I have been to a lot of relaxing places in my travels. Caye Caulker in Belize springs to mind, where hours can be passed away in a hammock. Or Zanzibar off the coast of Kenya, where it’s difficult to move off the pure white sand beaches. But Si Phan Don (which means 4000 islands), or in particular, the island of Don Det, may just be the most relaxing yet. And not for any particular activity. Rather the absence of activities. Yes there are things to do and see, if you can scrounge up the energy, but in the heat of the month of June that is a very difficult thing to do.
My six night stay on Don Det commenced with a violent stomach bug. I had checked into a bungalow, fan only, with a hammock out front, perfect for the relaxing I was planning to do. It didn’t take long to realise though that the fan wasn’t going to do much, and even breathing while laying completely still on the bed was enough to bring me out in a sweat. It was so hot that I couldn’t even eat lunch, I just had a banana shake instead. Shortly after the shake I knew something was wrong. I lay in bed for a while but the feeling wouldn’t pass, and I knew if I was going to be sick that I wanted to be in a more comfortable room, with air con, and a toilet that actually flushed (I thought the latter was very important considering how I was feeling). I moved up the road (path) to a large guesthouse, and within two minutes of checking into my room I was violently ill. Ugh. I didn’t even have my bags, they were still in the bungalow, and they stayed there the night as I was too ill to move.
Thankfully the worst of the bug passed in about 24 hours, but I took it easy for the next four days and didn’t stray much from the guesthouse, except to eat with friends. It was just what I needed, and what Don Det is perfect for, relaxing, doing absolutely nothing, and not feeling (too) guilty about it.
The Lonely Planet describes Don Det as a place where travellers come to stay for a few days, and end up staying weeks. Over time I’ve kind of worked out that this usually means there are drugs in easy supply, and it was no different here. It was so in your face that the cafes and restaurants even advertise happy shakes and space cakes. I saw the same people in the same restaurants every day, so stoned they were barely able to function. Another reason it’s difficult to do anything on these islands.
There are of course activities available. You can hire a bicycle and ride slowly around the island which is only 4 km long and not very wide. You can also ride over the bridge to neighbouring island Don Khon to visit the Li Phi Waterfalls. You can do both of these walking slowly as well. Further onto Don Khon you can go to the viewing point to try and spot the rare Irrawaddy dolphin, but a sighting is not guaranteed. You can lay in a hammock all day. You can sit in Adam’s Bar all day and watch movies on his big screen TV. There’s kayaking trips as well, but that seemed a bit to energetic for me.
Wandering slowly around the island is a pleasant way to pass the early morning or late afternoon when it’s not as hot. Once past all the guesthouses and bungalows it is very rural, with cows, water buffalo, pigs and chickens galore. The waterfall on Don Khon was a sight to behold even in the dry season, so I can imagine they must be spectacular once the rainy season starts. All in all a great way to end my time in Laos and take a break from the hectic pace I’d set myself.
