LA · Champasak Province · 14.05°N 105.84°E

si phan don

Small Mekong islands, bicycle lanes and roaring river falls near Cambodia.

Best time
November to February is dry and cool, and the low river shows off the islands' sandy edges. March to May gets very hot, peaking in April; August and September bring heavy rain and a high, fast river.
How long
3 days
Getting there
No direct flight from KL. Fly to Vientiane and connect to Pakse (about 1 hour), or fly via Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani and cross into Laos by road. From Pakse it's about 2.5 hours south to Nakasang, then a 10-minute boat to Don Det or Don Khon. Laos is 1 hour behind KL.
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LA · Champasak Provincesi phan don14.05°N 105.84°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Small Mekong islands, bicycle lanes and roaring river falls near Cambodia.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingSi Phan DonLA, Champasak Province
KLsi phan don
≈ 1,296 km from KL, as the crow flies
River bank of the island of Don Khon with stilt wooden houses, in sunshine at golden hour, seen from Don Det (Si Phan Don, Laos).

Photo: Basile Morin · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Just above the Cambodian border, the Mekong spreads out into a maze of channels and islands, the 4,000 Islands. Don Det and Don Khon are joined by an old French railway bridge and made for hammocks, bicycles and the roar of the falls.

Makan

  1. Mok paMekong fish steamed with herbs in a banana leaf, with sticky rice.Map ↗
  2. Tam mak hoongGreen papaya salad with chilli, lime and fermented fish sauce.Map ↗
  3. Khao niao mak muangSticky rice with coconut cream and mango, in season from March to May.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Don Det and Don Khon by bicycleFlat dirt lanes past rice fields and stilt houses, with the old railway bridge between the two islands.Map ↗
  2. Li Phi FallsA long stretch of rapids on Don Khon, where the river tears through channels in the rock.Map ↗
  3. Khone Phapheng FallsA wall of white water on the mainland, the biggest falls on the Mekong.Map ↗
  4. The old French railwayRusting locomotives and a loading pier from the line built to carry boats around the falls.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Don Det has the cafés and bungalows; Don Khon is quieter and closer to the falls.
  • Halal food is close to non-existent on the islands. Fish, eggs and vegetable dishes are the fallback, so bring snacks from Pakse.
  • The falls and rapids are for watching, not swimming; the currents are deadly.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.