The far south - The Rough Guide to Laos - page 358

ation and cafés are situated (see map ) , and the smaller town of Ban Houa Khong , where
slow boats from Pakse moor. Like all Si Phan Don settlements, both Muang Sen's and Muang
Khong's homes and shops cling to the bank of the Mekong for kilometres, but barely pen-
etrate the interior, which is primarily reserved for rice fields. The best way to explore Don
Khong and experience the traditional sights and sounds of riverside living is to rent a bicycle
or motorbike from one of the guesthouses and set off along the road that circles the island.
Don Khong's flat terrain and almost complete absence of motor vehicles make for ideal cyc-
ling conditions. For touring, the island can be neatly divided into two loops , southern and
northern, each beginning at Muang Khong, or done all in one big loop.
Southern loop
Picturesque villages and almost completely flat roads make the southernloop , roughly 20km
long, the more popular of the two itineraries. Follow the river road south from Muang Khong
(taking care to stick to the narrow path along the river, not the road that parallels it slightly
inland) until, a couple of kilometres south, you reach the little village of Ban Na , where the
real scenery begins. Navigating the trail as it snakes between thickets of bamboo, you'll pass
traditional southern Lao wooden houses trimmed with painted highlights of white and royal
blue.
Approaching the tail of the island you'll emerge onto a paved road. The vast bridge you
see on your left-hand side stretches for more than 700m, and cost nearly US$35 million to
complete. Follow the road around to the far end of the bridge, and continue west along the
road, passing rice paddies and the swishing tails of dusty water buffalos. Tall trees provide
welcome shade as you pass through Ban Siw . Worth a look is the village monastery, Wat
Silananthalangsy ; the recently restored sim lacks charm, but a school building at the back of
the compound has been left in a wonderfully decrepit state. This is often the case in Laos, as
Buddhist laymen believe that much more merit is acquired by donating money towards the