Lizard Days

posted by: Emma

We’re woken every morning by the soft ‘splosh’ of string fishing nets hitting the water, the slightly off-beat thump of a drum being hit at the temple across the river and the comically loud ‘eh-eeerh’ emitting from a gecko through our thin bamboo walls. Rising not long after the sun has pulled up into another brilliant blue, ‘no weather’ sky, we pull pillows, sleeping mats, books and computers onto our shady hammock-adorned deck and settle in for another day of idleness. Spending our last nine days in Laos on tiny Don Det island, the already slow pulse of our journey in Laos has come to a standstill.

Emma cycling on Don Det Emma working - Don Det bungalow

At the bottom of Laos, the wide arm of the Mekong  becomes many fingers sifting through clumps of earth, aptly named Si Phan Don (or 4000 islands). Many of these islands are barely big enough to support a single tree and disappear completely in the wet season. The close proximity of land and water supports a healthy ecosystem, with frogs and lizards making regular appearances around our bungalow, more birds than we’ve seen in the rest of Laos in the trees and the biggest population of bugs we’ve encountered since Mongolia. Watching the world go by is easier when it literally floats past.

Don Det is the most touristic of three populated islands in the Si Phan Don archipelago. After a long haul down from Xi Pian National Park, we transported ourselves and bikes by boat to the main village of Ban Hua Det and started down ‘Sunset Boulevard’ (really little more than a dirt track) looking for a bungalow we could call our own. Passing rickety shacks crowded along the waterfront, with grim-looking shared toilet blocks and not much in terms of shade, we stubbornly cycled on until we reached the much less developed southern tip of the island. There a hand-painted sign pointed along a wooden bridge to Cindy’s Guesthouse. The place had been open for less than a month, was cheap, down a dirt path far from the road, and with only four separate bungalows in a vast paddock, as far from the madding crowds as we could want to be.

Justin putting up hammock - Don Det bungalow Justin in Mekong river boat

Most days we only moved from our base for meals, with lots of cheap eats available within walking distance. Some mornings we cycled the 8km loop of dirt roads to the main village where proper English breakfast staples were available and other days we picked up vegetables to cook on our private deck. Some of the best Laos food we’ve tasted was at Mekong Dream, a restaurant even more memorable because of the warm welcome from the proprietors who are fond of topping up guests glasses and sitting down for a chat.

It was at Mekong Dream that we learnt about an upcoming boat race between neighbouring Don Det and Don Khon islands. The race seemed to be an excuse for two days of partying and our host, Mr Home had clearly been at the pre-race party for most of the day. That night live music floated across the water and we regretted that we were too tired to cross the nearby bridge to investigate.

Boy paddling boat Boat racing teams

We went to watch the boat race, amazed about the transformation of a small dusty strip of restaurants into something close to a festival site complete with huge sound system. Typical of other small town events we have attended, not much happened for a long while. When the race was finally underway, the boats disappeared from our start point view in minutes and we were left with no idea which team won.

That same day we caught a glimpse of the endangered Irrawaddy dolphins from the southern tip of Don Khon. At 7am we’re clearly the boat company’s first customers of the day and once a boatman was roused for us we had the privilege of being the only people out on the water. We spent an hour watching these shy animals as they peeked out of the water to breathe.

Fishing net in waterfall Children playing in village

The New Year creeps up on us, and could have snuck by unannounced if we weren’t determined to see it in appropriately. Gathering two sets of couples from bungalows next to ours, we headed to the bright lights of Ban Hua Det where a strip of pubs would surely be throbbing with NYE mayhem. Errr… or not. Arriving at 11pm we came across almost empty streets and sparsely populated bars. Whatever mayhem once earned Don Det its reputation as a Vang Vieng-style party place had clearly long drifted off. We backtracked rapidly to the one place we’d heard good music emitting from and joined the small throng in time to count down to 2012.

Sunset over Mekong

It was refreshing to talk with our German neighbours Victor and Sabrina who are two months through a six month backpacking trip, and had dedicated two weeks of that time to island life. Sabrina offers just one complaint – her feet get sandy. She says its necessary to complain about this because when you are somewhere like Don Det there really is little else to complain about.

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3 responses to “Lizard Days”

  • That’s the first I’ve heard of this corner of paradise in Laos. Sounds perfect.. except for the sand between the toes.

    • Amaya on January 10th, 2012 at 12:43 pm

  • Entertaining, informative and envy inducing as always.
    Sounds like the perfect new years eve : )

    • Lisa on January 11th, 2012 at 7:02 am

  • Amaya – hope you can make it there on your travels through Asia. You’re not that far behind us!
    Lisa – thanks for the comments and hope you had a good new years as well

    • Emma on January 18th, 2012 at 2:13 am

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