Don Det is a small river island located at the southern most tip of Laos. This region is called Si Phan Don (4000 Islands) because the Mekong River fans out creating web of intertwining channels and constantly evolving islands. It’s become a popular backpacker destination, but still manages to hold onto some of its original Laos qualities.
We spent three nights here, but never really managed to do all that much. It was a great chance for us to unwind, catch up on reading, and prepare for the next leg of our journey.
Some quick highlights from Don Det:
- Hammock time – Nothing beats sitting in a hammock attached to your $3 a night, no electricity bamboo bungalow that hangs over the banks of the Mekong river.
- Tubing time – we slowly floated a couple kilometers down the river. Kids raced wooden canoes past us, while fisherman worked with their traditional nets. Even with the impending sunburn, it was a great way to take in life on the river.
- Waterfall time – Tat Somphamit was an impressive falls located just off of Don Khon. Khonphanpheng Falls were even larger (the highest water volume in SE Asia), but almost too massive to take truly appreciate.
