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| The first of 2 flat tyres on our way down to Don Det |
We had
planned to go to a little town called Pakse to break up the journey to the 4000
Islands, and we were going to rent a bike to discover the local scenic beauty.
But when we arrived, it was hammering it down so we continued on our way down
to the 4000 Islands. When we reached the port to catch a boat to Don Det, the
rain had gotten heavier. We hurriedly bought a boat ticket and took the oldest,
ricketiest boat in existence. 6 different buses, 1 boat, and 25 hours after
leaving Vang Vieng, we arrived in Don Det – one of 4000 islands in the Mekong
river, in southern Laos.
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| Getting comfy on the sleeper bus |
We looked
for some decent accommodation on Don Det and were surprised by the lack of
options available. There were incredibly cheap riverside bungalows for £3 a
night that had a shared bathroom, and were a little greasy. So we paid a fair
bit more for a little more luxury. Luxury such as a bathroom with a hole in the
roof, a manual flush toilet, and a sink which wasn’t plumbed in and just spilt
all over the floor.
We spent
two days trying to work out why people flock here and stay for weeks. To us it
just looked like a chilled out, hassle-free, but very muddy area, where people
just get stoned and watch films all day. We were far from impressed.
 |
| Why does it always rain on our scheduled relaxing breaks? |
After 3
days though, the sun came out and Don Det began to grow on us… The effect a
muddy path had on our perception was surprising. We spent a day cycling
(20-25km) around another island called Don Khong, which is connected by a
bridge. We saw an incredibly ferocious waterfall.
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| Dodging bison on bicycles |
We also
went searching for the elusive and endangered Irrawaddy dolphins, which you can
apparently see from a viewing spot, but our lack of binoculars meant it was
impossible.
After
another day of doing nothing in Don Det, we realised that this was a fairly
decent backpacker area. Don Det makes doing nothing fashionable and it is a
great place to relax without any hassle, in a cheap environment. That said, the
lack of comfort, sun, and decent accommodation was enough to make us move on.
Costs (per person)
Vang Vieng
to Don Det (4000 Islands) Sleeper Bus = 285,000 Kip (£24, $35)
Don Det per
room Hotel Double AC = 80,000 Kip (£7, $10)
Don Det to
Phnom Penh Bus = $30 (£20)
