Lying on the border of Cambodia, ‘Four Thousand Islands’, as the name suggests, is an area located on the vast Mekong sprinkled with thousands of tiny islands. Also referred to as ‘Si Phan Don’ in Lao language, many of the islands are uninhabited and too tiny for roads, and the area has not long had electricity. The vibe here is laid back to say the least and there is not much in the way of action! However, if spending your days lazing in a hammock, reading novels, occasionally glancing up to try to spot the endangered Irrawaddy Dolphin sounds like your idea of heaven then this is the place to be!
For backpackers, there are two main places to stay, Don Dhet and Don Khong. Don Dhet is the main traveller hang out where you can bag yourself a bungalow overlooking glorious sunsets on the river for next to nothing. From here, many backpackers rent a bicycle (for about a dollar) and take a trip over the rusty French railway bridge to and spend a day exploring nearby island ‘Don Khon.’ The trip is worth it to see the biggest waterfall in South East Asia!
Other than that, grab a bunch of peeps, some beer, guitars if you can get your hands on them and do what backpackers do best – chill out!
