Don Khon

Laos Map | 2007/08 Asia Trip Itinerary | Home Page 11 of 11 | Page Up 

Tat Somphamit Rapids on Mae Ban Khong - Mother River

The French had grand plans to dominate the main trade route through Asia and up into China Via Lao, their landlocked colony and the Mekong was to be the means to achieve that.  Unfortunately the series of rapids in the islands of Southern Laos thwarted them

After much deliberation and study, their response was to build a 7km portage railway and viaduct linking the islands of Don Det and Don Khon.  They built a pier on the southern end of Don Khon equipping it with a steam hoist to lift cargo from the boats on the river and deposit them on flatbed railway cars.   They were then pulled by one of two little wood burning engines

The Little Engine That Could, circumvent the Falls that is                  

French viaduct now a footpath/road between islands
Once over the elegant viaduct the goods were returned to the Mekong for onward travel.  This was the only railway in Laos until 2009
The tiny narrow gauge railway is not the only remnant of Indochine, but some are in better shape than others

Skipping in the schoolyard

 
Auberge Sala Don Khong formerly owned by the Transport company " Les Messageries Maritimesnow",  first high end hotel on Don Khon 

On a hot hot day there is nothing nicer than sitting on a rock with a good book, cooling ones feet in Mother River

Find the 'marina', negotiate with a boatman and head downstream to illegally land on a Cambodian sandbar to see the endangered Irrawaddy Dolphins.  Mornings or evenings are the best time to go and the Spring months afford the best chance to see the few that remain.  We did see them but at a great distance

         V.I.P. Very Important Poultry                    

                                                               
Leaving  Lovely Laidback Laos

All good things come to and end, we left our floating bungalow on a narrow long tail boat at 6.15 a.m. We hauled our stuff up the beach and along a dirt track to take the local bus for a 3 hour drive to Pakse

From there we travelled on 7 other vehicles to cross the Thai border at Ubon Ratchathani in order to board the 11 hour sleeper to Bangkok

At every juncture someone with whom we had no common language, looked out for us, making sure we got on the right vehicle, travelling in the right direction.  It was a long day on the road but we certainly enjoyed seeing the rural life and the  electrification of Southern Laos zip by our window

Along the highways  (oxymoron alert) the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic was erecting pylons and beginning to run the wires.  Word was they were taking power to the Islands and once it arrives they will never be the same again but hopefully better for the local people, as they deserve the best 

 
Laos Map | 2007/08 Asia Trip Itinerary | Home Page 11 of 11 | Page Up