Dear World Traveler,
In this article, I’ll introduce you to the spectacular Kuang Si waterfall. Only one hour by Tuk Tuk from Luang Prabang, the Kuang Si Waterfall is hidden in the forest. A trail is going all along the cascade, this will help you to reach the top of the fall. The site is well maintained with bridges, paths along the forest, and stairs. In total there are 5 pools. You can bathe in most of them. Tat Kuang Xi are beautiful cascades and turquoise pools surrounded by luxurious vegetation. The waterfall is located 29 km from Luang Prabang, the road is quite good to access.
Budget
To reach the waterfall we decided to take a Tuk Tuk since we heard renting a scooter wasn’t the safest idea for our wallet. Indeed some tourists got scammed. They end up paying USD 2500 to get their passport back since the scooter mysteriously disappeared.
Your budget guide to Kuang Si Fall : Opening hours 8 am to 5 : 30 pm
Waterfall entrance : KIP 20,000 (about USD 2.30)
Hire private tuk-tuk from Luang Prabang to waterfall and back : KIP 200,000 (we negotiate on the street early morning for 3 pers), there other possibilities by boat, minivan, bicycles, scooter or local bus.
The restaurant at the waterfall: KIP 75,000 (for 2 persons)
1 - More about kuang xi waterfall
The legend of Kuang Si waterfall tells a majestic golden deer made its home under a large rock, the digging procedure made water spring from beneath to create an enchanting fall. The name behind the waterfall comes from the legend. “Tat” means waterfall, “Kuang” means Deer, and “Si” means Dig.
We spend the entire day, walking around the waterfall, hiking up / down, swimming, and visiting spring water of the Kuang Si waterfall. To hike up, it takes roughly 14 – 20 minutes but all depends on how long you spend swimming, taking pictures and relaxing.
A bit of Chemistry: The water appears turquoise because of a chemical process from the limestone. When the waterfalls along with the stone, it scatters calcite crystals. Limestone contains a large amount of calcium carbonate, once those particles reach the water it crystalizes and gives this turquoise color.
Since the outside temperature is quite humid and hot, you’ll be looking forward cooling down. The vegetation and water are refreshing and help to lower the outside temperature. It takes a bit of time to acclimate your body to fresh and clear water. After few minutes you’ll forget about the cold and enjoy the dream swim.
Follow me to the top of the waterfall. The site is a fairy tale. The more your climb the smaller the pools became and the more dense vegetation is.
2 - Visit lue si cave - spring water of kuang si fall
The top of the waterfall is vast, there are larger pools and the vegetation is beautiful. We spent some time exploring the forest and surroundings. At 3 km away, there’s a quiet restaurant by a transparent pool, extraordinary scenery, good food, and a fun game to play. If you’re able to cross the river on the tree trunk, you’ll get a free drink. We, unfortunately, didn’t succeed. I won a free fall in the water.
Tips for your trip:
1 – Bring your swimming suit and towel.
2 – Hike to the top of the waterfall.
3 – At the top, there’s a short hike to reach another beautiful hidden place with a restaurant and river.
4 – Arrive before 11 am and avoid going on Sundays. (busier)
5 – Usually went traveling in South East Asia, I would rent a scooter to reach the point of interest. However, it was impossible to rent one without giving an original passport. We got skeptical especially after reading online about scams. It seems they rent you the scooter, stole it, and ask you to pay it off. (USD 2500 or more). Difficult to get out of the scan since they have the original passport. We ended up renting a scooter after negotiation and not going to the waterfall. Just for a look around the countryside.
Wanna know more about The festival of lights in Luang Prabang ?
If you are wondering when is the best time to travel in Laos, I would suggest : October for the Boun Heua Fai. One night in October, Luang Prabang will light up with thousands of Candles.
How to celebrate the festival of light in Luang Prabang, Laos
Enjoy,
Xxx
