Muang Champassak – Do Khong island – 112 km
I started my day early, taking advantage of the dry weather.
However, the day turned out to be slower than expected. I first had to
cross the Mekong River by cycling to the Temple, from where wooden
boats ferried passengers across the river. I was initially worried about
getting my bicycle and bags onto the small boat, but after seeing
them load motorbikes, I felt more at ease. We crossed the river
without any issues.
Once on the main road, I enjoyed the beautiful scenery, despite
feeling a bit under the weather. I observed young boys fearlessly
jumping off a high bridge and also stopped at a roadside store for a
noodle soup lunch, where I sat under strings of drying meat. Dark
clouds appeared, and I anticipated getting caught in a storm. Shortly
after, I heard a loud clap of thunder and sought shelter in an
abandoned structure.
Upon reaching the ferry port to Si Phan Don, or the Four Thousand
Islands, I was informed that there were no boats available. Unsure if
it was due to the river being in flood, I found a bridge a few
kilometres further south. Si Phan Don is a riverine archipelago in the
Mekong River in southern Laos, known for its numerous islands and
beautiful landscape. I decided to stay an extra day to update my
journal, do the usual housekeeping and spend my remaining Lao kip
before crossing the border, as it’s a currency that’s pretty useless
anywhere else.