Luang Prabang was an unexpected gem of Laos for me. I expected very little and so was pleasantly surprised by its character. Around an hour out of the city, my favorite day-trip was Kuang Si Waterfall. Not only did it have a series of stunning cascading waterfalls, and one massively powerful, mist-producing one, it was also a great way to escape the never-ending South East Asian humidity. Light emerald green pools were so beautiful, and the chilly, fast-flowing water was indeed refreshing.

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Getting to Kuang Si Waterfall

Once you begin walking the streets of Luang Prabang, it doesn’t take long to see many tour operators going to various attractions in and around this city. You’ll be offered “great prices” by overly cheerful characters. It’s not hard to get to these beautiful falls, and while they are worth whatever small price they first offer, a little bit of bartering can go a long way. Remember, the point of battering is to get a fair deal for both parties involved, not to get the cheapest price available, people still need to make a living here.

A man named “Ping” ran at our small group of four from behind his songthaew (tuk-tuk). He held laminated pictures in hand of where he could take us. We eventually agreed to his terms of 30,000 KIP each ($4.70 AUD) and after he collected another couple from the street, we were off!

That exclamation point is justified. Ping was a little speedy along the sometimes narrow, single-lane jungle roads. Despite this, and I’m not sure why – maybe the calmness of this eccentric man eased my nerves – but I never felt unsafe. He made the rural roads to Kuang Si Falls in just over 50 minutes, and after he pointed out to us where we would meet him in the parking lot, he waved us off.

 

Entering Kuang Si Falls

It was made clear from when we left in Luang Prabang that the entrance fee wasn’t included in the initial 30,000 KIP fee for Ping’s services. Entrance to the waterfalls was an extra 20,000 KIP ($2.20 USD) each. I didn’t know it at the time, but I gladly paid that price for the experience of Kuang Si falls.

While the carpark was full of tuk-tuk styled taxis, songthaews and minivans, it wasn’t until we entered the park itself that we encountered another tourist.

You can also book a shared minivan before you even leave to Laos online.

 

Point of Interest of Kuang Si Falls – Tat Kuang Si Bear Rescue Centre

Along the path towards the falls, there was a pre-stop. A bear enclosure. So far, a common theme of Luang Prabang is to be surprised; I didn’t expect a bear enclosure on a waterfall day-trip tour. I also had zero knowledge of the specific bears on show.

“Moon Bear” is the name for an Asian bear, that I think gets its name from the half crescent moon, contrasted between black and white, located on their furry chests. Moon Bear’s are an endangered species as they are hunted and captured due to the Chinese Medicine belief that their bile heals.

Most of the time, I’m not one for zoo’s or enclosures, however, this was a different case. Plaques around the site detailed how the bears’ natural environment is the best place for them, but with so many active poachers at the present, it’s much safer for them. I can respect that. These bears were all victims of abuse and had been rescued. They looked well fed, cared for and settled in their environment. For more information about the center, operated by the Australian organization, “Free The Bear” I have included links in the information section at the bottom of this post.

 

What to do at Kuang Si Waterfalls

It’s pretty obvious the main reason people flock to Kuang Si Falls, is to see Kuang Si Waterfall. It is enormous! The sheer force of the vertical water slams into the pool below, sending a constant spray of mist all around, dampening everything in sight. A little bridge gives a wonderful vantage point at the base of the waterfall’s pool. It’s so close, taking a picture without getting your lens spotted with tiny droplets can be difficult.

To get to Kuang Si Waterfall, you need to walk passed many cascading, much smaller falls. Swimming is totally fine here, minus a few marked off places as the current can get quite strong. Plus there are quite a few dangerous drops.

There are 3 main pools that offer a refreshing swim. One of the first swimmable pools along the pathway begins in a little rock pool with a surge of water making a waterslide into such fast flowing water that you get pulled along with the current to the rest of the larger pool. It’s really fun to do!

The second pool has a little “cave” that you can explore. Getting into the little rocky cave isn’t easy, but it’s pretty cool to look out through the surging waterfall from the small cliff above.

A warning, there is life in these pools. On top of a curious fish that nibbled at my ankles constantly, I saw a huge crab! He wasn’t scared of me and actually swam at me! A bit intimidating!

All up, Kuang Si Waterfall is an incredibly fun day-trip. If you have a spare day in Luang Prabang, the old capital of Laos, don’t miss out on the beautiful Kuang Si Waterfall day trip!

By hiking the stairs to the right facing the huge powerful waterfall, you get to the “secret pool” secluded ones near the top that you can swim in! The steep paths on the side you hike up for a mountain view lead to it. It can get slippery and muddy up here!

Another great swimming hole is Blue Lagoon 3 in Vang Vieng. If you’re in the small town I highly recommend it over the other two lagoons!

Kuang Si Falls Day Trip – Information

Staying aware of the pools that you shouldn’t be swimming in is a good idea. Some pools of water had currents looked incredibly strong. This is only increased in the wet season as there is more water. Some rocky edges might look easy to climb, but it is easy to underestimate the power of the water or the height of the drop to the pool below.

The pools are also not very deep in sections. I highly suggest NOT swimming from one pool to the next. It’s also a good idea to take your belongings with you wherever you go as there are no lockers or storage facilities at Kuang-Si Waterfall.

For return transport, we were able to barter 30,000 KIP total per person with the same driver. An extra 20,000 KIP is collected at the entrance to Kuang Si Falls.

Click here for more information on Tat Kuang Si Bear Rescue Centre and Free The Bears Non-profit Organization

 

Kuang Si Falls Day Trip – Tips

While Kuang Si Falls is only an hour away from the city, it isn’t a straight line of road through the jungle. Turns can be quite sharp and sometimes South East Asian drivers can seem a little ambitious on the roads. These songathews (tuk-tuk style taxis) have no seat belts in the back. They are just two long seats running parallel up the tray of the truck, but there are bars to hold on to. If you’re feeling a little uncomfortable or outright unsafe, asking the driver to slow down usually isn’t too much of an issue.

Don’t miss out on these amazing things to do in Luang Prabang.

For information on how to visit Laos via land border from Vietnam in the north, this post details all you need to know.

Laos is also full of fantastic and unique places to visit. The Plain of Jars in Phonsavan is one such place.

Looking for a great hostel in Luang Prabang? I highly recommend Mad Monkey.

 

Kuang Si Falls – Highlights

• Escaping the constant humid feeling of perspiration was a welcome relief by swimming in the cool, beautifully blue pools!
• Kuang Si Waterfall is majestic. So much power it is hard not to consider it a highlight.
• Being nibbled by fish and chased by a crab wasn’t too fun at the time, but looking back I really enjoy the story!

 

Have you visited Kuang Si Falls or Luang Prabang? What did you think? Let me know, along with any questions below – drop me a comment!

 

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