In the extreme south of Laos the Mekong river breaks down into a miriad of arms and channels, which surround countless islands and islets. This region is called "Si Phan Don", which in Lao means "4000 islands". In the area there is a small population of Irrawaddy (river) dolphins. The entire area is very scenic and attracts a large number of tourists, but navigation by ships becomes impossible, especially because the river passes through the Khon Phapheng waterfalls. This is why the French built a railway to bypass this region for the transportation of goods.
The major islands, the ones with the best tourist infrastructure and which attract most of the tourists, are Don Khong (the largest and most developed) and the Don Khon and Don Det islands further to the south, which are less developed and (in 2005) still had no electricity.
Don Det island photo gallery  - 7 pictures of Don Det island
Don Khon island photo gallery  - 20 pictures of Don Khon island
Don Khong island photo gallery  - 24 pictures of Don Khong island
Mekong river photo gallery  - 26 pictures of Mekong river
Nakasang photo gallery  - 4 pictures of Nakasang
7 photos of Don Det island in the south of Laos at the border to Cambodia
20 photos of Don Khon, a small island close to the border to Cambodia
24 photos of Don Khong, a large island in the Mekong river, the largest in the 4000 islands region
26 photos of the Mekong river in the 4000 islands region
4 photos of Ban Nakasang, a small village where tourists take the boats to go to the islands
Veunkham photo gallery  - 4 pictures of Veunkham
4 photos of Veunkham, a small village in the south of Laos
Gallery with all images
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  • Laos 2005-06: 12 days spent travelling across northern, central and southern Laos
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