mekong’s 4,000 islands?
- The low-down: This is backpacker territory although these days a few luxury hotels and restaurants are appearing. Come here to relax and have some adventure.
- The brightest highlight: Get a bicycle and cycle along the small paths around the islands. Stop, have a beer and noodles, and a nap. Repeat.
- Intrepid destination: Not really. This has been a backpacker hangout for many years. It is not difficult to get away from the people and meet the local islanders.
- Globerovers score (10 is highest): This place is too laid-back for me personally. I don’t like to sit around reading, eating and sleeping, especially if not by the sea. So this is not my type of adventure destination. Some people love it. I’ll score it 5/10.
Take a long bus ride, or better yet fly down to Pakse in the far south of Laos. From here it is a 2 to 3-hour transfer by bus or minibus to Nakasong from where a longboat ride takes about 10 minutes to Don Det Island, and about 20 minutes to Don Khon Island. From either one of these two islands, you can explore the other bigger and smaller islands.
Get lost among the islands and the mighty Mekong (Maekong) River in southern Laos.
You can hop around well over 4,000 islands (locally known as Si Phan Don in the Champasak Region), not surrounded by seawater, but the murky brown waters of the mighty Mekong River.
Known in Laos as the Mènam Khong, at a length of about 4,350 km (2,700 miles) the Mekong River is the longest river in Southeast Asia, the 7th longest in Asia, and the 12th longest river in the world. While the Mekong River is measured at about 4,350 km, from source to ocean it is almost 5,000 km long! Though, strictly speaking, the stretch that carries the name “Mekong River” is only about 2,700 km long. Whichever measurement you prefer, it is a long and mighty river!
Unquestionably one of the quietest corners in Southeast Asia!
The geographic source of the Mekong is a glacier on the north side of Guosangmucha Mountain at an elevation of 5,514 m (18,086 ft) on the Tibetan Plateau. The tiny glacial stream here is called the Lasagongma, which then flows into the meandering Gaoshanxigu stream, which then flows into the Guoyong River that becomes the Zhaa River and then merges with the Zhana River. Just before it crosses from China into Myanmar it is known as the Lancang River. In Myanmar, it is known as the Mekong!
From Myanmar, the river flows through Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and eventually Vietnam where it flows through the southern Mekong Delta of Vietnam and empties into the South China Sea.
In southern Laos, just before the river crosses into Cambodia, it fans out into a very wide labyrinth of shallow waterways, islands and even waterfalls.
Over many years the river streams have created thousands of sandy-beach islands and tiny bushy outcrops. Many of these islands and bushes are submerged during the wet season while the larger islands are dotted with small villages, mostly stretched along the riverfront.
In the lower half of this large area of river islands are a few islands of interest to travellers, including the islands of Don Det and Don Khon, and located much closer to Pakse, the island of Don Khong (not to be confused with the most southern of the three, Don Khon). Located right between Don Khong (to the north) and Don Det (to the south) is Don Som island, which is also a good option for a peaceful stay.
Mekong Life – The operating words here are:
RELAX, SLEEP, EAT, DRINK, REPEAT, REPEAT
This part of Laos will interest you if you love river islands and hanging out around rustic restaurants by the riverside. The main reason to come here is to do nothing. Drink, eat, drink, sleep (on the bed, in the hammock, at the restaurant, anywhere). Repeat!
On more energetic days, rent a $1 bicycle for the day and cycle along the circular road around Don Det Island, and across the old French bridge to Don Khong Island. Visit Somphamit Waterfalls and then cycle all the way down to the old Hang Khone French Port on the southern tip of Don Khong Island. Here you can sit at a cosy riverside restaurant and stare across the river over the jungle of Cambodia while sipping on a Beer Lao and eating a green papaya salad.
Along the way to the south, you will cycle past water buffaloes, temples, stupas, tiny communities, and friendly locals who seem somewhat aloof.
The islands are not known as major party spots. Don Det has more of a backpacker vibe, especially closer to the very northern tip around the ferry drop-off point. Don Khon is slightly more upscale, has more mature visitors, and is also slightly more expensive.
While the islands were more popular about five years ago, nowadays even during the peak season of Christmas and New Year accommodation is easily available for walk-ins. A local German guesthouse owner noted the recent decline in visitors, which is great news if you are looking for tranquillity.
The islands are quite popular among European (French, in particular) families, older people, and a fair share of backpackers, the latter who tend to prefer the livelier area at the northern tip of Don Det.
On both islands, most accommodation and restaurants are along the single “main road” along the river.
If you have a lot of energy, join a kayak tour, advertised by almost every travel agency and many guesthouses on the islands. Another great adventure is to rent a private longboat with skipper for three to four hours to take you around a handful of the many islands.
Dolphin tours are also widely advertised by travel desks on the island. The river south of the Somphamit Waterfalls past the southern tip of Don Khon is known as the home of the freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins. They come close to the waterfalls to give birth, as the oxygen levels are much higher around and below the falls. No tours guarantee any sightings, so it is a matter of luck whether you see the dolphins.
☛ Read more: Laos – Land of a million elephants
☛ Read more: 9 Must-Do’s in Laos
And so it is time to go back to Pakse and off to the airport to fly away. I bet you have great memories of Laos and will be back soon to do the rest!
Further reading
- A guide to Don Det & the 4000 Islands, Laos
- Guide to the 4000 Islands of Laos
- Four Thousand Islands (Si Phan Don), Laos
Blog post and photos by Peter who has been travelling almost full-time since 2005 and has been to over 122 countries. He visited several countries, such as Japan, more than 20 times. Peter is Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of GlobeRovers Magazine, an independent travel magazine focused on intrepid destinations.