The Mekong river running wild - a photo on Flickriver

© all rights reserved

Please take your time... and enjoy it large on black

Don Det is an island in Laos near the border of Cambodia. Here the Mekong river splits into many river arms. In the dry season, when the water level drops, thousands of islands and sandbanks arise - hence the name of Si Phan Don or four thousand islands. The larger islands are permanent above the water level. On these islands people live in villages cultivating rice and vegetables and catching fish. The landscape on the island is adorable with ricefields, waterbuffalos, rustic villages and friendly people. The island Don Som is a little more south in the Mekong river. The island has a superb natural environment. The ricefields on the island are bordered with palmtrees. Bamboo bushes and again palmtrees grow along the riverside. The villagers on the island built their houses in the cool shade underneath the trees along the riverside. They are not only farmers but craftsmen and fishermen as well. We are moving further south by boat from main island Don Khong to Don Det. A backpacker's paradise, nestled along the breathtaking Mekong River, Don Det is a perfect base for travelers exploring the area. Don Det is off the beaten path, so lacks the touristy feel of other destinations, but still offers beauty and adventure from the local waterfalls. A beautiful Laotian getaway. Further to the south is the island of Don Khone. This island close to the Cambodian border has many kapok trees, coconut palmtrees and bamboo bushes. Boats sailing the Mekong river up north could not go further at Don Khone because of the waterfalls. Further downstream, the Mekong roars over Khone Phapheng Falls. The drop is only about 21 meters, but the water volume is huge. Cambodia lies just a short distance further downriver. This 4200 kilometres long river starts in China and after having passed through Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam it ultimately flows into the South China sea. All this water has to pass through a narrow gorge and the sight of the waterfall is overwhelming. The largest waterfall in South East Asia by volume on the Mekong, Si Phan Don Four Thousand Islands. From here the Mekong fans out 14 kms wide creating islands and sandbars.

Millions upon millions of gallons of water drop down every minute here at the big falls. The Khone Phapheng waterfalls represents the largest volume of water passing from one level to another in the whole of Southeast The almost violently white waves, ribbons and showers of water that break over the Mekong rock basin here have quite an earth-juddering force of nature contained within them. Photo taken in the South of Laos near the border of Cambodia. Phapheng is intensely picturesque. Located upstream on a different branch of the mighty Mekong river at the northern edge of Khone Island, it is set amid a mass of jagged rocks. The Mekong forces an angry passage in a series of cascades. In the rainy season it throws up sheets of spray to the accompaniment of a continuous thunderous roar - an awesome sight.

Si Pan Don, ofwel vierduizend eilanden, is een verzameling bewoonde en onbewoonde eilandjes in de Mekong. De rivier is hier een maar liefst 14 km breed labyrint van zandplaten, eilanden, rotsen, stroomversnellingen en spectaculaire watervallen. De eilandjes liggen in het uiterste zuiden van Laos, tegen de grens met Cambodja en hebben een unieke flora en fauna. Ten zuiden van Si Pan Don maak je veel kans om de bedreigde zoetwaterdolfijn te zien. De eilandbewoners leven een ongestoord en traditioneel bestaan en verbouwen rijst, suikerriet en groente. Daarnaast weven ze hun eigen kleding en vangen ze vis in de Mekong. Verschillende eilandjes, zoals Don Khong, Don Det en Don Khone hebben guesthouses, zodat je hier uitstekend kunt island hoppen in de Mekong. Si Pan Don is de laatste jaren zeer populair geworden als budget bestemming bij backpackers, iets waar niet iedereen blij mee zal zijn. Ten oosten van Don Khone en iets ten zuiden van het plaatsje Ban Thakho liggen de spectaculaire Khone Phapheng stroomversnellingen. De altijd zo serene Mekong perst zich hier met donderend geraas door een nauwe doorgang en transformeert in een woeste watermassa.

Taken in: Cambodia / Stoeng Treng / Thala Barivat (show map)

Taken on: July 22, 2009

Tags:

Khone Phapheng falls

Khon Phapheng falls

Southern Laos

Mekong river

river river Breathtaking Mekong river

Don Khone

magnificent waterfalls

Mekong river 4200 km long

Narrow gorge

Asia Largest waterfall in South East Asia

Si Phan Don

four thousand islands

waterfalls and rapids of Khone Phapheng

largest volume of water passing

earth-juddering force

10 kilometers of the river's length

Rock basin

violently white waves, ribbons and showers of water

The lush green jungle

Force of nature

islands and countless waterways

Plabuck is largest freshwater fish in the world

The falls total height is 21 meters

Rainy season

Monsoon

Wet season

the sight of the waterfall is overwhelming

The mighty Mekong thundering down

Millions upon millions of gallons of water drop down every minute

The Khone waterfall

Catfish

Giant catfish

The river wild

The mekong river running wild!

50+Faves

top-f50

totallythailand

100+Faves

top-f100 « less

Sets appears in: • Laos • Freshwater more » • Waterfalls « less

Groups appears in: • 50-100 Faves • *GreatPixGallery 50 Faves+ more » • *GreatPixGallery 100 Faves+ • 100+ Faves 1-2-3 (Post one,Comment and Fave two) • Temporarely closed - sorry • **Over the Excellence** (Adm.INVITE only - com1) • De Doka • Het Doka Archief • dreams of love / Sogni di innamorati Sweeper active • ^The Beautiful Image TOP - Admin Invite Only - P 1 A 3 NO FRAME • Totally Thailand • 50+ Fav LANDSCAPE GEOTAGGED (Invited only) • ~ Flickr's Finest (100+ Faves Only) ~ • as beautiful as you want • Splendid Pictures/Admin Invite Only • Finest Images / (ad.inv.) No nudes / No semi nudes/ No Portrait • ! * Flickr Hive Mind Group / Administration • ***Tierra Madre*** / Admin Invite • Tell me a story... (Show & Tell) • ABC-visualized • Amazing Image: Natural Asia • Whispers of the Wilderness « less

Camera: Panasonic DMC-FZ8, f/5.6, 1/320 sec, 32.9mm, ISO 100 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Panasonic DMC-FZ8
Aperture:	f/5.6
Exposure Time:	0.003 sec (1/320)
Focal Length:	32.9mm
ISO:	100
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto bracket
Metering Mode:	Spot
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Paint Shop Pro Photo 12,01
Show full info

Stats: 58,244 views / 127 comments