Don Khong Travel Guide

 
by i-s-a
 
  •   Don Khong
    by i-s-a
  • The
      The "Bridge" on Don Khong
    by DSwede
  • Boys on the Bank of the Mekong
      Boys on the Bank of the Mekong
    by DSwede
  • Don Khong.
      Don Khong.
    by cachaseiro
  • Local boat builder.
      Local boat builder.
    by cachaseiro
 

Pro

steevie_wanders profile photo

  Everything 


Con

aisafatima profile photo

  A little dificult to reach and come back 


In a nutshell

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  I'm afraid to post this place on here - I don't want it to change. 

 

Explore Don Khong

Things to Do  

Cycle Don Khong

Cycle Don Khong, Don Khong

 DSwede Says:  Prices may fluctuate during the seasons, but we rented for 10,000 kip for the whole day. Do not pay more than 15,000 kip.The entire island of Don Khong is 18km x 8km. The road circling the island is flat and travels the entire distance about 40km. Pedaling at a leisurely... 

Old French Railroad and Bridge

Old French Railroad and Bridge, Don Khong

 DSwede Says:  Laos has only had one functional railway in its history. It was installed by the French as a means to ease the passage over the waterfalls along what is not the Cambodian boarder.They railroad could unload cargo and passengers on the low side of the falls and then climb the... 

Somphamit Waterfalls

Somphamit Waterfalls, Don Khong

 DSwede Says:  The Mekong meanders around the 4000 Islands and drops into Cambodia along a fairly wide, yet short waterfall. There are several to choose from, but the Somphamit is the easiest to access from Don Det and/or Don Khone islands.It is about a 10~15 minute walk from the Rail Road... 

Biggest waterfalls of S.E. Asia: Khonphapheng

Biggest waterfalls of S.E. Asia: Khonphapheng, Don Khong

 Lunaina Says:  On the border of Cambodia and Laos are the Khon Phapheng waterfalls, they are the biggest of S.E. Asia and also a very popular attraction for the locals. The entrance is 10,000 Kip and it is sure worth a visit! 

Visit the beuatiful temple Tham Phu Khiaw

Visit the beuatiful temple Tham Phu Khiaw, Don Khong

 Lunaina Says:  The island of Don Khong has a few temples that can be visited. We found the Tham Phu Kiaw in the small village of Ban Xieng Wang the most beautiful. The buddha is covered in a giant snake! 

Cycling

Cycling, Don Khong

 Lunaina Says:  The large island of Don Khong is easy to go around by bicycle. We only managed to do half the island because of the high temperature (37 degrees). We were everywhere greeted by children and if you are thirsty, you find many houses that offer refreshments and also things to... 

An organised trip to see the Irrawaddy Dolphins

An organised trip to see the Irrawaddy Dolphins, Don Khong

 steevie_wanders Says:  Pay for a trip to see the rare freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins. These dolphins surface in a wide section of river near the Cambodian border. 

Hire a bicycle, see the sites..

Hire a bicycle, see the sites.., Don Khong

 steevie_wanders Says:  Hire bikes and cycle south along the path, to the southern end of the Island. You'll see the unfinshed railway bridge over to Don Khon. Pass over the road/footbridge to Don Khon, and head towards the Somphamit Waterfalls. Lots of nice places to swim, amongst the rocks, and... 

Restaurants  

Seng Ahloune Restaurant: Riverfront view and good Lao Lao cocktail

Seng Ahloune Restaurant: Riverfront view and good Lao Lao cocktail, Don Khong

 DSwede Says:  Don Det and Don Khone have countless restaurants to choose from. They all serve roughly the same menu at the same prices. However, we found this to be quite satisfactory both with the view on the Mekong directly next to the old French Railroad bridge, the portion sizes and... 

Mekhong Restaurant: Possibly the cheapest, and definately good

Mekhong Restaurant: Possibly the cheapest, and definately good, Don Khong

 DSwede Says:  I'm not sure how the restaurant closest to the most expensive hotel on the island could be so cheap, but I believe it was cheapest menu on island. The restaurant did not have an outdoor seating area like the others closer to the "bridge", but they big windows still allowed... 

Phoukhong Restaurant: Great food right on the water

Phoukhong Restaurant: Great food right on the water, Don Khong

 DSwede Says:  Many of the menus in the restaurants are copied from one to another. The prices vary only a little, but the quality can change greatly. This little restaurant has a wonderful outdoor patio, sitting directly over the water of the Mekong. You can sit outside, having a... 

Nightlife  

a restaurant/bar on the sunset side: Night jumps

a restaurant/bar on the sunset side: Night jumps, Don Khong

 steevie_wanders Says:  Drink lots of lao-lao (potent rice whisky), pick a partner, then jump 20ft into the warm Mekong.. fun! especially during a tropical storm!From this self same location, after midnight (when the generators have gone quiet) you can hear the roar of the waterfalls, 5 miles away.... 

the beach: Fire on the beach

the beach: Fire on the beach, Don Khong

 steevie_wanders Says:  Watch some superb fire tricks from talented people who know how to do it. Whilst sat around a fire with friends having drinks.. Beach wear, or anything non flammable. 

Transportation  

Don Khong to/from Don Det & Don Khone

Don Khong to/from Don Det & Don Khone, Don Khong

 DSwede Says:  There are countless minivan services for hire from nearly all guest houses and travel agencies. You can get transfers between the larger Don Khong island to/from the smaller islands in the south of Don Det & Don Khone for about 40,000 kip. Travel time is about 30 minutes.... 

Traveling to Pakse

Traveling to Pakse, Don Khong

 DSwede Says:  You can travel to Pakse by public bus. However, the cost will be nearly identical to a mini-van ride if you find a good price. But the real savings will be time! The public bus will take ~40 minutes longer than the mini-van, and there is no idea how long you will have to... 

By boat / ferry

By boat / ferry, Don Khong

 Lunaina Says:  To Don Khong you can easily travel. At several places you find boats that will take you to the mainland. If you travel by car you can take a carferry, otherwise you can just hop on almost every boat. 

Walk, hire it, or bring your own

Walk, hire it, or bring your own, Don Khong

 steevie_wanders Says:  Despite the island not having a road, I saw someone arriving with a nice shiny new motorbike..! 

Local Customs  

Fried frogs.

Fried frogs., Don Khong

 cachaseiro Says:  Fried frogs is a local speciality that you see quite a bit around Don Khong.I guess they have taken a liking to them cause they are all over the place and this is your chance to try something you have most likely not tried before.I have tried it, but i am personally not too... 

Bring a kitten

Bring a kitten, Don Khong

 steevie_wanders Says:  Producing a kitten from your bag can soothe over any awkward moments due to language barrier etc.. 

Sports & Outdoors  

Forget everything, biking around Don Khong Island

Forget everything, biking around Don Khong Island, Don Khong

 kinaly Says:  Don Khong Island is 18 km long and 8 km wide. If Laos is quiet in general, life on the island is very very quiet. Anybody can loose its stress there.Biking tour of the island is very pleasant as the distance can be done within one day.Have a strong breakfast in Muang Khong... 

The Place

Plan a Don Khong vacation with reviews, tips and photos posted by real travelers and Don Khong locals

Experience Don Khong
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The People

 
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 Pay for a trip to see the rare freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins. These dolphins surface in a wide section of river near the Cambodian border. 

 

Questions and Answers

Twooldies profile photo

Q:  we are going to don khong feb 2011 and cant seem to get up to date info on either of those two "hotels" Help please any comments... 

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A: Have you tried the hotel reviews on tripadvisor.com? 

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Top Don Khong Writers

1

The largest of the Si Phan Don (4000 Islands)

DSwede profile photo

 Si Phan Don, or otherwise known in English as "Four Thousand Islands", is the cluster of islands and islets in the the lower Mekong River, just above the Cambodian border. The islands vary in size...... 

2

Don Det - It's near Don Khong!

steevie_wanders profile photo

 I had heard a few things about Si Phan Don (Si = Four, Phan = Thousand, Don = Island), and read a few things, but it was like nothing I could imagine. The words go: an area of the Mekong river, which... 

3

River island in southern Laos.

cachaseiro profile photo

 Don khong is the largest river island in Laos and is located in the Mekong river just before the border to Cambodia. It´s a nice place to hang out for a few days and chill out. The pace of life is... 

4

Don Khong - Shhhh....

RB_Oakes profile photo

 I departed first thing the next morning, unable to stomach being in such a place. The lifestyle in rural Lao is a little rough on me, too. Early to bed, early to rise is just not my thing. Especially... 

5

Rice and fish

kinaly profile photo

 I've got some interesting experiences in Don Khong. I'd love to share with you the 1 tip I've written, the 2 photos uploaded, and 0 travelogues I've created. 

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