How to get from Siem Reap to Don Det

Why visit Don Det?

Don Det is one of the 4,000 islands in Laos’ Si Phan Don archipelago. Sitting on the Mekong River, it’s a backpacker’s paradise with its hip atmosphere, cheap prices and laidback vibe. Nipa huts line its shores. And with prices starting from $3, these are among the cheapest accommodations you’ll find in Southeast Asia!

The so-called “Mecca of backpackers” is so small, you can explore the island by renting a bike for $1 a day. Or you can walk — it takes just about 2 hours to explore Don Det on foot. Glide along the Mekong River on a boat, kayak, or just a tube and enjoy the raw scenery and occasional sightings of Irrawaddy dolphins and water buffaloes.

There are 3 ways to travel the 350 kilometre (217 miles) distance from Siem Reap to Don Det. You can choose between the bus, shared minivan and flight. The journey takes 4 hours 30 minutes to 10 hours and the quickest way is by flight. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by shared minivan with tickets starting at $26.50 (571,000 LAK).

A minivan ride from Siem Reap to Don Det costs around $26.50 (571,000 LAK). The minivan journey takes about 10 hours, depending on traffic.

SRL Transport and Go Ho Travel is operating on this route.

Don Det is a popular destination for those who want to relax after having been on the road for several weeks.

Without any doubt, we recommend booking with Asia Van Travel. This company brings you door-to-door and explains very clearly how to do the border crossing from Siem Reap to Don Det. In my opinion, they provide the best service of all bus companies we traveled with.

The border crossing is actually a pretty cool experience because the bus will drop you in front of a gate. From this gate, you literally have to walk across the border. But don’t worry, Asia Van Travel will have you covered and explain to you how it works in detail.

We recommend planning this trip a few days in advance because they only run one trip a day.

Another option is to cross the Strung Treng Border independently, but you’ll need to switch buses at least twice to get to the border. From there you can take a van to Don Det.

Tickets with Asia Van Travel cost $34.50 (747,000 LAK) and include the pick-up service. See their bus schedule below:

The nearest airport to Don Det is Pakse International Airport. This means you’ll need to book a flight from Siem Reap to Pakse if you want to fly this route.

We think it doesn’t make much sense to fly this route because it won’t save you much time. With the bus of Asia Van Transfer, you will start your journey at 8:00 and arrive at 16:30 in Don Det. When you take the flight you can sleep in a few hours more because the plane leaves at 14:40 from Siem Reap. However, you will arrive at 15:40 in Pakse, which means that you will likely be too late to catch the ferry to Don Det.

In other words, if you want to cross the largest distance from Siem Reap to Don Det by flight, you’ll have to plan an extra night in Pakse.

If you still want to fly, we recommend booking in advance. Tickets get more expensive closer to the travel date. Flights are operated by Lao Airlines and fares for this 1-hour flight start from $115 (2,518,000 LAK).

From Pakse International Airport, you’ll need to pre-arrange transport to Don Det. Find out how in our article on travelling from Pakse to Don Det.

TIP: If you decide to travel by plane, please consider including a carbon compensation fee to reduce your impact on the environment.