The far south - The Rough Guide to Laos - page 362

Khong has devised a gentler blend known as the “Lao cocktail”, a mix of wild honey and
lào-láo served over ice with a dash of lime.
Don Khon and Don Det
Tropical islands in the classic sense, DON KHON and DON DET are fringed with swaying
coconut palms and inhabited by easy-going, sarong-clad villagers. Located south of Don
Khong, the islands are especially stunning during the rainy season when rice paddies in the
interior have been ploughed and planted in soothing hues of jade and emerald. Besides being
a picturesque little haven to while away a few days, the islands, linked by a bridge, provide
opportunities for some leisurely trekking, cycling and tubing. As yet, there only a handful of
motor vehicles on the islands, making them one of the precious few places in Southeast Asia
not harried by the growl and whine of motorbikes. There is, however, a fee of 25,000K (pay-
able at the bridge) to cross between the islands, but this includes access to Somphamit Falls.
Ban Khon
A delightfully sleepy place with a timeless feel about it, BANKHON , located on Don Khon
at the eastern end of the bridge, is the largest settlement on either island and has the most
upmarket accommodation . Quaintly decrepit French-era buildings with terracotta tile roofs
add some colonial colour to the village's collection of rustic homes of wood, bamboo and
thatch. A short walk west of the old railroad bridge, past the ticket booth, stands the village
monastery, Wat Khon Tai . Hidden behind the newly built sim is the laterite foundation of
what was once a Khmer temple dedicated to the god Shiva. As with several Buddhist temples
in southern Laos, this one was built on the ruins of an ancient Hindu holy site, suggesting
that the otherwise humble Ban Khon is around 1000 years old. On a pedestal nearby stands
a Shivalinga, which was probably enshrined in the original Khmer temple. Because Khmer
Shivalinga are usually simple and lack the intricate carving for which Khmer art is famous,
they are rarely the target of art thieves and so stand a better chance of remaining on or near
their original place of enshrinement.
Somphamit Falls
Taking the southwestern path behind Wat Khon Tai, you'll soon be aware of a low, almost in-
audible purr that gradually becomes a roar the further you proceed. After following the path
for around 1500m, you'll come to a ticket checkpoint (tickets for the old French bridge are
valid here) and then, a low cliff overlooking Somphamit Falls , a series of high rapids that
crashes through a jagged gorge. Fishermen can sometimes be seen carefully negotiating rick-
ety bamboo catwalks suspended above the violently churning waters.
The old railroad
To see the remnants of Laos's old French railroad , head south from the old railroad bridge.
A short distance back from the bridge lies the rusting locomotive that once hauled French
goods and passengers between piers on Don Khon and Don Det, bypassing the falls and rap-