Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ids that block this stretch of the river. Nearby, behind thick brush bordering rice fields, is an
overgrown
Christian cemetery
that includes the neglected tomb of a long-forgotten French
family that died on the same day in 1922 - some say murdered by their Vietnamese do-
mestics. It is actually possible to follow the former railroad all the way across both islands;
however, with the exception of two alarmingly precarious bridges constructed from railroad
scrap and lengths of rail recycled as fences, there are few signs that a railway ever existed.
Ban Hua Det
Walk from Don Khon to Don Det, following the 3km elevated trail that runs north from the
railway bridge, and you'll arrive at the bustling backpacker enclave of
Ban Hua Det
, at the
northern end of the island. Here, dozens of tourist-friendly
guesthouses,bungalowsandres-
taurants
have sprung up just a stone's throw from an incongruous industrial structure once
used for hoisting cargo from the train onto awaiting boats; it's all that remains of the rail-
road's northern terminus. In just a few short years the place has grown into a mini version of
Koh Phangan, and construction continues apace to keep up with the influx of visitors, many
of whom arrive here for the joints and happy shakes that local bars sell openly. Needless to
say, if you'd rather be woken up by the crowing of a rooster than the screech of a band saw
or partying backpacker, stay further south.
Khon Phapheng Falls
30,000K ∙ Most tourists visit the falls as a package from Don Khong (see the section
On a tour
)
, but it is also
possible to get here by motorbike (take the bike across the river using the car ferry and ride south along Route
13)
Despite technically being the largest waterfall in Southeast Asia,
KhonPhapheng
, to the east
of Don Khon, is not all that spectacular. Indeed, it's best described as a low but wide rock
shelf that just happens to have a huge volume of water running over it. The drop is highest
during the March-May dry season and becomes much less spectacular when the river level
rises during the rainy season. Still, the sight of all that water crashing down on its way to
Cambodia is quite mesmerizing, and a well-built tourist pavilion above the falls provides an
ideal place to sit and enjoy the view. There's also no shortage of food shacks serving snacks.
