Thien's Travelography: Part 3 Southern Laos: Si Phan Don, Baloven Loop, Thakhek Loop

My apologies this post comes more than a month late as battling with a stable internet connection in Central Asia is no fun.

My journey into Laos began with a memorable 19 hour "VIP" bus ride from Phonsavanh to Pakse. Starting out at 6am in the morning, I was promptly picked up by my Tuktuk and taken to the bus station for the 6.45am departure.

Eventually arriving at Pakse at 2am, I decided to go straight to the bus terminal to catch my next ride to Si Phon Don (4000 Islands) . Arriving at the 8KM bus station, I and 3 fellow traveller who also came from Pakse were greeted by a friendly ticket seller who told us that the first bus leaves at 8am and kindly invited us in to join him to watch the World Cup.

The VIP Bus/Cargo: Even a motorbike on the roof...

World Cup Fever: Australia vs Chile. Watching the game as we wait for our bus ride to Si Phon Don

The public "Jumbo" ride from Pakse to Si Phon Don.

Si Phon Don

Arriving in Si Phon Don just shy on 11am, we walked about 200m down the road to the ferry terminal to catch our ride boat across to Don Det Island.

Ferry terminal to Don Det Island

Arriving in Don Det, my first stop was try to secure a place to sleep and eventually settling with a place near the jetty. Whilst nothing to brag about,

Around Don Det and Don Khon

After locking down some cheap accommodation and lunch, it time to explore around Don Det and the adjacent island Don Khon which is connected by a bridge to Don Det.

Next door Neighbour

Village Kids from Don Khon. All so eager for their photo to be taken.

Farmer working on the rice paddies

Lovely Reflections

Tad Somphamit

Located on south-west on Don Khon Island, Tad Somphamit Waterfall can be reached on foot or hiring a bicycle for just over US$1 a day. My attraction to waterfall was the local fishermen which fish these many rapids around 4000 Islands.

The road to Tad Somphamit

Found on the Mekong region around Laos/Cambodia: Fishermen create fish traps over the waterfall rapids to trap fish going downstream. Fishermen are known to die every year fishing this way. However, tradition prevails.

Tad Somphamit

Taking a fishing break

Tad Khone Pha Pheng

Known to be Southeast Asia largest Waterfall by volume, my initial intention was to skipped this but eventually went. Attracted by the potential of seeing fishing fishermen which cross a large cable stretching from the mainland to an island to go fishing. However, I came to late and there were absence of any fishermen except for two working on building a fishing bridge.

Tad Khone Pha Pheng

Pakse Bolaven Loop

A 400km loop starting from Pakse, heading north towards Tak Lo, then east to Sekong and back down south to the Bolaven Plateau and eastward to Paksong and back to Pakse

Day 1- Towards Tad Lo

Day one was an 8am start with picking up the my motorbike and then heading north to Tad Lo.

Stop 1: Tad Pha Suam. Quite a pretty waterfall about 5-6 metres in height

Stop 2: Huay Hun Village. At Mr Vieng for fresh coffee. The coffee was a disappointment however.

Huay Hun Village: Woman hand-weaving fabric

Huay Hun Village: These kids were so happy that we gave them some custard apples

Huay Hun Village: Slightly camera shy

Stop 3: Tad Lo. Final stop for the day.

Elephant bathing around sunset at Tad Lo Lodge.

Daily Life: day's washing by the stream

Local kids and tourist going for a swim.

Day 2: Getting lost in the Bolaven Plateau

Day 2 started with me continuing the road north towards Thateng Nua and then taking the road east to Sekong and down to the Bolaven Plateau. My intentions were to reach Tad Tayicsua where I would stay the night. However, having miss the turnoff for the old road and in dark condtions, I continued on new highway which hadn't been completed and soon turn out being no fun trying to getting the bikes out of a steep, wet and extremely muddy section which run for about 200 metres.

Kids along to road to Sekong

Kid playing in the farm along the road

First Village stop Ban Kok Phung Tai: Two ladies smoking

Ban Kok Phung Tai: Kids playing marbles using longan seeds as marbles.

Ban Kok Phung Tai: Kids running for the camera!

Ban Kok Phung Tai village girl

My fellow traveller on the loop Grace showing the kids photos of them.

Losing too much light even before we got to the Bolaven Plateau

My shoes by the end of the road after going through unfinished section of M16 on the Bolaven Plateau

Day 3: Backtracking the Plateau and back to Pakse

We started the day backtracking 30km through the Plateau before heading back to Pakse.

Finally heading on the right road!

Tad Katamtok Waterfall: Largest waterfall in the Bolaven Plateau

Tad Fane

Last Waterfall before heading back to Pakse. Can't remember the name.

Around Pakse

Pakse Markets: Biggest market in Laos

Pakse Markets: Laos largest market

Pakse Markets: Fresh fish. Scaled alive and still moving

Champasak: Wat Phou/Oum Moung

Wat Phou/Oum is an Angkorian temple and although nothing compared to Angkor Wat, it provided a nice view

Oum Moung

Road up to Wat Phou

The view from atop

A little temple

Road to Champasak

Wat Salao

Located just over the bridge outside Pakse main centre lies a big Buddha statue on a hilltop overlooking the city and a nice view of sunset.

Wat Salao

Panoramic view from Wat Salao

Thakhek/ Thakhek Loop

Located about midway between Pakse and Vientiane, The bus to Thakhek is about 8-10 hours from either location. The Thakhek loop is a 450km loop around central laos pasting some magnificent limestone, caves, rice paddies and the Laos countryside. As I soon found out, this is best done in the dry season with my initial start delayed 5 days due to rain followed my muddy conditions on dirt road during my trip.

Day 1: Heading towards Thalang Sabaidee Guesthouse

With a slight gap in the weather on the sixth day, I decided to take my chances and set out to rent my bike and make an escape from Thakhek and off on my adventure to start the loop. However, due to the heavy rain over the past week I soon found out most caves I wanted to see were inaccessible and 1.5 hours in, I was welcome with sprinkles followed by heavy showers which lasted for around an hour. The weather did eventually clear up once I went through the pass and on my way to Thalang.

Woman fishing using a traditional method where she will lay the net flat on the bottom and then lift it up to hope to catch fish that swim by.

Limestone backdtop by the river.

Storm rolling in

Eventually getting caught out by heavy rain

Thalang: Eventually arriving in Thalang with better weather.

Day 2: Towards Nahin

Having met 4 other travellers brave enough to tackle the loop in unfavourable conditions the previous day, 5 of us headed out together to tackle the toughest section of the loop. The owner of Sabaidee Guesthouse Mr Pithoong and his wife decided to come along also to help lead us.