Leave Vientiane behind as you board the VIP night bus from Vientiane Bus Station to Pakse around 6:30 pm. If you haven't booked your previous accommodation with Go Beyond Asia, please make sure you inform us your hotel name, and we will prepare the bus tickets for you. Self-transfer from your hotel to the bus station in Vientiane.

Accommodation: VIP overnight bus

Bicycle the Don Khone and explore the Mekong and other islands by boat
As night turns into morning and the sun rises, you will arrive in Pakse. Your guide will meet you at the bus station and together you travel to the 4000 islands by local bus. The destination is Don Khone, the biggest of the islands, and a true Lao experience.

Jump on a bicycle with your guide and discover the island together. Pick up trails that lead through the forests and past rice fields to hidden rapids and sandy beaches. From bicycle to long tail boat you will set out to explore the other islands. In around 1.5 hours you will go down the Mekong river and take in the local life, the forest, the colonial past and if you are lucky, spot the frolicking Irrawaddy dolphins.

Once back at your guesthouse, you have the rest of the day free to spend at your own pace.

Your guide will at this point give you the needed information for your onwards trip to Siem Reap on day 4 incl. handing you the bus tickets.

Meals: Lunch
Accommodation: Overnight at Sala Donkhone, or similar

Enjoy a free day to explore Don Khone and the 4000 islands as to your own liking. Why not visit the old bridge and river embankment, both built during the colonial French period? Or see the local fishermen doing their daily work on the Mekong, visit the thundering Somphamit waterfall and the largest waterfall in Southeast Asia, Khonephapheng. And if you weren't lucky on day one, don't miss your chance to try your luck to see the rare Irrawaddy Dolphins at the Southern tip of the island.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Overnight at Sala Donkhone, or similar

Cross the border between Laos and Cambodia and flow overland to Siem Reap
You will be picked up from your guesthouse in the morning. Cross by ferry to Nakaxang and jump on the bus to the Lao-Cambodia border. You will cross the border by yourself, and right on the other side a representative will await you, holding a sign with your name. You will be shown the way to a shared minivan and flow overland towards Siem Reap.

Upon arrival, check-in to your accommodation and you will have the rest of the day free for you to explore the city and surroundings.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Overnight at La Niche d'Angkor Bourtique Hotel, or similar

Check out from your hotel in the morning, and proceed to your next destination.

If you need help with onwards transport to Phnom Penh or Bangkok, fancy a bit of inspiration or want to explore Cambodia beyond the ordinary, feel free to contact us and we will help according to your needs.