4,000 Islands of Landlocked Laos
Me @ Don Det Island
4,000 islands- not a fancy title, but a real place! First time I heard “4,000 islands” all I thought was, when can we go? The 4,000 islands are at the far South of Laos where the mighty Mekong runs and has literally formed several thousand islands. It’s a great place, and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone. We ventured around two of the islands that are easier to get too, Don Det & Don Khon. We spent our days swaying in hammocks on our front porch, riding bikes through a jungle in search of amazing waterfalls, and my personal favorite drinking cool beers while admiring the stunning river scenery.
The Tree of Life!
Not as many travelers make the trip down to the islands. It makes the place very quiet, quaint, and relaxing. Well, probably a mix of fewer people and the weed/shroom menus. It is a one of a kind place. Roads? Nope. No cars or motorbikes. Only way to get around is on foot, boat, or pedal bike. Electricity? Nope. The generator was only turned on once, even though we were suppose to have electricity a couple of hours every evening. Which meant it was sweltering hot with no fans running and seeing anything at night meant lighting a candle (flash lights were dead). We were given a lighter with a small flashlight on it. The flashlight displayed a pornographic scene! Nothing like stumbling home to a porno scene.
A few of the funnier moments…
- We rode our bikes far back a dirt road through a jungle-like area and on the ride back it started pouring down with rain. Two kids biked next to us trying to give us cover while holding a huge tree leaf over our heads.
- Rhys’s bike got a flat tire and he had to walk it back home, that’s always a laugh. Especially when his stomach started churning and he ditched his bike scrambling back in a hurry. Too much information? It was so funny though.
- We spent one night at a laid-back restaurant swinging in hammocks along the river (with about 25 other people there). With no warning at ALL, the lights just shut off at 11:00pm. No flash light and no idea where our bungalow was you can picture us basically crawling back a dirt road bumping into trees and falling in ditches. We finally found our front door and discovered we lost the key in the scramble home! It was a nightmare.
- Sorry.. but another story about Rhys’s stomach issues. He drank bad water, and even said he knew it was bad when he tasted it but finished the bottle anyway! He spent that night fumbling out of a delicate mosquito net, lighting a candle, and running to the bathroom. Poor guy, talk about absolute WORST case scenario. Oh yea, our walls were paper-thin so the neighbors kept yelling over asking if he was okay. haha.
Yet another great, laid-back place.
Nicky
2 Nomads. 1 Narrative. 
If Rhys’ stomach was in bits I hate to think what mine will be like!
Meg, if you would have been there… you’d have been dying with laughter. At him toying with matches and nets and mosquitos when there was no time to spare!