Don Det (Laos) – 15th to 19th May

On the bus to the Laos border, I befriended a Dutchman and a German; Just and Serkan. Once we crossed, our party found the next minivan waiting for us and we headed towards the Mekong river. Our next stop was only a short drive away and still close to the Cambodian/Laos border – perhaps a 30 min drive.

Once at the river, we hop in a smallish long boat for the last leg of our journey. Our destination was Don Det, a small river island in the 4000 Island Archipelago. As is common for me at this point, I didn’t know what to expect and little did I know I was entering something close to paradise.

I’ll run you through river island life.

The narrow leaf shaped island is split into two sides; the east and west, or sunrise and sunset. At both tips of the island there were small towns. I rented a waterfront bungalow on the sunset side of the island, about a 10 minute walk to town.

Conveniently my bungalow was right next door to one of the island’s two indians – a very happy accident indeed. My bungalow had a beautiful balcony overlooking the river with both a hammock and a fan pointed at the hammock. Outrageously it was – $5 per night. My final rental purchase was a bicycle setting me back a whopping $1 per day.

From there my only expenses were consumable products.

The whole island had a very relaxed vibe, nobody stressing around, just everyone living their lives. The dirt roads would mostly be used by people strolling to or from town, and the occasional 8 year old hurtling down the street on his motorbike and sidecar (often with younger siblings in the sidecar).

One of the first things I did was a (highly recommended) kayaking tour. 

Just and Serkan joined me for the kayaking, but as the double kayaks hold only two people I joined up with the other Brit (who I easily spotted drinking tea at the included breakfast). It turns out he was a Scot, a Weegie no less – Jon. The tour started by jumping in the kayaks and paddling across to one of the other Islands. On route Jon and I discovered we were pretty okay at moving the kayak at speed, but awful at steering it lol. But while chatting away we eventually zig zagged across the river. We toured the island on land, by a mix of foot and tractor. We stopped by some waterfalls and also paused for some lunch. The guide took us directly underneath the falls, we were clinging to the bamboo and slippery rocks while getting paddled by the torrent. Look, I’ll say this, it wouldn’t have passed a risk assessment in the UK. But redeeming any H&S concerns was the veggie option for lunch, which I have to give them a shout out for. I was expecting the meat option just without the meat (as is common), however the veggie option was big. The meaties got chicken and veg kebab and fried rice. I got two veggie kebabs and fried rice – which was delicious. Some of the more purest meaties also gave me the veggies off their kebabs. Eventually, it was time for the leg home, and with no time to resolve the post-digestive slump, it was time to head home through the river’s rapids.

I’d kinda been thinking nothing of it, imagining some small gentle rapids. But when I saw the rapids I was more concerned. The instructors kept telling me to put my glasses in my pocket, but they didn’t seem to understand I need them to see. 

Our instructions for navigating the rapids was just keep the boat straight, given Jon and I had managed to get stuck in the mangrove moments before it wasn’t looking good for us. But obviously we went for it, and the rapids and waves were around 1.5/2m at points. We paddled our little hearts out and somehow made it through without tipping the boat. Despite some close calls taking waves less than straight.

Afterwards, we all met up at a beach on the other side. I assumed we were done and getting a proper boat the rest of the way back, but no. It was more kayaking for us. It was a really fun day all in all and a nice way to make some friends.

Evenings on the island were focused at one end of town. There were only really two places to be: the Reggae Bar and Adam’s bar. The Reggae Bar was, as you’d expect, very bohemian. Adam’s bar was more of a typical vibe with a front area with a pool table and a rear area with riverside seating. Whenever the night ends, you just take the quick cycle or short walk back to your bungalow and wake again in paradise.. 

I also bumped into Charlie and Amy from the volleyball at Phnom Penh. We arranged to spend a day chilling at the reggae bar, and Jon joined us intermittently. They’d chosen the Reggae Bar as it offered shroom shakes. It was one of the nicest settings I’d tripped through, between us we had a shake each and it was a very respectful mild affair. The girls knew a group of boys who were also at the bar – who were lying in hammocks knocking back shakes like they were nothing. Which was followed by more lying in the hammocks. The girls spilled all the gossip from their past encounters, and their friend described them as ‘those distasteful boys’ which killed me. But we laughed the day away – good crack. 

Jon’s appearances throughout the day were also hilarious. He didn’t fancy the trip but joined us periodically. At one point he arrived with a pack of four big yoghurts. He opens the first one, and no spoon just drinks it down. I like to think if I was more sober I might have said something, however I wasn’t in the state of mind to challenge this. What followed was Jon proceeding to neck the remaining 3 yogourts. Lick the lids, and then say he goodbyes again while he went to get some porridge. Any time I see Jon now we always think back and laugh on this. Like it was Charlie and Amy’s first trip and they’ve got this scottish guy turning up, slamming yoghurts and leaving.

After four nights on the island, I really was torn. I’d found a shangri la. Away from the crowds, away from any cars, and away from any stresses. I remember asking myself, why am I leaving? I still don’t have a good answer for that. However I did leave, Jon and I made our way north to our next destination. 

Looking back, now months after, as much as it was idyllic I’m glad I followed Jon on his adventure. Or perhaps our adventure. That is to follow. For now, I’ve been there Don Det.

Ah so the last photo there I forgot to mention. Because it does need some narrative to unpack. 

While I was on Don Det there was a two day festival going on. The festival was in honour of the rain goddess to bring on the rains. The festival is almost a full-proof success, conveniently timed at the beginning of the rainy season…

Anyway, day one of the festival includes firing homemade bamboo rockets into the sky. Some of which did make it into the sky, firing sideways or just exploding. The second day is where the photo comes from, where the story goes. Because the rain goddess is a woman, after praying to her to come down and rain you don’t then want the rain goddess to steal your man. So instead people tempt the rain goddess with various phallic statues etc. The kids in the photo are holding a puppet type contraption, which included a thrusting action, which they paraded throughout the island. Which hopefully explains that photo.

So yeah, Don Det, or perhaps more appropriately – Don Don.