Khong Island
Template: Infobox Island / Maintenance / image missing template: Infobox Island / Maintenance / surface missing template: Infobox Island / Maintenance / height missing
Don Khong (English Khong Iceland ) is a river island in the Mekong in Champasak Province südlaotischen. The ( depending on water level ) is located in north-south direction is about 16-18 km long and up to 8 km wide island in the north of the area Si Phan Don ( four thousand islands ) and is the main island of the region dar. It is the Lao largest island and one of the largest islands of the Mekong.
The distance to the provincial capital of Pakse is about 120 km; to near the Cambodian border in the south at Veun Kham and it is 30 km. The population is depending on the source 13000-50000 people. Capital of the island is Muang Khong in the east, which is also the administrative seat of the district Khong.
The northern and central part of the island is slightly hilly woodland in shallow south and along the coasts of rice is cultivated.
Transport and Infrastructure
Through the Mekong Don Khong is connected upstream to Pakse and virtually all major cities of Laos on the flow path downstream away with only a few kilometers, slightly smaller islands Don Khon and Don Det The flow path to Cambodia is interrupted by the Mekong cases.
Along the eastern bank of the Mekong River runs the National Highway 13, which crosses from the Chinese to the Cambodian border throughout Laos. From closest to the street Ban Hat Xai Khun a ferry to Don Khong.
Don Khong has airport codes ( IATA: KOG; ICAO: VLKG ), the airfield but is practically no longer used; the next regularly brought for the Pakse International Airport.
On the island, the most common means of transport are bicycles and motorbikes.
Economy and Tourism
The main economic activity of the population are fishing and agriculture; the majority of the southern island is covered by rice fields.
In addition, tourism plays an increasingly important role: Don Khong has a reputation as a quiet, idyllic and so relaxing place. The island is therefore frequently visited by tourists who visit the region due to the Mekong cases and Irawadidelfine; next to Don Khong also serves as a popular stopover on the way to Cambodia. Since the island is electrified for over ten years, since plenty of comfortable and thus more higher-priced accommodations have been created. Therefore backpacker travel mostly on the southern island of Don Det, which is considered simpler and cheaper, but also as lively.
Culture
Virtually all indigenous island population is Buddhist, on the island there are several important temples ( Wats ): Muang Khong can be found in the large and modern Wat Phouang Keo ( Wat Khong Kan ) and the smaller but much older Wat Chom Thong. In the interior of the island, the cave temple Tham Phou khiao is (Cave of the Green Mountain). To the west of the island, north of Muang Saen, Wat Phou Khao Keo is the, which was built on the foundations of a Khmer place of worship and is to be located under the one entrance to the underworld realm of the Nagas, according to legend.
Places on the island
- Muang Khong, in the east, the island's capital
- Saen Muang Nua, in the west, the second largest city
- Ban Houa Khong, in the northwest, the birthplace of the former Lao President Khamtay Siphandone
- Ban Houa Khong Lem, at the northern tip
- Ban Dong, in the northeast
- Ban Naa, in the southeast in Muang Khong
- Ban Huay, at the southern tip