After a fairly easy border crossing from Cambodia, we entered into Laos and made our way to Don Khon.

Don Khon is part of the 4,000 islands located on the southern tip of Laos. The name gives you the impression of paradise with swaying palm trees and white sand. But this wasn't the case. These islands were covered with overgrown trees and dirt roads. Some of the larger islands have patches of sandy beaches but you had trek through the jungle to get there. Bungalows and restaurants lined the riverside on stilts. It felt like we found basic island life where even the animals are laid back. Dogs, cats and chickens live together in harmony.

We organised a kayaking trip down the mighty Mekong River. After a quick paddle, we stopped further down Don Khon to wander through the jungle and over rickety wooden bridges to visit Tat Somphamit waterfall. Many fishing traps were set up between the rocks. In wet season, you wouldn't be able to even see the fishing traps nor the rocks we were walking over.

We got back on our kayaks to paddle through the small rapids. When the water openings were wide it was fun but going through rapids while meandering through bushes was a bit tricky. Especially since spiders were hanging off the branches waiting for unsuspecting kayakers to brush past. I spent more time flicking these stowaways than paddling through these bushy rapids.

We got caught in the bushes and ended up capsizing a couple of times. One of the guys on the trip flipped our kayak upright and told us about the fat juicy leech stuck at the bottom of the boat. If the spiders don't get you, the leeches will!

When the rapids were behind us, we came out of the narrow river and into a large opening. Paddling to the middle was no easy feat since the clouds had burned away and left us in the heat of the sun. We were instructed to sit quietly and watch. There are Irrawaddy dolphins in this area and we saw one skimming the surface a couple of times. We also saw something else swimming in the water. It looked like a crocodile but turns out it was the fishing net floatation being pulled along by fish (hopefully not the dolphin).

After a quick lunch break in a nearby village, we headed further down the river. Our kayaking adventure came to end and it was time to visit the largest waterfall in Asia (by volume), Khone Phapheng near the Cambodia border.

Water was thundering down with such a force, we were impressed. We walked further up to where there were smaller falls in a rocky pool. Most of us jumped in but you had to hold onto the slippery rocks otherwise the current would have taken you further down towards the waterfall.

With our sore arm muscles from kayaking, we decided to exercise our legs the next day by hiring bicycles to cycle 14km around the island. We passed the local houses and paddy fields filled with grazing cows and bathing bullocks. The dirt roads were easy to manoeuvre but once we hit the rocky roads, our bikes and bodies jolted.

Further along was jungle, the trees were a welcome relief from the heat. We passed the Tat Somphamit waterfall before reaching the northern tip of the island. We found ourselves a panoramic view of the Mekong River where we had kayaked to see the dolphins. There was a "View" sign with steep stairs leading up to a viewing platform but with all the overgrown trees, you couldn't see anything. It took our breath away - literally!

Continuing along the island, we saw a sign that said "Bankothai" and thought this might be interesting. It wasn't. We followed a narrow rocky road path for 2km. It took us to bushland, where insects flew into our faces. We passed locals burning piles of grass before coming to another sign "Waterfall".

This road took us to a quiet beach oasis. There were boats secured on the river and restaurants waiting for customers. It would have been ideal to have a dip in the water but the current looked too strong. It was time to head back to civilisation.

Later on we cycled to the French bridge that crosses over to Don Dhet. We watched the sunset paint the sky in a nearby restaurant. The sunsets here were the best we had seen on our trip so far.

Pakse is a small charming town along the Mekong River. Nearby is the coffee growing region of Bolaven Plateau so the town of Pakse is renowned for its coffee shops - a dream come true for coffee lovers!

We hired bicycles and discovered the back streets of Pakse. Cycling over one of the bridges, we were in search of the big Buddha. We passed lavish houses with high gates, schools and a few temples. After asking a couple of locals for directions to the big Buddha, we had crossed the wrong bridge. Cycling along the Se Don River, we saw the golden statue high on the mountain. It was too far to cycle to so we continued further down the river.

One street had overhanging jacaranda trees, some blooming with orange flowers which made you feel like you were cycling through a forest in the spring time. At the end of the road was a Chinese temple lined with red lanterns and a spectacular view of the Mekong River and surrounding mountains. We noticed some floating restaurants on the other side of the river so we headed back over the bridge and went into one of the restaurants for a drink. It was the perfect location.

We went in search of a hotel with a rooftop restaurant. We found one just behind our own hotel. It was a French hotel and the panoramic views from the top were idyllic. We sat here admiring the sprawling town below waiting for the sunset. When the city lights came on, we ordered dinner. We watched the clouds perched upon one of the mountains flicker with lightning as we finished our meal.

We hadn't been on a sleeper bus yet so we arranged one to take us to Vientiane. We were excited about the prospect of a proper sleep during the 10 hour journey - wishful thinking! In front of us were some locals in party mode drinking beer. Behind us were business men taking calls throughout the night and next to us, a baby girl who cried for no reason. Not to mention their box of chicks crying for their mother hen.

It may have also been the bumpiness of the road or the frequent break downs that deterred sleep. The first break down was after an hour into the journey. We stood on the road for an hour while fan belts were replaced. We were in the middle of nowhere while a storm was brewing but just as it started to rain, we were on our way.

Then some time during the night the air-conditioning malfunctioned. Our bus became a sweat box. It wasn't the great bus adventure we were hoping for; it ended up being a monster 17 hour journey.

Vientiane translates as Sandalwood City. It was settled by the French at the end of the 19th Century and after being rebuilt, became the capital of Laos. French architecture lingers and the city flourishes with French and international cuisines. You can get the best baguettes here outside of France.

We hired rickety bicycles to explore the main tourist sites. We headed north to visit the Patuxai, otherwise known as Victory Monument. It's Laos version of the Arc de Triomphe built using cement donated by the USA for the construction of a new airport.

It was surrounded by manicured gardens and a water fountain. Many locals and monks spent time here relaxing or taking in the views. We climbed up and got a bird's eye view of Vientiane.

Continuing further north, we reached the symbol of Buddhist religion and Lao sovereignty, Pha That Luang. Built in the 3rd Century, it is believed a piece of Buddha's breastbone is enshrined here. Surrounding the stupa were several temples both beautiful and unique in their own right.

We cycled back to the Patuxai. We found the World Peace Gong at one of the gardens. Here, some giggly local girls wanted their photo taken with Shiraz. It was like being with a rock star.

We arrived back into the main town centre and cycled along Anouvong Park located along the Mekong River. Further on we found a riverside sports bar and while having a cold drink my eyes were fixated on the TV, the Australian network channel was on. I started to get excited until the AFL came on - no offence to AFL fans.

Our guidebook recommended heading to Wat Xieng Khuan (Buddha Park). What it didn't tell us was the adventure getting there. We got a local bus and travelled through suburbia and countryside for an hour. We reached the Friendship Bridge which was the gateway to the Thailand border. While the locals had their passports ready, we were wondering what was going on. Turns out many locals come here to buy cheap duty free goods.

We got off to be ushered into a mini-bus that looked like a relic from the 1920s. Any moment it could fall apart. It was another hour's journey with the last 30 minutes being a potholed dirt road. Many bumps and holes shook our mini-bus into chaos. We thought the plastic windows were going to jolt out. But they didn't. Our worried faces amused the locals, they laughed at us. When it felt like we would never arrive, Wat Xieng Khuan appeared before us.

Otherwise known as Buddha Park, it's a relatively small park but contains over 200 Buddhist and Hindu statues. It was started in 1958 and believed that a priest-shaman wanted to integrate both religions into his own brand of mysticism. Some of the statues are peaceful, others are grotesque.

One of the main attractions is a 120 metre reclining Buddha which depicts peace and enlightenment. The other large statue is the giant pumpkin. You can walk through the statue entering through a demon's mouth and climbing inside which represents heaven and hell.

We followed monks into the pumpkin statue and on top, got a wonderful view of the entire park. It was just a shame a group of giggly school children were around. It made it feel like an amusement park rather than Buddha Park.

Vang Vieng is notorious for drunken teenagers diving into the shallow rocky river and for some, ending an early life. But since last year, most bars along the river have closed down and more safety precautions put in place. It's more of a chilled place now that offers adrenalin activities such as rock climbing, white water kayaking and trekking as well as tubing through stunning caves. And there are still plenty of bars and restaurants in town. Some play music, others show poor quality movies or reruns of Friends.

On our first morning we were woken up at 7.30am by the noisy preparations of a party across the road. At 9.30am music was blaring and people were drinking. The locals were celebrating the coming of the rainy season. We celebrated by tubing down the Nam Son River.

All the tubers were taken 3km upstream and our only instruction was, "Just go". The river looked like it had a good current so we could simply drift along with little effort. After 15 minutes, everyone headed to the bar right on the bank. It was a large outdoor bar with wooden sun lounges, a ping pong table and a showering basketball net. With music blaring, the bar enticed everyone with a free shot of whiskey but not everyone indulged.

Slowly more tubers arrived and the place was almost full of people. Only last year this river was lined with bars with zip lines and ropes to jump into the rocky waters. It's no wonder people got hurt. After a push from overseas governments to shut it down, the Laos government finally acted. In August 2012 the zip lines and ropes were removed and most bars closed down. Only 4 remain but the first bar is the most popular one.

After a drink we decided to move on. We drifted down the river slowly passing the most spectacular scenery you can imagine. With mountains on the right side and forestry and villages on the left side, it was serene.

We cruised through small rapids and had to meander through a concourse of rocks and tree stumps poking out through the water. When we hit shallows, we had to keep our bum up in order to avoid getting "rocked".

We arrived at another bar and since they called out to us, we stopped for a drink. We were the only customers so it was quiet, apart from the barking dogs. Soon we were back on the tube paddling our way through the slower currents just to keep moving. After a few more rapids, the river did a sharp turn so you automatically drift to another bar. The owner was happy to see people and was going to help us ashore but we had to wave him off, we wanted to get back in good time.

The rest of the river journey was slow with a few rocky challenges. Then we heard a big bang and a huge puff of smoke coming from the river's edge. We weren't sure if it was a builder making way for construction or children playing with explosives. Further down the river, 2 more bangs. We saw children running around laughing so we are guessing children playing with explosives.

We floated underneath a rickety bamboo bridge. As children ran across it, they were bouncing around so much I thought the bridge would buckle and break. Instead they ran and jumped off into the water. Seeing tubers, they were out to make a splash all over us. They got us a few times but we didn't have the energy to splash them back.

Towards the end, it was a hard paddle. We were relieved once we arrived into town again. A couple of children swimming in the water came towards us and helped us back onshore. We thought they were the tubing staff, but they were just children passing by to earn a tip.

A storm had hit when we got back to the hotel. It was pouring outside and the lightning show overhead lit up like Christmas. The locals having a rainy season party were right on target.

We hired mountain bikes to cycle 7km to the Blue Lagoon. Just passed the town we had to cycle over rocky terrain. The road was covered with large stones and pot holes. With poor suspension, we gritted our teeth for the jagged ride. Then it started to rain. After waterproofing our bags, we prayed the rain didn't get any heavier.

The rocky road became more of a dirt track so we peddled faster, up small hills and down through villages. Eventually we came to an open field. What lay ahead of us was an incredible mountainous landscape. Clouds of mist encircled the mass peaks, surrounded by a forest. Inside these limestone mountains were tunnels and caves waiting to be explored.

We finally arrived at the Blue Lagoon. The light blue water was welcoming. We settled in one of the bamboo shelters and I jumped in. The water was icy cold but clear enough to see the freshwater fish swim beneath me.

The grounds were a popular picnic area and had a couple of huts selling hot food, fruit and drinks. By the time we finished lunch, the heavy downpour began and with the strong winds, rain was swept into our bamboo shelters. The rain left everyone practically stranded.

The grounds became a river and the Blue Lagoon had become the brown lagoon as the rain seeped the mud into the water. After a short while, the rain eased so we thought we would make our getaway.

Underneath our ponchos, we rode as fast as we could. The road became a muddy track with deep puddles. We came across a sign to a cave with a swimming hole. We decided to explore. The track was a slippery mud slide so we had to push our bicycles most of the way. Parking the bikes, we walked through mushy fields, muddy embankments and a makeshift bamboo bridge to get to the cave.

We felt like Indiana Jones discovering a new trail, there was no one else around. We were surrounded by jungle and menacing looking ants. We finally came to the serene swimming hole. It was next to the entrance of the cave. It was decorated with colourful flags and at the side were 3 inner tubes.

Shiraz climbed up the entrance to the cave and decided to come back. There were smaller tunnels inside and without a guide it was difficult to manoeuvre around. I decided to jump on an inner tube fully clothed and wade to the middle of the swimming hole just for a photo. Not sure if it was the best idea, I was soaked through. Putting the poncho back on was pointless.

Leaving the cave behind, we prepared ourselves mentally for the long haul back. Our bikes were caked in orange mud so we had to use sticks to remove what we could. The bike shop owners didn't bat an eyelid when we returned the filthy bikes, it was expected. They just hosed them down.

We organised a caving and kayaking day trip to see more of what Vang Vieng has to offer. We stopped off at a small village to view a couple of caves. After crossing a flimsy bamboo bridge, we came to the Elephant Cave. It was a small cave with a shrine and an oversized imprint of Buddha's left foot. Also inside was a limestone formation of an elephant, hence the name Elephant Cave.

Continuing on, we traipsed through muddy tracks with scatterings of cow dung. We arrived at a restaurant area where other tour groups were waiting for their turn into the Water Cave. We packed our dry bags, grabbed a head torch and hopped onto inner tubes. Holding onto pieces of rope tied together, we pulled ourselves into the dark Water Cave.

As soon as we entered, the head torches were turned on and everyone oohed and aahed. We followed each other closely ensuring not to lag behind in the darkness. The cave was low and floating inside was an experience. Our head lamps lit up the ceilings and walls exposing the limestone stalactites.

We went deeper into the cave and in the middle of our tubing the water became too shallow so we had to walk our tube over some pebbles before jumping on them again on the other side. We followed a corridor of caves, got a shower of water from above and then slowly came to a halt. We were instructed to turn off our head lamps and take in the atmosphere of the darkness.

It was then time to head back following the route we came in. We passed another group coming in and after one cheeky splash we were all splashing each other. We eventually floated our way out of the cave and into the outdoor lagoon.

After lunch, it was time to kayak the Nan Som River. After only paddling for 5 minutes, we saw something whizz across the water's surface. As it got closer to our kayak we realised it was a snake. The instructors slapped their paddles on the water to scare the snake onto the shore. The snake looked just as scared as we did!

Starting further upstream than the tubers, the current seemed a lot faster here. We negotiated quite a few rapids. Some were gentle where you could float through, others you had to paddle hard to avoid the rocks. During the moments of calm, the instructors splashed everyone they passed for a bit of fun.

We all stopped at a riverside bar for a drink. This was a kayaking bar where bamboo platforms were constructed just offshore so you can easily slide your kayak onto it. We stayed here a while enjoying the atmosphere.

We eventually passed the tubing start point and the various bars along the way. We found a group of happy tubers floating around drinking Beer Lao. We decided to splash a few of them for good measure.

We ended up overtaking other kayaking groups. On route it was a splashing war, no one was allowed to stay dry. We finally arrived back into town and even though we were soaked, we left with smiles on our faces. It was an adventurous yet easy kayaking experience.

Luang Prabang is a charming and colourful town with cuisines to suit every taste and activities to entice every interest. Rich with culture and history, it's become a Unesco World Heritage site.

Walking through town at night, it became our favourite place in Laos. It was clean, welcoming and lit up beautifully. The night markets were a sensory overload of colours. While walking through I made a wish list in my head. I returned the following night armed with money and haggling skills.

We discovered the hidden treasures of town on bicycle. We rode through the centre of town, passing many temples before following the road to the river. Here the Nam Son River united with the Mekong River.

Cycling further on, we passed by the upmarket hotels. Although the architecture is French, there was a hint of English Tudor among them. All beautifully finished, you would think you were somewhere in Europe.

We arrived at the bamboo bridge. This bridge crosses over the Nam Son River and is only available for 6 months in dry season. In wet season it's dismantled and a boat ferries you over. There were striking views of the river and surrounding villages.

A young local girl stood by the bridge handing out flyers. One flyer caught our attention, the only swimming pool in Luang Prabang. It looked tempting. Rather than crossing over the bridge, we went in search of this fabled swimming pool.

Following a basic map, we entered the local area of town. The streets were lined with hardware, home wares and basic necessities. Battling the traffic, we located the back street that took us to the swimming pool. There were 2 pools surrounded by lounge chairs and a bar. Many locals and tourists were here making the most of the afternoon sun. It was like peeking into an exclusive hotel. We didn't bring our swimmers so couldn't go in. Instead we cooled off by cycling faster back to our hotel.

That evening we explored the local food market. We tried to determine what some foods were. Some sort of meat, some sort of vegetable. Then we spotted a pigs head. Dare you to eat that! Further on there were barbequed meats and bowls of salad and noodles. We had some chicken with a plate of rice, noodles and salad. It was not only one of the cheapest meals, but the tastiest.

We visited Kuang Si Waterfall the following day. Just inside the gate of the waterfall was Tat Kuang Si Bear Rescue Centre. Sun bears rescued from poachers lived here in peace. As we watched them, some slept while others roamed around the playground of wooden platforms and bamboo hammocks.

Further on we came to the waterfalls. The cascading falls created aqua lagoons in many tiers. It was serene and was described as the Garden of Eden by a passing traveller.

We walked down the stream of lagoons to the swimming areas. Many tourists were settled here with picnics and drinks. Some were swimming in the clear water, others sat upon the rocks where the water cascades down. There was also an overhanging tree with a ladder and a rope. The adventurous types did their best Tarzan impression before splashing into the water.

After the waterfalls, we went to Wat Tham Phu Si temple for sunset. Perched on a hill the temple stands 100 metres high and involves a breathless climb up 300+ stairs. At the top were many sunset junkies waiting for the perfect photo. Everyone was in awe while watching the colours change.

But the highlight of Luang Prabang was spending time with the elephants. We went to an elephant camp where they run Mahout training (training on how to handle elephants). We hopped on the bamboo seats strapped to the elephants back and walked through the village. A couple of local girls followed us so the guides lifted each one onto the elephant's neck. We followed a trail into the leafy forest as high branches flicked into our faces. We came to a clearing before continuing the trail back to the camp.

After the ride, we prepared ourselves for the boat trip across the river to visit Pak Ou Caves. These caves became a sacred place when pilgrims left behind a Buddha statue. Over time, more Buddha statues were placed and there are now over 4,000 statues of every size and style. The lower cave holds more statues and is fairly open to the elements, the upper cave is a 10 minute climb up and is a small dark cave, the only light inside are lit candles.

We made our way back across the river for lunch before it was time to bathe the elephants. The bamboo seats had been removed and we were to ride the elephants bareback. The path from the camp to the water was a steep decline. Clutching onto the elephant with our legs, we had to lean back as best as we could to avoid falling off. It was daunting and thrilling at the same time. Once we made it to the water, we could relax. If we fell off, the water would break our fall.

The elephants were half submerged and then were instructed to spray us. We were drenched after one spray. The helpers then instructed for the elephants to wriggle us off. It was like riding a bucking horse. We both fell into the water.

We were literally eye to eye with the elephants. Shiraz watched from a safe distance while I kept jumping back on the elephant only to be sprayed and wriggled off again. A couple of times elephant poo would float past us, it may only be grass but we still didn't want our face covered in it.

Bath time was soon over and we hopped back on the elephants to be taken back to camp. The ascent was easier, just lean forward. Squeezing as much river water from our clothes, we got back into the mini-bus to be taken to Sang Hi, the whisky village.

We arrived at the village entrance where tables were lined with whisky bottles. Some contained scorpions, snakes, turtles and bear paws for added potency. I sampled some light clear whisky. The taste was nice but the after burn left my mouth crying out for water.

We walked around the village and saw how whisky is derived from sticky rice. Once back in the mini-bus, I fell asleep on the way back to the hotel. It must have been the lethal whisky sample.

We headed back to Vientiane to catch a sleeper train to Thailand. Laos, you have given us beautiful memories but it was time to say goodbye. After spending time in Bangkok as well as our brief beach escape to Koh Samui, it was time to move on. Next stop, Indonesia…