http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/01/14/travel/14next.html?ex=1326430800&en=8ed9c25f6cf22852&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Laos is really amazing. I was lucky enough to traipse around Southern Laos last July. Spent about 2 weeks going through Cambodia and Laos. We started off in Phnom Penh. I took an instant dislike to it, hopped on a bus to the Cambodian-laotian border the next day. It was a terrible 8 hour journey. A couple from Britain had their camera stolen....by someone who was on the bus!. Unfortunately the bus driver did not help at all.

At the border, we had the good fortune to meet up with Mr. Ritchie, a hospitality and tourism student who ran a side business getting tourists across the border. For USD 10, he got you on a boat to go across the river, a car ride to the border station, pass both border guards and to the islands of Si Phan Don.

Si Phan Don (4,000 islands) is very relaxing. There's absolutely nothing to do except smoke pot, sleep, read, sleep...you get the picture. We moved fast, the very next day departing Si Pan Don to head to Pakse (largest southern town) and a bus to the easternmost part of Laos. That was a bit of a downer. No one could help us out at all, no bikes/motos for rent, no tourist info centre, no knowledgeable folks. We stayed overnight and then headed for the Paksong Plateau.

Paksong was the highlight of the trip. Lots of waterfalls, friendly folk, coffee-yummy yummy coffee and cool weather. Stayed in Paksong and Pakse for about 4 days. Pakse had a really good Indian store . The proprietor spoke Malay!. It turnd out he had worked in Sabah for 8 years.Imagine that.

Of course, at the end of the trip i went to Angkor. Worth visiting again.