In 1984, a wide expanse of jungle was cleared of trees and graded flat and the town of XEKONG was born. Founded partly because nearby Ban Phon was deemed no longer habitable owing to unexploded ordnance (UXO), Xekong has something of a frontier feel about it, but it is the departure point for a very scenic journey downriver to Attapu. Three major branches of the Ho Chi Minh Trail snaked through the jungle surrounding Xekong, making this area one of the most heavily bombed in Laos, and an astonishing amount of UXO still blankets this province, so you shouldn't go off exploring here . In addition, there is a disturbing beasty lurking in Xekong's waterways: the pa pao is a blowfish with a piranha-like appetite and, according to locals, a particular fondness for lopping off the tip of the male member.