What to do on 4000 islands in Laos?
The last stop in Laos for me was 4000 islands. I had heard many good things about that place from a lot of people before. Located in really south of Laos on the border with Cambodia not so many people manage to visit it though. So naturally, I was waiting forward for that.
Which island to choose?
When stopping in Pakse then there are several options on which island to head to. The main ones are Don Det, Don Khon and Don Khong. While Don Khong is the biggest one in the archipelago, then only a few visitors head there. Mainly because there is not that much going on apparently. Another option is Don Khon, which is the closest to the border with Cambodia. While there are not many accommodations and cafe/restaurant options, it is the closest to the main sights in 4000 islands – Khone Pha Pheng waterfalls (the biggest waterfall in South East Asia by volume) and Irrawaddy dolphins. Personally, I chose the most popular option – Don Det.
Don Det
While Don Det is the most selected option in 4000 islands it still has really chilled-out vibe and relaxing atmosphere.
There are many accommodation options available and the best is to just book one when arriving on the island. Just because many of them are not listed on booking.com and other similar websites. Accommodations range from fancy hotels to backpacker dormitories. I happened to arrive on the island with two other people who I met in the hostel in Pakse and one of them got a recommendation for a place to stay. It was called Sunset bungalows and we got private bungalows right on the riverfront for as low as 50.000 KIP (ca. 5 €).
Swimming
It is not really possible to find a good place to swim on the island but there are 2 swimming pools accessible to the public. Right in the centre of the village is located Little Eden guesthouse with a big pool. We chose another one though (Long Island guesthouse) with a cheaper entrance fee (25.000 KIP = 2.5 €) in the very south of the island. The walk there takes about half an hour. It is also possible to rent a bicycle to go there if you would like to be quicker. We spent 2 days just chilling next to the pool.
Waterfalls and dolphins
As I mentioned before, the main attractions on the 4000 islands are the waterfalls and dolphins. From Don Det, you need to go to Don Khone to visit them. The best way is to rent a bicycle. The Li Phi Waterfalls are truly impressive because they spread wide across the river. Besides the viewpoint, we headed a bit further south following the falls and arrived at a beach with a bar with chilling-out areas. Really a great place to take a rest, lay down and have a smoothie. No other people there and quiet like most of the 4000 islands. Apparently, it is really difficult to see the dolphins so we didn’t attempt to go see them. And personally, I had already seen them on the same Mekong river in Cambodia, Kratie. Our cheap rental bicycles broke down when we started heading back so we walked all the way.
Even though Laos is a landlocked country, you can really feel the island vibes on Don Det. Bungalows and bars with hammocks, restaurants with low tables and soft mats/pillows around them to lay down while you are having a drink and watching different TV series (Friends, Family Guy etc..).
On a clear day, the sunset upon the surrounding river is supposed to be amazing. I was there during the rainy season, so usually, the sky was cloudy during the evenings. I did manage to get a pretty decent sunset though.
Don Det was definately one of the highlights of my visit to Laos. I did not have huge expectations and was thinking I am going to get bored there really easily but in the end, I spent 5 full days there.
To get a better understanding of the vibe of 4000 islands and Laos in general go check out my video – 3 WEEKS IN LAOS – Land of temples, caves and waterfalls.
