Don Det & The Bolaven Plateau
Si Phan Don, more commonly referred to as the ‘four thousand islands’, are located at the very southern end of Laos and straddle the Cambodian border. Among this stunningly beautiful maze of waterways is the palm-lined Don Det Island. After the chaos and confusion of a big city, Don Det seems like heaven on earth as nothing here is rushed and time passes by with no-one watching it. There aren’t many culturally important sites to see on the island, but with that being said the island itself and its tranquil surroundings are the real reason people come here. Anywhere you walk you will be greeted by smiling locals, stunning islands and a true sense of calm.
My days here were spent cycling around the island, relaxing in one of the many riverside cafes and watching spectacular sunsets. It seems more appropriate to simply show you some of my photographs rather than describing exactly where and how I got them, as this being such a small place they all tend to be very similar in explanation, although not so in appearance – hopefully my photographs will give you a better sense of this tranquil place more so than my words!
The next stop I had planned was to the Bolaven Plateau, and sadly I had just a single day to see the highlights. I decided it would be best to arrange a tour, so as to not waste time by inevitably getting lost on the small roads that criss-cross the area. After visiting several tour agencies I found a company who would take me to an animist Katu village and to see the famous Tad Lo waterfall the following day.
We arrived in a small Katu village where thankfully one of the villagers agreed to take us around and explain a little about the culture and beliefs of the Katu tribe. We were met by curious eyes as we walked around the village but after a while people really warmed to us and through our guide we had some fun conversations, the women were especially pleased with my photographs and kept bringing more and more of their children out so they could have their picture taken too!
The final stop was to the cool and peaceful Tad Lo waterfall, I had arranged to stay here longer than most visitors do as I planned to use my LEE Big Stopper to capture the flowing water and this beautiful place. After a few hours and countless walks up and down the river I felt happy with my work and so headed back to Pakse for my final night in Laos.
My South East Asian experience has come to a temporary halt as I head over to the Indian Subcontinent. For the next 4 months I will be travelling around India, experiencing and seeing a totally different side of what Asia has to offer and of course always striving to get that perfect photograph…
To see the full gallery of images from Laos please click here
