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If you
are patient and willing to sit and wait and you are very lucky, you may
see some of the world's most elusive creatures - freshwater Irrawaddy
dolphins.
These beautiful animals live in the Mekong in the far south of Laos, at
the point where the river forms the border between Laos and Cambodia.
News of the existence of this rare creature has spread and, every year,
increasing numbers of tourists visit the site to see the popular river
dolphins. One visitor talked about his experience when he saw a group of
dolphins emerging from the water as he was sitting in a boat. "The
dolphins surfaced quite close to the boat. I wanted to take a photo, but I
couldn't prepare the camera because I didn't know where the dolphins would
emerge," he said.
Freshwater dolphins are not the only attraction in this most southerly
part of Laos. There are also some spectacular waterfalls and hundreds of
uninhabited islands.
Khon Pha Pheng is one of the biggest waterfalls in the world. The
thunderous sound of the waterfalls cascading from rock to rock can be
heard for miles around and there are areas where people can bathe and
relax. The waterfall-viewing tower, where people can take photos, is
located on the banks of the Mekong River.
In the southwestern part of Khon Pha Pheng, there are hundreds of islands.
The bigger islands are full of villages and rice fields including Don
(which means island) Khone, Don Nangloi, Don Huat, Don Than, Don Ikam and
Don Hai and most of its inhabitants rely on farming to live.
Si Phan Don is a peaceful and tranquil place for people to spend their
holiday. Some may never want to return home such is the beauty of these
four thousand islands in southern Laos.
Si Phan Don is rich for agricultural production and also a home of dozens
of fish species in the region. Its fish are considered to be the best dish
in the region.
From Pakse town in Champassak province, you can take a passenger truck to
Nakasung village, Khong district, Champassak province and a boat to Don
Det, a village on the island.
The boat trip is characterised by a spectacular view of the islands, and
you can see local villagers fishing or hanging nets in the river. There is
a concrete bridge linking Don Det and Ban Khone.
Don Det was an old shipping port, which used to ship goods from Cambodia
and on to Ban Khon by train, before being carried to town. Today the old
rail tracks can still be seen in the villages. Restaurants and
accommodation is available for tourists in the villages if they want to
stay overnight. The price of food and guesthouse accommodation is cheap
and the guesthouses are all locally made. Don Det is very close to Khon
Phan Pheng and Hangkhone, where the dolphins can be seen.
"Some tourists have spent their holiday there for over two weeks to
experience the way of life of local people while enjoying watching the
river dolphins," said Mr Bounkhan Khanthong, an official from the
provincial tourism office of Champassak.
He said that in peak season the number of tourists visiting the area
increased to 800 people. There are several tour operators in the
provincial town.
Another option for intrepid travellers wanting to explore the islands and
see river dolphins is to go to Vernkham village in Khong district by
passenger truck and take a boat to Hangkhone. Restaurants and guesthouses
are available to guests.
Vernkham village is about 165 km from the Pakse provincial town. There are
also markets in the village, where tourists can buy souvenirs.
Source:
www.vientianetimes.org.la
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