Si Phan Don (4,000 Islands) – (E)

After the adventures on the motor bike I was ready for some lazy days (yes, one occasionally needs holidays from travelling ;-)

The southernmost tip of Laos was the ideal place to relax and recharge batteries. Here the Mekong expands into a huge archipelago of sandbars and little islands surrounded by turquoise water. Some of the tranquil islands offer little basic bungalows, each with a terrace and a hammock. So I spent a few days lying in the hammock under palm trees, reading books and eating well.

Occasionally I made the effort to rent a bicycle, cycling around the islands to see impressive waterfalls or the rusted remains of ports and railway lines the French built back when they ruled the area. One interesting excursion brought me to the border with Cambodia where rare Irrawaddy dolphins can sometimes be seen. It was my lucky day as a few of them appeared not far from my boat.


They are not the jumpy and playing kind of dolphins so photos are not that spectacular…

After crossing the border into Cambodia, another very long bus journey brought me to Phnom Penh, where I will be staying for a few days, enjoying the city and planning the next steps.