THE MIGHTY MEKONG - For most of the 3,000 miles of its course, the Mekong River flows smooth and broad, bordering China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Here in southwest Laos, the channels narrow in a place called Si Phan Don, Four Thousand Islands. CNS Photo by Patricia Woeber. To tour there I'd flown to Pakse in southwest Laos where my guide Udone Philomhuck and driver Phathixay met me at the airport. Although this was mainly a boat trip, the itinerary would encompass sections by river and road. We embarked on a 50-foot, long-tailed boat shaded by a wooden roof that had been solely reserved for Udone and me. The Mekong looked wide and lazy. "It hides fast currents," Udone said. "It's the highest in August and south of here gets 12 miles broad. But not to worry. Now, in November, it's shallow." We discussed the passing scenery on the sandy banks. Cheerful green banners stretched down to the water's edge, holding vegetable plots with green beans, chilies, eggplants, tomatoes and watermelons. Udone informed me that papaya, durian, pineapple, cabbage, cardamom and coffee are grown on the large islands in the Mekong. "And Laos exports coffee to France, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam," he said. OLD-FASHIONED FISHING - A fisherman casts his net on the Mekong River. Besides their nets, fishermen also use bamboo fish traps. Their catch is kept in a basket submerged under water to keep them fresh. CNS Photo by Patricia Woeber. "Still a land of farmers, everybody eats in Laos," he said with a smile. "Nowadays, the Laos market economy is picking up, but the country is not yet on the fast track of Asia's capitalism." As we chugged downriver, I glanced at Udone's serene face and was not surprised to learn he'd been a monk for 10 years in Vientiane. His face reflected a soul with serenity. He mentioned that this area is Buddhist with many temples, although we'd only visit one. Farther along, we toured Wat Phu, a Khmer temple that influenced the origins of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Wat Phu is a UNESCO World Heritage site for its important archaeology. We passed long-tailed boats with men standing, throwing fish nets with graceful arched movements. "They also use bamboo fish traps and fishermen live on the river during February - catfish season," Udone informed me. He also told me that Mekong fish are always fresh because they're kept alive in baskets submerged underwater until right before cooking. Every family along the river has a boat. The population of the islands is 20,000. At one stage we puttered to the east bank where Phathixay waited with the car. He drove us toward Highway 13, the new north-south road, and on the way passed several women balancing sticks across their shoulders holding bales of straw for roofing. A little farther south we returned to our boat and sailed toward Don Khong, the area's largest island at nine miles wide. APPROACHING DON KHON - The scene from a boat on the Mekong River as it approached Don Khon island in southwest Laos. Don Khon is smaller than Don Khong, the main and largest island and the only one with electrical power. CNS Photo by Patricia Woeber. Once onshore we drove past lush forests and rice fields. I photographed grazing buffalo, wooden farm homes and stucco houses with balconies, a French Colonial influence from the days when Laos, with Vietnam and Cambodia, had been part of French Indochina (1887-1954). Khong Island boasts three new hotels and five guest houses. Electricity arrived six years ago and Khong remains the only island with power. At Souksan Hotel we dined on chicken spiced with garlic and ginger, grilled white fish, khao niaw, sticky-rice balls and an assortment of fresh papaya and mango. Next morning, Udone and I wandered through the morning market. Friendly smiles invited us to sample sugarplums, papaya and tiny sweet bananas freshly fried before our eyes - all tasty treats typical of Asian food. I pigged out. Perched on low stools, we dove into bowls of duck noodle soup, tasty and aromatic with ginger, garlic, chilies and fresh river greens. Back on our boat, we watched long-tailed boats filled with joyous families passing us by in their annual boat race between villages. Farther on, we floated through a tranquil watery landscape lined with trees. I communed with the Mekong; life seemed so serene here in southwest Laos. Udone sang a Lao song to Don Khong. A little farther along we berthed at Don Khon (smaller than Don Khong) and strolled a shady street lined with stucco houses. "Now we go to the waterfalls, a four-kilometer round trip." Udone pointed south. "We can walk." ROUGH WATER - The Khone waterfalls at Som Phamit stretch nine miles wide across the Mekong River. In February, salmon swim upstream through these rough, raging falls and locals catch them with bamboo traps. CNS Photo by Patricia Woeber. "It's midday! It's hot! I'm sluggish from overeating. Let's rent a motor scooter," I urged. "No, not possible." Udone looked concerned. "Why not? It will be quicker and easier," I said. "No. I am instructed to look after you very carefully." I'd been sick for a day in Vientiane, so I guessed the guide had notified Udone's Pakse agency before my arrival. Geographic Expeditions, a highly respected travel company most experienced on Asia, had arranged my whole trip and hired knowledgeable guides who carefully looked after me. "I'll take responsibility," I said as I gazed at the bikes and motor scooters whizzing past. We stood at an impasse on the side of the street. Udone still refused. After a few minutes of silence, he reluctantly agreed. I rented a scooter for two bucks. Udone drove, I sat pillion, and off we roared, bumping down the road, through the village, and into the countryside on a dirt path. He skillfully dodged five ducks. I admit that a couple of times I squeezed my eyes shut, once when we crossed wobbly planks over a small stream. This fun ride offered relief from the midday heat, and soon we took in the dramatic beauty of nine-mile-wide Khone Waterfalls at Som Phamit, and another set at nearby Phapheng. Udone told me that in February salmon swim upstream through these rough, raging falls and locals catch them with bamboo traps. "Cambodia there - only 100 meters," he said, pointing west across the falls. After a merry, motorized whiz back into town we joined our boat. Farther south, the river showed its diverse character as it divided through the rocky outcroppings of Four Thousand Islands. The small islands sprouted trees, tufts of bamboo and shrubs, all translucent greens highlighted by the sunlight. Among the greenery, the humidity had subsided. The boat soared merrily over swirling white waters as the driver navigated through narrow channels. We swept south through the swells. And such is Lao life on the mighty Mekong, Asia's greatest liquid asset, a constant source of communication, transportation and sustenance. IF YOU GO Award-winning Geographic Expeditions is known for their superb worldwide itineraries. They specialize in small groups and private journeys. The package included airport pickups and departures, hotels, guides, drivers, meals, medical and travel insurance. They provided detailed pre-trip information and arranged visas. Geographic Expeditions, 1008 General Kennedy Ave., P.O. Box 29902, San Francisco, CA 94129-0902: (800) 777-8183, geoex.com, e-mail info@geoex.com. United Airlines flights go from New York, Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles, to connect through Tokyo to Bangkok. Economy class offers five extra inches of legroom. United: (800) 538-2929, united.com. Direct flights go to Laos from Thailand and many other countries and Lao Air has one of the newest fleets of airplanes in Asia. Patricia Woeber is a freelance travel writer. © Copley News Service

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