The countryside hurtled by to the soundtrack of excruciatingly loud music and a blaring bus horn. Landmarks, and local villages, merely a blur as we shot past without slowing, barely missing small children, dogs, pigs and chickens… we didn’t miss the cow. I knew we were about to hit something when the driver hit the brakes so hard I was thrown forward in my seat. Transport in Laos can be an adventure and, for us, that adventure started a few days before the incident with the cow, and continued on for a couple of weeks there after…
In southern Laos, where the Mekong River flows into Cambodia, you will find a spectacular archipelago of islands, rocks and sandbars. This archipelago is called Si Phan Don, which translate to 4000 Islands. Si Phan Don is definitely the place to go if you want the laid-back bohemian lifestyle of backpackers, hammocks, and beer. Many people visit these islands for the type of relaxation that can only be found when the internet connection is so slow you will forgo the use of it to pursue other activities such as river tubing, kayaking, or watching endless episodes of “Friends” at the Friends Bar, all of which can be found here!