Si Phan Don (4000 Islands) Laos

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Si Phan Don (4000 Islands) is an area in southern Laos near the Cambodian border where the Mekong River splits up creating a group (I am assuming around 4000) islands. I stayed on the big island where there is one paved road and a few guesthouses and restaurants.



When I left Chapasak, I took a ferry across the river and was going to walk out to the main road and try to flag down a bus or songtaew (a truck with two benches in the back) that was headed south. Instead I met a guy on the ferry that spoke a little english and he told me he I could join the truck he and 20 other people were taking to the bus station. From there I could get a bus to Si Phan Don. I didn't realize that the bus station he was refering to was an hour in the opposite direction. No big deal; it was a really interesting ride. I was seen as kind of a novelty on the over packed songtaew. The Lao people are so nice and too accomadating to the farang (white person). They insisted that I get a seat when there wasn't enough for everybody (three people were hanging off the back).

There were about five mothers with adorable babies on the truck. Its very interesting watching them with my sisters and there babies in mind. The situation couldn't be more different; these kids have no money, strollers, car seats, videos, colorful books, etc. Yet the interaction between mother and child is the same everywhere I have been. Its a beautiful thing.

After reaching the bus station I got on a songtaew with two Australian girls. We ended up talking the whole ride and hanging out when we got to Si Phan Don. We rented motorbikes one day and went aroun the entire island. It was beautiful, mostly farms.

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