Big Waterfall Khone Phapheng

Watch the fishermen effortlessly jump from rock to rock through the rapids as they tend to their traps. Listen to the water roaring over Khone Phapheng falls, the largest falls in Southeast Asia and the reason boats can’t transverse the Mekong to China. The falls are home to the huge, and endangered, plabuck catfish, which can grow up to 3m (10 feet.) The fee to enter the falls for foreigners is 55,000 kip ($6.60 USD) and includes a shuttle around the property.

Irrawaddy Dolphins

Called Pah Kha in Lao, the one critically endangered pod of Irrawaddy Dolphins in Si Phan Don lives just south of Don Sanlat. Boats can be chartered from the beach at the southwest coast of Don Khon or from ferry pier at the southernmost tip of the island for less than $10 USD per hour. Sightings are best in the early mornings or early evenings. Bring some water as many of the boats are uncovered, leaving you exposed to the sun. Then, with the engine off and a little patience, you will see dolphins, albeit from a distance. Forget trying to take photos unless you’re a professional nature photographer and simply take in the sounds and sights of these majestic animals.

Old French Railroad Locomotive

An outdoor display on Don Khon shows a rusted French engine from the late 1800s, when the French built a 7km railroad line to bypass Khone Phapheng falls and create a trade route from Cambodia up the Mekong to Laos and eventually China. The French loaded the boats onto rail cars below the falls then put them back in the water above the falls. The operation was abandoned in 1940 when a road was built around the falls. Today, you can check out the display and stand on the bridge between Don Det an Don Khon, which was formerly for trains but is now open to foot traffic and two-wheeled vehicles.

Watch the sunset

Anywhere western-facing is a great place to stop what you’re doing at 6 pm and watch the sun sink over the Mekong River, making the water sparkle. One favourite place to watch the sunset is from the historic French railroad bridge that connects Don Det and Don Khon. Lao people and visitors alike flock to the bridge around 5 pm to chat and watch the brilliant colours light up the sky. Bring a headlamp or flashlight to help you navigate back to your guest house after the sun goes down. With no streetlights, the bumpy dirt roads and bamboo bridges can be especially challenging to navigate at night.

According to theculturetrip.com

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