2015 Q4 4NR: 05 Khong Island, Laos – Four Thousand Islands...

“Travel is about the gorgeous feeling of teetering in the unknown…”

(A mini Niagara Falls of Laos)

Day 05: 14 December 2015 (Monday)
Route: Stung Treng – Khong Island
Distance: 147 km

We gathered at the hotel restaurant early in the morning to have breakfast together and to clear off last night’s jitters among the riders.

We rode 80 km out of Stung Treng on AH11 towards the Cambodia/Laos border. The road leading to the border was not in the best of condition. Riding on some stretches of the undulating road was bumpy and dusty trying our best to avoid large potholes and rocks.

Border clearance at the Dom Kralor Cambodia border was smooth. Riders need to pay US$10 for a Temporary Custom Permit to bring our motorcycles out of Cambodia. At the Nong Nok Kheane Laos border the immigration and passport control process was simpler. We only need to submit the Arrival/Departure Form and got our passport stamped without any fee.

From the border we rode towards Khong Island where we planned to stay a night there. 13 km from the border, we made a detour to Khone Pha Pheng Falls located on the Mekong river in southern Laos near the Cambodian border. The cascading Khone waterfalls and rapids, also known as ‘mini Niagara Falls’ are the largest in Southeast Asia. It was worth the trip as the scenery is breath-taking.

We stayed for a while, absorbing the beautiful view of the falls. The Khone Pha Pheng falls are the main reason why the over 4,000 km long Mekong river is not navigable by ship from South China Sea to China.

After having a tall glass of iced coffee and a good rest, we continued riding towards Khong Island or Don Khong which is the largest among the 4,000 islands noted for its beauty and is a growing tourist destination. We checked in Pon’s Riverside Guesthouse and had seafood lunch at the restaurant by the river watching the sleepy, laid back way of life passed us by.

In the afternoon we rented a boat and went for a cruise on the Mekong. Tonight we celebrated Mat Putt’s birthday and spent time on the boat watching the beautiful sunset.

(Colorful buildings of Stung Treng)

(Ready to cross Cambodia/Laos border)

(Riding out of the town of Stung Treng)

(Crossing Cambodia-China Friendship bridge)

(Off-roading towards the border)

(Final refueling in Cambodia)

(Careful of bumpy road on damaged tarmac)

(Arriving at the Cambodia/Laos border) 

(Temporary parking to check on documents)

(Passport stamping at Cambodia Immigration Post)

(Hassle free border crossing)

(Detouring to Khone Pha Pheng Waterfalls)

(Quite an expensive entrance fee for foreigners)

(A short walk to the falls and rapids)

(A breath-taking beautiful scenery)

(Cascade of rapids on the Mekong River)

(A couple shot at the waterfalls)

(A discovery of a new scenic place)

(Riding with a disciplined formation)

(Typical Laotian houses in the village)

(Riding across a newly built bridge to Khong Island)

(Many quiet riverside resorts on the island)

(The mighty Mekong running through seven countries) 

(Bus and boat services available)

(Getting ready for a boat tour on the Mekong)

(Many long-tail boats for hire)

(Happy faces, on a sun-set boat tour)

(Fishing boats scattered here and there)

(A tranquil sight of the sun-set on the horizon)

 2015 Q4: 06 Khong Islands – Pakse, Laos👉

👈2015 Q4: 04 Siem Reap - Stung Treng, Cambodia