Kuang Si Waterfall, Luang Prabang: Ultimate Travel Guide

The Kuang Si Waterfall in Luang Prabang is easily one of the best natural attractions in Laos. Moreover, this stunning cascade appears as though it is straight out of a fairy tale.

Not to mention, the immeasurably blue water and multi-tiered falls is one of the best daytime activities for all travellers to Luang Prabang. I couldn’t believe my eyes when standing in front of this incredibly beautiful waterfall. My jaw dropped!

To say it is a masterpiece is to say the very least. Therefore, if you’re spending any time in Laos, this is an absolute must-visit location!

Upon wandering the trails of the Kuang Si Waterfall, you may come upon some small posts of information. I highly recommend reading these as they provide information on the biodiversity and nature of the area.

Finally, I’ve gone through all the travel information and things you need to know about Kuang Si Falls to ensure you have the best experience possible. Let’s dive in!

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Ultimate travel guide to visiting Kuang Si Waterfall in Luang Prabang

Where Is Kuang Si Waterfall?

You can reach the mystical masterpiece by travelling about 30km south of Luang Prabang. Or, you will be looking at around 50 minutes of travel time.

Moreover, this is one of the furthest activities from Luang Prabang, but it’s easily the best and most worth the effort. Besides, you can make a trip to the waterfall an entire day’s adventure!

Finally, make use of Highway 1 and follow it south, before making a left turn to take you all the way to the waterfall. From there, you will head up to the gates, pay the admission fee, and make your way towards the waterfall.

Tip: you can drive all the way up to the waterfall despite the option for a mini cart to take you there.

Address: Kuang Si Waterfall, PXXR+QQV, Ban Long, Laos

Entrance Fee and Opening Hours

The entrance fee is absolutely minuscule for the beauty that you get to enjoy. Nonetheless, I’ve included that information below so that you are ready to make the payment.

Please remember to bring plenty of cash with you so that you can pay the fee and purchase some other items including lunch while visiting the waterfall.

Entrance Fee: 20,000 Kip ($2 AUD)
Opening Hours: Daily 8 AM – 5 PM

How to Get to the Waterfall

Tuk-tuk or taxi

A great way to travel to the waterfall is by tuk-tuk or taxi. And, I recommend this option especially if you are within a decent-sized group. A number of you can split the payment, and, you’d probably be looking at around 200,000 Kip each for a return ticket.

Scooter

On the other hand, if you’re comfortable riding a scooter, this is what I would recommend! You can hire scooters anywhere from 70,000 to 100,000 Kip for a day, and it’s an affordable way to get to and from the waterfall at your own leisure.

Therefore, you can spend as much or as little time as you wish exploring the waterfall. However, I was recommended to lock my bike wheel with an additional cable to avoid bikes being stolen. Our bikes were fine upon returning after the waterfall, but it might be best to not chance it!

How Is the Water So Blue at Kuang Si Falls?

A question that everyone seems to ask is how is the water this insane shade of blue!? Well, fear not, as I have discovered the answer!

The waterfall forms around limestone rocks. And, over time the water has slowly chipped away at the mineral found in limestone which is called calcium carbonate.

This mineral is very light in colour which then reflects the sunlight pouring into the water. Which in turn, gives it the light milky blue shade that we are all in awe of.

It’s as simple as that! The calcium carbonate is responsible for giving the waterfall a stunning shade of blue.

Is the Waterfall Worth a Visit?

To say this waterfall is the most beautiful waterfall I’ve ever seen in my life, might just be an understatement! Seriously, I can’t hype up this location enough, because it truly deserves all the love and recognition it receives.

Therefore, yes, the Kuang Si Falls is absolutely worth a visit. It’s one of the best tourist attractions in Laos, and even attracts loads of locals as they enjoy the stunning waterfall and swimming holes.

The History of Tat Kuang Si

The waterfall, typically referred to as ‘Tat Kuang Si’ by the locals, is part of a very interesting story. The name translates from ‘Tat’ meaning ‘Waterfall’, ‘Kuang’ meaning ‘Deer’ and, ‘Si’ meaning ‘Dig’.

Legend has it, that a “wise old man” revealed the water of Nam Si by digging deep into the earth. Then, the water started to flow and a golden deer made itself at home under a large rock that sat on top of the falls.

Supposedly, the sound of the water falling onto the rock made a beautiful echo and drew people in from distances as far away as China.

Unfortunately, the rock is no longer visible as it fell during an earthquake in December 2001.

Things to Do at Kuang Si Waterfall

Explore the Different Tiers of the Falls

There are many different tiers and levels of Kuang Si Waterfall. So, spend some time wandering alongside the river and enjoy the lead-up to the enormously beautiful waterfall.

There are at least seven different tiers and sections to explore. And, you can take some stunningly beautiful photos along all of the areas. However, be mindful when you get near the edge, as it can be quite slippery!

Swim in the Stunningly Blue Pools

One of the best things to do at Kuang Si falls is to swim in the gorgeous blue pools. There are heaps of spots you can swim, and this is the perfect way to cool off from the extreme Laotian heat.

I recommend wearing some swimming gear and loading up on reef-friendly sunscreen to enjoy some fun splashing around in the water.

However, be careful where you swim. Some of the pools have limestone rocks that are hard to see under the blue water and areas of the pools can have a strong tide. Do your best to avoid the areas where the water is rushing through, and find a safe spot to enjoy a dip.

Tip: Be sure to look out for signage that doesn’t allow you to swim in a certain area. There are a few spots along the lower parts of the falls where you shouldn’t swim. So, follow suit, and find somewhere else to take a dip!

Enjoy Lunch at the Restaurant

After a heap of exploring and swimming, you’re bound to work up a sweat and burn some energy. Now is the perfect time to stop in at the restaurant and grab yourself a refreshing beverage and some tasty food.

I enjoyed a delicious curry at the restaurant and highly recommend everyone stop in to support them! They make great food, nice and quick and I thoroughly enjoyed my meal and smoothie.

Hike to the Top of the Waterfall

One of the best things you can do while visiting Kuang Si Waterfall is to hike to the top of the falls. And, it’s a bit of a workout, but reaching the top is entirely worth the effort.

Moreover, you will need to follow the path to the left of the falls. And, it starts off with some stairs, but soon becomes a rugged forest trail with slippery mud and tree roots galore. Carefully take your time traversing the tracks so that you don’t slip!

After around 20 minutes of hiking, or depending on your fitness levels, you will reach the top! Head towards the right to make your way over to the top of the falls. You can enjoy a really stunning view from one of the lookout points and you will get to see over the entire jungle.

Continue following the track towards the right and you will soon come upon an incredible oasis. This spot is usually much less populated as people tend to hang around the bottom area of the falls. So, you might only stumble upon a few people enjoying this beautiful space.

Tip: While wandering to the top of the waterfall, keep an eye out for cool insects. There are loads of gorgeous butterflies and some really cool spiders and insects that you may stumble upon.

Swim at the Top Lagoon

Swimming at the top lagoon is easily the best spot to hang out. Seriously, this place is utter paradise!

Firstly, there is a funky little wooden boat (that’s half sunk) and a swing to hang out on. I absolutely recommend enjoying a dip in the refreshingly cold water up here; It’s absolute bliss!

You will get filtered light through the canopy of the trees and it feels like a mystical little paradise that’s deep in the jungle. It’s insanely magical and one of the highlights of my trip to the waterfall!

Be sure to allow at least an hour to enjoy this slice of paradise. It’s one of those places that you don’t get to experience very often.

Wander the Bear Rescue Centre

A strange addition to this waterfall is that there is a bear rescue centre within the park. Nonetheless, I think it’s nice to check out the bears and see what they get up to. Additionally, there is some information around so you can read about the bears if you wish.

I randomly stumbled upon them on my way out, and was very confused when I saw them might I say the least! This centre was created in 2003 and can house a capacity of 25 bears.

If you would like to learn more about the rescue program, feel to check out this website here. Finally, if you would like to support the centre, I recommend purchasing one of the t-shirts or giving a donation at the waterfall.

Kuang Si Waterfall Guided Program

If you prefer to go in a group or enjoy exploring with a guide, then I highly recommend checking out one of these tours.

Moreover, these tours run for a whole day and are a great way to experience a whole heap of information regarding the waterfall. What better way to experience a stunning natural attraction than with a local guide!?

What to Bring

Whether you like to travel with all the essentials or only pack a few necessities, I’ve got you covered for some things you might like to bring to the waterfall.

Sunscreen: Lather yourself up with this reef-friendly sunscreen to ensure you don’t wash away any nasty chemicals and impact the beauty of the falls
Camera: If you have a travel camera, it might be nice to bring it along to snap some beautiful memories of your time spent at Kuang Si falls.
Water bottle: This goes without saying, you need lots of water when visiting the falls, so make sure to stay hydrated! Moreover, check out this GRAYL travel water bottle where you can filter any fresh water in the world.
Bathing suits/Swimwear: If you want to go for a dip in the water, I recommend wearing some bathing suits!
Towel: Bring a towel along to dry yourself off after a swim in the waterfall.
Comfortable shoes: Any kind of comfortable footwear is essential, especially if you plan to hike to the top of the waterfall!
Bug Spray: The bugs can get pretty gnarly out here especially since you are within bushland. Be sure to bring some of this bug spray along to ensure you don’t get bitten!
Cash: You need cash to pay parking fees, admission fees, food and more.

Additional Activities in Luang Prabang

There are loads of things you can do while visiting Luang Prabang. And, these are some of the activities that I recommend checking out:

Tat Sae Waterfall
Mekong Sunset Cruise
Luang Prabang Night Market
MandaLao Elephant Conservation

Alternatively, check out the post below as I go into further depth with plenty more activities and things to do in Luang Prabang.

Wrapping Up

In conclusion, the Kuang Si waterfall is easily one of the most beautiful waterfalls I’ve ever had the blessing to visit. Seriously, this waterfall absolutely knocked my socks off and I couldn’t believe just how stunning it is!

I ended up spending around 4 hours wandering the different trails, enjoying the blue pools and hiking to the top of the waterfall. It’s an absolute beauty to experience, and you could easily spend the entire day here!

So, when in Luang Prabang, be sure to visit this natural masterpiece as it’s easily one of the best things to see not just in Luang Prabang, but in Laos! I highly recommend it to all travellers.

Finally, if you would like to learn more about Laos, please feel free to check out this section of my blog where I update it with plenty of fresh content. I aim to bring the latest and most thorough information so that travellers are always updated! Happy reading!