4000 reasons to visit the 4000 Islands

We left Vang Vieng at around 1pm for our trip to the 4000 Islands. We took a small bus, a sleeper bus, another small bus and a boat to get here. We were tired when we pulled up here yesterday at midday but happy to be on this little island paradise, Don Det.

I absolutely love it here on this peaceful island. I can't even begin to explain the beauty that surrounds the island. The clear water, long sunsets, lazy days, bike riding and swimming.

"Tubing" in Vang Vieng after the shutdown

To travel 160km in a mini van in Laos is rather labourious. You see the roads in this country are so bad that a 2 hour journey is around 8 hours. There are plenty of things to see though and the villages you drive through show people enjoying their day to day lives, kids playing and people working.

Cows wandering around on the road on our way to Vang Vieng

In the mini van we met an awesome German couple, Lina and Benny, and hung out with them whilst we were in Vang Vieng.

We stayed in little bungalows across the river in Vang Vieng. At the Banana Bungalows Sonja and I paid 25,000 Kip (of $3.00 Australian) each a night for our private bungalow with our own bathroom and beautiful view of the mountains.

Our accomodation at Banana bungalows

Backpacking in Luang Prabang, Laos

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We flew into Luang Prabang, Laos on the afternoon of the 12th of November. It feels a lot like the town of Hoi An in Vietnam and has a real French feel to it (not that I have been to France yet). Lots of bakeries and cafes. Beautiful streets, many people cycling, beautiful scenery, the river is on both sides of the town and there are little restaurants where you can sit on a mat on the ground and eat dinner.

Street food in the markets