Been there - Don Det

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Si Phan Don; is the real name for 4000 Islands - and comprises of two main islands - Don Det (where we based ourselves) and Don Khon (a larger island connected by a small bridge).

Don Det is unique - at least to me. It's extremely laid back and slow paced, and though sometimes annoyingly slow, it was a nice change from the crazy antics of it's northern cousin - Vang! With only receiving electricity in 2006 it is easy to see why this mellow town is so tranquil. Natives even still wash daily in the river.

There's two main streets - Bungalow Boulevard (as i aptly named it), which ran along from the "beach / port" - provided the majority of the accommodation, and faced south on to one of the many Mekong tributaries. The other - Sunset Boulevard - faces west and the sunsets are spectacular! Worth the visit here just for this alone!

We chose Bungalow Boulevard right on the river bank - with the Mekong actually lapping around our stilts. This plus the two hammocks on our deck made me fall in love with Laos all over again - but for completely different reasons.

Don Khon - a short bike ride away, is a young boy's dream. With wildlife still owning the majority of the land, it made exploring fun again. With a mildly impressive waterfall, rare dolphins (Irrawaddy), Buffalows and all the other creatures promised to be found, getting lost has never been so appealing! Biking my way home before dark fell, I took a turning up a village road - a road off the beaten track. Natives ruled along this stretch, but with kind hearts and allowed my curiosity, and even the children were welcoming. Don Khon was definitely worth the visit, and at the southern tip here you can almost spit over to Cambodia.

Highlight: Stealing a canoe for a short paddle in Buffalo wading waters.
Next Stop: Siem Reap (Cambodia).

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