Our next destination is Don Khone, an island in the middle of the Mekong where time seems to stand still. It is said that the only way to really understand the quiet gentle nature of Lao people is to spend time with them in their villages, and that is exactly what we will do on Kong Island. For three nights we will fall into the quiet, gentle rhythm of local life on a palm-fringed island nearly void of vehicles, an island of water buffalo and rice fields, bicycles and pedestrians, where you will be forever greeting people with a friendly: "Sabadee!" Don Khone, and its neighbor island Don Det, so charmed the French during their days of colonial rule that many administrators chose to settle here.

We have a choice of three possible accommodations on Khone Island, all nearby one another and all beautifully appointed: a traditional Lao-style family home, a French colonial residence, or a romantic bungalow floating right on the river. Spend one night in each, if you wish.

We will have two full days to take in the many wonderful scenes of this romantic and idyllic isle - strolling along palm-lined foot paths, cycling through the rice fields and villages, floating between the many islands in inner tubes, enjoying therapeutic herbal massage, or just lounging on your own private deck with a cold bottle of Beer Lao and a good book.

Just as the lower Mekong provides for tranquility, so too does it offer adventure. On our second full day on Don Khone we set off after breakfast for a kayaking trip through some of the 4,000 islands for which this area is famed. Here the entire Mekong River plunges over an escarpment that has been called the "Niagara" of Southeast Asia.. The falls may not reach the vertical heights of Niagara, but they completely dwarf it in length; the escarpment is 7 km long!

Just below the thunder and turbulence of the falls, we launch our kayaks and paddle down the Mekong to the border of Cambodia. Each 3-person inflatable kayak is crewed by an expert Lao river guide that can safely negotiate the grade 1-2 rapids we encounter. Best of all, the guides know where to take us for a picnic lunch on our own private beach, and the best viewing locations to catch a glimpse of the world famous Irriwaddy dolphins.

The Mekong is second only to the Amazon in biological diversity and we will likely encounter local Lao and Khmer fishermen bringing in catches that include more than 200 species of fresh water fish - everything from skates to giant Mekong catfish.

Our three nights on Don Khone, dining by candlelight on delicious Lao, Thai and Western cuisine, and drifting off to sleep to the gentle murmur of the river, will surely soothe the weariest soul. To see the country side, we'll return home by train.

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