Laos
/ Pakse / The Mekong Islands and Waterfalls
Shortly before
the Mekong crosses into Cambodia, it splits into countless branches,
thus creating more than 4,000 river islands, the larger
ones even inhabited. The distance between parallel branches reaches
up to 14 kilometres. At high tide about half of the islands
disappear under water. In between some of the islets water cascades
over rocks, forming beautiful waterfalls. The largest of them,
and actually the largest in all of Southeast Asia, is Khoug
Phapheug.
This part
of the Mekong is home to a rare species of freshwater dolphins.
They grow to a length of 2.5 metres, and just like the dolphins
of the sea, the river dolphins of the Mekong are said to have
saved many people from drowning.
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