When you think of Laos, places like Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang usually spring to mind.
Don Det is one of the most underrated places in South East Asia and a place where time slows right down. It is part of what is known as The 4 000 Islands near the Laos-Cambodian border, surrounded by the Mekong River. In 2015, during my travels, I met a British backpacker named Alex at Kuang Si Waterfalls. We spent the following day riding paddle bikes and getting lost around Luang Prabang. While trading stories and tips, he told me of a magical place where swinging the day away in hammocks, finding an adventure, gazing at the most amazing sunsets and devouring homemade shakshukas were a daily occurrence. This place just so happened to be Don Det.

Don Det – off the beaten path in Laos

Since this place wasn’t on my radar, I went with minimal expectation and thought I’d check it out for a few days before moving on. While there isn’t an endless list of things to do, I was stuck there for over a week. I have no regrets, this island holds a very special place in my heart and whenever I think about it, I get the warm fuzzies. Here are a couple of reasons why everyone should make their journey down to pay this island a visit.

The sunsets are to die for

After hopping off the boat, you search for accommodation and find yourself torn between two sides of the island: Sunrise and Sunset. Spots along the riverbanks await, offering you the chance to watch the beautiful sunrise or sunset. It may come in the form of a hammock; cushions on the floor, moon chairs or proper tables, the options are endless.

Tip: My two favourite spots to catch the sunset are from Happy Bar and from Oi’s Place. Grab a couple of beers, sit back, relax and enjoy as time passes.
If you’re feeling hungry at Oi’s, definitely try her shakshuka.

Slow down

Throughout the years, I’ve noticed a majority of people (myself included) rushing through the region or any one of its many countries. A lot of people have to deal with time constraints and most have no idea when they may come back so naturally jam packing their schedules seems like an obvious solution – but in all honesty is extremely exhausting.
Sometimes it is nice to be able to take a break from endlessly moving around. That’s the best thing about Don Det, it isn’t difficult to stop and smell the roses. Throughout the country Laos implements an 11pm curfew so there isn’t any crazy partying until the wee hours. The entire day can be used exploring neighbouring islands and you’ll still have time to spend your days swinging on a hammock. The island is a great place to recharge before heading on your next fast paced adventure.

Tip: During my stay on the island, I rented out a private bungalow for USD$5 from Oi’s Place. It came with a hammock right on my porch with a view of the rice fields.

Chasing waterfalls

Has anyone actually taken TLC’s advice and NOT chased waterfalls? There’s an abundant supply of bike rentals around the island, hop on one and you’re on your way.

Tip: It’s almost impossible to get lost if you decide to rent a bike, there’s one main path around the island.

On the south side of Don Det, there is a bridge leading to the next island over, Don Khon. Here, there are signs leading you on your adventure but be warned, these aren’t you average waterfalls. Khone Phapheng Falls is the largest and one of the most powerful falls in South East Asia. It probably isn’t the best idea to attempt going for a swim.

What I found interesting about the waterfalls was the fishing method of the locals. A massive contraption is placed on the rocks at the bottom of the falls and the fishes naturally get thrown in by the force of the falls. It’s quite amazing watching the locals balance on the slippery rocks while gathering their catch of the day.

Bon fire and good times

On the sunset side, keep a look out for Happy Bar. Some days, they do trips out to a “beach”, which in reality is a small island in the middle of the Mekong and get a bon fire going. Hop on a little boat and ride about 15 minutes or so upstream and viola, a nice plot to start the sunset festivities. Manni (a British backpacker who has been living on Don Det for the last few years) runs it and he’s such a great laugh. Your impeccable bonfire skills guarantee you’ll have a great time. The best bit of the day is when he pits everyone up against each other with a stack of friendly yet competitive games. Turns out intoxicated me is very competitive.

Tip: If you walk further upstream, you can jump in and the currents will carry you down, almost like a natural slide.

Laotian BBQ

Throughout my travels through Laos, I never came across the concept of a traditional Laotian BBQ. I’m not even sure how I managed to remain so ignorant. Luckily for me, I was on Don Det so I didn’t have to look far to experience it.

Gather around a table with a sizable group, and enjoy drinks and the meal together. Place the pot atop burning coal, let the surrounding “moat” contain the flavorful broth, and place a metallic dome in the center to let the meat sizzle. I personally think it’s got elements of both Korean BBQ (BBQing your food on a grill at your table) and Japanese shabu-shabu (boiling off your ingredients).

If you’ve ever had to cook your own meal in a hot-pot, you’ll kind of know the drill. First goes in the vegetables as they cook the longest. Instead of using oil, they place a couple of slabs of pork lard on the highest part of the dome. The fats drip down the dome, cooking off your assortment of meats and preventing them from sticking. Dipping sauces add extra flavor, even though the meats already soak in a delicious marinade.

Tip: I can’t quite recall how we ended up having a Lao BBQ but I recall that it wasn’t on the menu. Ask around and suss out where you can get your hands on this because you definitely need to try it.

Kayaking along the Mekong

There’s one tour that I’d recommend you should do and that is kayaking along the Mighty Mekong.
Your day starts off reasonably early and goes for the entire day. While you mostly explore Don Det and its neighboring islands in the kayak, you also visit some waterfalls, cross a questionable bridge, join local kids during their playtime at the local market, and enjoy lunch in Cambodia! Since you’re extremely close to the Laos-Cambodian border, the best spot to have lunch is on the Cambodian side of town.

In case you didn’t know, there are dolphins inhabiting this part of the Mekong. My guide told me about the Irrawaddy Dolphins, revealing that only five remain in the wild in this section. This situation is tragic since they are critically endangered. Although I couldn’t capture a photo of the dolphins playing, witnessing them was truly remarkable before they disappear for good.

Being such a small island, everyone ends up crossing paths multiple times (especially if you stay on one side of the island) and it is really a tight-knit community. During the time I spent there, I met heaps of expats/backpackers living in Don Det and absolutely loved the island. It’s really not hard to see why. At the end of the day, almost everyone knows each other and it’s incredibly hard to leave this amazing bunch of people. Regrettably, my time on the island ended when I accepted admission into my master’s program and moved my entire life to the other side of the world.

Nonetheless, I will be back soon Don Det. You haven’t seen the last of me!

Thinking of visiting Laos? Pin it!

Peace, love and good vibes