Central to Southern Laos

Our first stop in Laos, Savannakhet, is a fading French colonial city along the Mekong featuring wide streets and crumbling architecture. Without the cars they were designed for, the wide boulevards were very pleasant to walk along.

Look at what she is WEARING

From Savannakhet, we headed south on our bikes. We took Highway 13 all the way down to Si Phan Don ("4000 Islands"), the southern tip of Laos. We broke the route at Pakse to do a loop around (and up up down) the Bolavan Plateau, stopping each night at a different waterfall.

We started out by going Savannakhet - Paksong - Muang Khongsedon - Pakse. The Bolovan was then Pakse - Tad Fan - Tad Lo - Tad Pasuame. We finished off Highway 13 by going Champasak - Don Khong - Don Khon.

Waterfall #1: Tad Fan

We saw these "candle rail" Nagas on our way to Tad Lo. The road was dirt, and everything around was an undecorated shack. The temple and the rails that led up to it were gold painted and shone from the landscape, showing their importance to the village.

Nagas were some of my favorite Buddhist sculptures. The Naga was a snake with many heads that protected the Buddha while he sat and meditated.

At Tad Lo we decided to trade our bikes for an elephant... then we realized that we probably wouldn't be able to find any guesthouses for the three of us (sorry Mun!).

Mun closeup.

Tad Phasoume by night (waterfall #3).

The day we biked from Champasak to Don Khong was 107 km in the intense heat of Southern Laos. There were also very few villages along the way, but there were these helpful "rest huts" where the shade was most welcome.

We relaxed for a few days on one of the 4000 islands in the middle of the Mekong called Don Khon. We did a lot of sleeping, swimming, reading books, eating great Lao food and meeting and spending time with other cycle tourists (and their families!)... hello Livi (Livi's Family), Jut, Tom and Trev!

Laos has dogs for everyone!

The kids taking the boat for a spin.