Kayaking around the 4000 islands

Mar 30, 2010
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G'day All,

This is not a ride report.

Seeing the recent post by VietHorse (4 nation ride Vietnam - Cambodia - Laos _ Thailand)
https://www.gt-rider.com/thailand-motorcycle-forum/showthread.php/38814-4-Nation-ride-Vietnam-Cambodia-Laos-Thailand/page2?p=292694#post292694

Plus his fantasic pic at Khone Phapheng Waterfall
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Bought back some great memories of a 5 day kayaking trip a bunch of mates and I did in 2009.

Some pictures for those that would like to stop and smell the roses and explore the area by Kayak.
Truly fantastic and I want to do this again..

More to this area than Khong island and a sandy beach...

As it is so long ago I can't really remember much of the story.. Will be mostly pictures and not in any specific order.

The Gang just after crossing at Chong Mek (Lao Guide on the right)
We all know each other through work or friends of friends through work.

Mick and Antony both accomplished kayakers, bought their own Kayaks along.. us newbies had the rubber Kayak's you will see later.
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First afternoon we arrive down river close towards Khong island.. Get some lessons on how to Kayak..
All calm water and spend the new few hours Kayaking to where will spend the night after stopping for a beer Lao along the way.
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More lessons along the way..
How to fall out and how to get back in.. (Later on in the trip.. we will do some pretty serious rapids.. At least for newbies)
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Picture onwards not in any order.

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In the next three pics you can see the observation area on the other side of the falls.
We had to stop further upstream and carry the Kayak's around / down the falls..

One of the best swimmers went first.. got across and then thrown a rope which was secured around a rock.
Then we all jumped in and swam across while the current took us down stream pretty fast.
The first fella waiting to pull us in or help if we got in to trouble.
All else failed.. grab on to the rope and wait there until you could be pulled out.

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Aiming to get as far out in to the centre of the falls / river as possible..

More pics to come..
 
Mar 30, 2010
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Ian Bungy;292715 wrote: Hell Mate is there anything that isn't on Your Resume? Now Adventure Kayaking!!! You are a Legend!
Thanks Bungy.. But not me.. Mick is the legend and I was fortunate to be part of this trip.

Mick became the first person to navigate the Mekong from source to sea..

More here from an Interview on ABC Australia.
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2006/s1784213.htm

A new experience and a great time.. Not sure it could be repeated but still worth doing with Green Discovery or other reputable tour operators.
We had three excellent kayakers that really helped and guided us newbies..
All the newbies did well.. Mick took us on some more technical / rapids than he planned and we all came out alive :)

Some of the guys in this trip worked in the same building and we would have beers together at the office bar (yep, they have a bar in the office ;-).
This trip came up.. So said.. sure I am in.. and what a great time we all had.

Cheers
Brian
 
Mar 30, 2010
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Few more pics out around the middle..

You can see it is very low on the other part of the falls.. Look closely and you can see a fisherman.

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Perched out as far as we felt it was safe to go
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More to come.
 
Mar 30, 2010
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Getting in to this now..

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A day spent paddling around looking and waiting for the endangered Irrawaddy Dolphins.
Cambodia on the other side.. We stopped in for a beer and paddled back in to Laos

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We were lucky later.. they came up all over the place.. but hard to get a pic.. up and gone.
Many people sit all day and see none.. we saw quite a few right near us and far away.
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End of another day on the Mekong.
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We all had new hair styles.. Cool us down.
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The Green hair brigade.
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The next spot was truly stunning and in the middle of no where.
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Stunning
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Mar 30, 2010
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Hope that is of interest for others that may want to park the bike for a few days and get out and about exploring the 4000 islands.
Loads of small villages, amazing scenery that is breathe taking.

Cheers
Brian
 
Jan 9, 2011
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Come on Brian. You make me feel so sorry as I have just seen a very tiny part of this awesome place.
Gotta be there for kayak!
Thanks for share.
 
Mar 30, 2010
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A journey through the 4000 islands Southern Laos.
Amazing scenery kayaking through Li Phi Waterfall, swimming across one of the channels at Khone Phapheng Waterfall
Rock scrambling as well as a rare glimpses of the Irrawady dolphins . Plus a clandestine Angkor beer in Cambodia.

A few mates taking in breath taking scenery over 5 days.


The highlights for those that want to get to the juicy bits.

3.00 Water ballet (Learning to Kayak)
8.00 Khone Phapheng Waterfall (Swimming and rock scrambling)
17.00 Kayaking amazing rapids while the fisherman watch on.
25.30 Li Phi Falls ( Stunning )
30.50 Jump sequence in the waterfall
37.00 Life on the Khong

Hope you enjoy.. watching this makes me want to go back!!

Cheers
Brian

PS. May not be available in some countries to do the songs used :-0
 

DavidFL

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Chiang Khong
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Those close up shots of Li Phi falls are something.
It must have been quite a buzz being out there in that.

Incredibly low water though - when was this - mid-late March?
 

Moto-Rex

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Great clip Brian, I really enjoyed it. It must have taken ages to put that together.

The 4000 islands are another reason why I cant wait to get back to Laos.

Thanks for posting it.

Moto-Rex