DAYS 47-50 FOUR THOUSAND ISLANDS (SI PHAN DON), LAOS “THE HIPPY ISLANDS”

Today was my last day in Cambodia. I was rather sad to be leaving this wonderful country. There were so many things I had not covered. Still, the onward journey to Laos had me excited for the adventures to come.

Being in Kratie I would now head north by minivan to the enchantingly named Four Thousand Islands, an inland river archipelago in southern Laos. It was going to be a cramped journey, our minivan having scarcely enough room for the half dozen of us, let alone our baggage. It certainly wasn’t a place for somebody with long legs.

On the way up I had the company of a few fellow farang travellers with some locals thrown in for good measure. One of the guys was a German chap, in his 50s I should think. He was so delighted to hear that I spoke some German (knowing little English himself) that he broke out into full German, neglecting to realise that I could not understand much of what he was telling me (I nodded with the occasional ‘ja’ thrown in out of politeness). All the same I was pleased to have been a sounding board to this poor man.

We eventually reached the border, and after a brief delay as our passports were stamped we arrived in Laos. It was not immediately obvious that we were in a new country, other than the change in currency to Laotian Kip.

We reached the embarkation point to the islands in good time, and after a precarious boat journey in a small transportation boat, barely two people wide, we made it to the main island of Don Det.

Don Det, and its sister island Don Khon, have a reputation as being something of a ‘stoner’ resort where hippy backpackers come to lie on hammocks and while away the hours on a joint or two. Certainly on landing, one soon got the sense that this was an island where you may well get high.

The island is small, spanning a perimeter of a mere 7km. Cars are banned on the island, meaning you must rely on walking, cycling or the moped to get around.

On arrival, my priority was to rest as I was not feeling particularly well. I had eyed a place in my Lonely Planet guide prior to arrival on the island located on the “sunset side” . The accommodation generally on the islands was basic, although not bad by local standards. I had a little cabin to myself, with a sizeable bed and an en suite toilet (though requiring a “manual” flush). The view from the communal balcony was particularly nice (above).

By now, I was beginning to look like Mogli, as this photograph will attest.

Over the course of the three nights on the islands I tried to make the most of my time there, notwithstanding my somewhat worsening condition and the usual travellers’ d**a doing its worst. Cycling round the islands was a clear way to pass the time here, but on the second day I took to the waters in a kayak with a group.

It was pretty fun, if a little tiring in my physical condition. There was a funny moment though when one of the kayaks headed straight into a bush full of spiders, which predictably tried to enter their kayak en masse. Though many screams were heard nobody was (physically) harmed. Every now and then we entered a strong current and were thrown off course by the eddies, putting us perilously close to the very same bushes – but we largely avoided them.

After a touch of Irrawaddy dolphin spotting (above), we had some rather strenuous work getting the kayaks out of the water and up what might be described as a cliff - and then fastening all of this equipment on the inside and outside of a songthaew. As you can see we were rather squashed and knackered!

We then saw the impressive Don Khone waterfalls. Here we are at the vantage point:

I would eventually change accommodation a further two times on the island in search of wifi and comfort. 

How first world. 

For me however, being a solo traveller it was as important to continue blogging this blog as it was to travel – granted that it was always going to be difficult on an island which was only gradually embracing modernity.

My second guesthouse was on the south of the island, and was completely deserted. This was not unusual as it was not a particularly busy period to be travelling round South East Asia, and prices were cheap. Given a choice I probably wouldn’t have stayed in this isolated hostel, without guests, but as it took some time to get there and my condition wasn’t great I was not particularly wont to look further.

It was however, perhaps, the first time in my travels that I had genuinely been out with the stillness of nature. At such times it would’ve been good to have company to share my experiences and thoughts. Maybe I would have lingered longer into the night to look at the stars. It was the right place to have done so. As it was, I briefly dined outside with some other diners in a neighbouring hostel and called it an early night.

I left that hostel the next day and returned back north of the island (this time by motorbike) where I stayed the night in a slightly tired room, again on the condition of wifi.

By the end of my stay I was really quite exhausted from illness, kayaking and all the walking on the island, and in a way quite ready to move on. I had found the locals on the island somewhat a mixed bag. Some were delightful, like the lady that served me a delicious fried fish, and when seeing I hadn’t quite skinned the flesh off the bone, took the remainder and hand fed it to me!

Others were quite miserable, like the owners of the first hostel I had stayed in, who hesitated so much as to crack a smile. Perhaps they had quite enough with tourists? I just hoped this wasn’t a portent for the remaining part of my stay in Laos.

I would now move on north to Kong Lor, the world’s spookiest cave…