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4000 Islands and Khone Phapeng waterfall in Laos travel guide
June 5, 2024
After a good night’s rest, head to the 4000 Islands area to visit the Liphi waterfall. You can catch a small boat to reach Don Det island and hire a bicycle or board a tuk tuk to get to the waterfall. I highly recommend to avoid walking as temperatures reach 35 degrees in the winter. There are remains of a 7-km railway on the island, which basically is an exhibit of a rusty steam locomotive. In my opinion, it is not worth the detour unless you are really into trains. You can overnight on the island if you fancy.
From Don Det, catch the boat back to the terminal and travel around 10 kilometres north to see Khone Phapeng, the largest waterfall in Southeast Asia. This waterfall also called the Niagara Falls of the East. Depending on the season, the waterfall may not be fully visible due to the very high water level of the Mekong river. In winter, the waterfall is split over several arms. The water rushes through dark smooth rocks under the torrid sun. Make sure you pack enough sunscreen, sufficient water and a protective hat to avoid burning. You will see fishermen setup fish traps and cast their nets among the rocks along the river. And when the water level is low, they may even walk from island to island.
If you have any spare time, catch a ride to the Bolaven Plateau. The highway to Vietnam is dotted with little villages. The locals survive on their trade of knife or bamboo baskets making. Whole families live in houses on stilt on the side of the road, their kids barely going to school.
Avoid staying in Pakse unless you absolutely need to. There is very little to do and the town is in really bad shape. Nevertheless, visiting the Wat Thou Salao temple with its rows of golden Buddha statues is quite a sight.
When your time in Laos comes to an end, the easiest way to reach Cambodia is via air. Do not forget that you will need a visa! This can be requested on the official Cambodian eVisa website.
