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Don Det
From Wikitravel
Don Det is an island in Si Phan Don in Laos.
[edit] Understand
Don Det used to be a really off the beaten track place only five to ten years ago. While even still today you won't find the same crowds here as in Vang Vieng for example, tens of guesthouses have mushroomed around this once well kept secret. The installation of electricity poles and wires is now completed and Don Det will have 24 hour electrical service. This will most likely lead to increasingly more services and development.
Mostly backpackers in their 20's and 30's come to this island to relax. Some stay a day or two, some for weeks and a few have decided to stay for good.
[edit] Get in
By boat
- Ban Nakasang is 2 1/2 hours by mini bus or around 3 1/2 hours by local transport from Pakse. Local public transport leaves from the southern bus the station in Pakse.
- Cambodia The prices recently are actually more expensive for the local transport than they are for the chicken bus. Many visitors like the local style transport but if price is an issue for you then by all means shop around.
[edit] Get around
Don Det is a small island. Walking around it takes an hour or two. It is possible to rent bicycles for 8,000 kip (although cycles in decent shape are usually 10,000 Kip) from guesthouses and restaurants.mountain bikes with 21 gears go for about twice that. Most tourists who do this cycle over the old railway bridge to Don Khon. The cost of crossing the bridge is 9,000 for a day pass.
[edit][add listing] See
There are not so many temple or culturally important sites to see in Don Det. That being said the island and tranquil surroundings are the real gem people come to see. Anywhere you walk you will be greeted by smiling locals, stunning islands and scenery and a new experience. The temple on Don Kon is interesting enough and has a very old stupa that is not typical for the region. It is also on the way to the waterfall.
[edit][add listing] Do
If laying in a hammock in front of your bungalow isn't enough for you, there are some other very relaxing things to do in Don Det:
- Swim in the Mekong River. There is a little beach where boats drop people off. It's possible to swin in the waters infront of most of the guesthouses. There are even little fish in the water, which nibble off dead foot skin, if you keep still enough. edit
- Tubing. Rent a tube and float in the Mekong river for a few hours. 5,000 kip. edit
- Waterfalls. Go see waterfalls on Don Khon island. edit
- Dolphin Watching. Take a boat tour and see dolphins edit
- Take any one of the numerous scenic tours to outlying islands. The sunset barbeque tours offered going north of the island to pristine sand beaches are also quite good. The people in this region are the main asset and do not hesitate to mingle with them. Even if the language is a barrier they will be more than nice.
[edit][add listing] Buy
Your only option for getting money is at Ban Kee Nak, where they do cash advances through either Visa or Mastercard. There are no ATM as of the time of writing. They also provide western union services for emergencies.
[edit][add listing] Eat
The food situation is always changing now and has gone from simple dishes like fried rice to Belgium stew soaked in Guinness. How you choose to eat in the area will depend upon your budget and personal preferences. The following is a small preview of what you might expect.
- Mr Mans restaurant (opposite Mr Mans accommodation) has an excellent and inexpensive menu. Their lentil curry and rice soup are highly recommended!
- Bakery: Surprisingly Don Det has its very own bakery. Serves carrott cake, various muffins and fresh breads cooked daily by Darren's expert hands.
- King Kong restaurant located in the south of Don Det has an ever increasing array of western foods. Including pizza, fish and chips and sunday roasts. The owner, Mini is quite a friendly and cordial guy.
- For authentic homestyle Laotian cooking Mr. Vong's restaurant approximately 500 meters north of the bridge offers very good local food and is very affordable. The proprietor speaks some of the best English on the island and is a wealth of local information.
[edit][add listing] Drink
Beer Lao available everywhere for 10000 Kip.
A plastic water bottle of rice whiskey (lao lao) is also widely available for 10,000 Kip.
Marijuana is widely available anywhere on the island but should be used discretely. Unlike Vang Vieng the police don't make a business in collusion with dealers to bust people but that is subject to change at any moment. So far there are not many places offering 'happy shakes' but if you find a 'hangover special breakfast' it could have Valium or other drugs in it. If this isn't your thing avoid such places.
[edit][add listing] Sleep
Dozens of Guesthouses from 10,000 Kip (although can be substantially more during the peak season) a night and up - all have basic bungalows that usually have a porch with a hammock, a bed and a mosquito net. There might be a little bit differences with conditions of bungalows, matrices and mosquito nets. Most important thing when selecting your accomodition is that do you want to stay at sunrise or sunset side of Don Det. Bungalows on sunrise side might get pretty warm early on morning resulting you to wake up earlier than you would like to.
In general the bungalows in the north and sunset tend to be more centered to the party crowd and the places in the south tend to get more of the nature lovers. The area around sunset and Hua Det are higher density tourist areas and the feeling of being in Laos is being somewhat lost. Avoid buying tours from such locations as they charge much more than other places.
Don't expect late nights out partying though because there is a curfew that often times changes it is now 11 PM closing time strictly enforced. In the areas away from the main settlements you can still basically walk around at will if you fancy a midnight stroll.
[edit] Contact
There are three internet cafes on the island. They charge 400 kip per minuite. Taking into account that they haven't got mains electricity yet, this is pretty amazing.
Alternatively if you have have a SIM card and a laptop or a smart phone you can avoid the net cafes altogether. The prices for connecting at them is quite expensive by Lao standards and if you can do as much of your online business while you are in Pakse. Tigo claims to offer EDGE services but the coverage is sort of bad. ETL offers slower GPRS data connections but is more reliable. Either way the service is dirt cheap. Buy your SIM in Pakse at either office and have them connect it for you before going onwards.
With the recent installation of microwave towers and power poles the prices of connectivity should drop dramatically as has been the case in other places in Laos.
[edit] Get out
- Don Khon - An aged colonial era bridge built by the French connects the islands of Don Det and Don Kon. It is possible to visit the Dolphin viewing area and the waterfall before exiting to Cambodia. The prices for this service exceed those of what you can expect to depart from Nakasang but you need a combination of boats and ground transport to do it this way. Depending on your budget it is well worth it.
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