Last Updated: 03/17/20 | March 17th, 2020 (Original Post: 1/11/2016)
NOTE: This pool no longer accessible and you shouldn’t go there.
“Do you want to join us to see the waterfall tomorrow?” the girls across the table asked.
“Sure!” I replied.
And, just like that, I was heading off to Luang Prabang’s famous Kuang Si waterfalls with three strangers I met at dinner.
Walk around Luang Prabang for more than two seconds and dozens of tuk-tuk drivers will ask if you want to go to the waterfall.
And they mean only one: Kuang Si.
The waterfall was listed in my guidebook as a “must-do,” and every traveler I spoke to before visiting the city told me I would be crazy not to see falls.
Normally, when so many people talk so enthusiastically about a place, I become skeptical. This is going to be a tourist trap, I think. It’s going to be one of those beautiful places so overwhelmed by crowds jostling for the perfect selfie, I won’t be able to escape for a moment of serenity.
Waking up early the next morning, I waited at the appropriate meeting spot for my new friends. We had to make arrangements with one of the many tuk-tuk drivers waiting to take tourists like us.
One approached me and we began a dance as old as time: we haggled, joked, threw up our arms in frustration, walked away, and then came to a price he feigned was too low and I knew was still slightly too high.
My friends and I boarded our shared taxi with a few other strangers and drove the hour outside town to the waterfalls. The air cooled as we passed through small, dusty towns, past schools where kids played and screamed outside, and beautiful Buddha statues, rice fields, and verdant mountains in the distance.
It was my first real look at Laos since I landed the night before. There was a simple, unspoiled beauty to it.
After arriving and paying our 20,000 LAK ($2.50 USD) entrance fee, we first stopped at the famous bear sanctuary. Asiatic black bears, or moon bears, are an endangered species, as their bile is used in Chinese medicine to “relieve internal heat” (it’s also prescribed for anything from hangovers to cancer and is found in common bath products).
This sanctuary rescues them and houses 23 bears that are now allowed to roam and enjoy life outside a cage. It made me want a bear. They were so cute and furry.
We watched them climb up and down trees, play with each other, and drink water. A collective “awwww” swept the onlookers every time a bear came into close view.
With the ogling over, we continued toward the waterfalls, eager for a swim.
Kuang Si is a giant waterfall that flows through the limestone-rich jungle and empties out into a series of three gently cascading pools. From the lowest one, each pool seems like a step on your way up to a holy temple.
Legend has it that a wise old man summoned the water by digging into the earth. Then a golden deer made its home under a rock protruding from under the new waters. That’s where the name Kuang Si comes from: “kuang” means deer, and “si” means dig.
We started at the lowest pool and wandered toward the waterfall. As you walk through and around each pool, you feel as if you’ve found yourself in a fairy tale, with water flowing over white limestone rocks into aquamarine pools surrounded by tropical trees that let in just the right amount of light.
The closer you get to the waterfall, the more groups of people I saw, swimming under the falls, walking on the rocks, and taking endless pictures.
Gazing up through the crowds and silently cursing in hopes that they would get out of the photos I was trying to take, I couldn’t help but marvel at how beautiful the scene was. Everyone was right: this place was a must-see.
Gazing at the blue-green water as it fell over the rocks’ edges, with the light casting an ethereal glow on the scene, the crowds and noise couldn’t take away from this place’s beauty.
“Should we go for a swim or hike some more?” I asked the girls.
“Let’s hike some more.”
We continued on, marveling at each pool until finally reaching the waterfall. As the water cascaded down in a torrent of sound, we gazed with dropped jaws. What a beautiful sight to behold! This waterfall cut through the jungle like a razor. I couldn’t get over how intense and wonderful it looked.
From the right side of the falls, we climbed a muddy, unkempt, worn trail that often required a bit of mountaineering skills. Our prize was the top and its spectacular views of the valley.
We wandered around the top of the fenced-in waterfall, wading through pools and crossing rickety walkways. I was struck at how few people there were compared with below. Though the pools below were filled with people, barely a fraction of them came up to enjoy the view.
At the edge, we took in the vast expanse of Laos. I let out an audible “wow.” I had no idea how green Laos was. We stood there and stared.
As we were about to descend, a friend of the girls came up and asked if they had found the entrance to the secret pool.
“What secret pool?” we asked in unison. Our voices shooting up in excitement. There’s nothing more exciting to a traveler than something off the beaten path.
He told us that further down, along the path we’d climbed already, was a hidden entrance to a mid-level pool that was virtually empty. He hadn’t been able to spot it and wanted our help. The girls wanted to join, and though I hemmed and hawed, I agreed, and we backtracked down the way we came to look for this hidden entrance.
As we descended, we spied what looked like another small path in the forest.
We climbed through the first one barrier and then another to walk along a path. Within a minute, we came to the secret pool. Before me was an aquamarine basin below a cascading waterfall lit up with the setting sun of the day. Rays of light eked through dense trees and created an even more fairy-like environment than the one below.
Surrounded by jungle, it was like we had the world to ourselves. No touts, no crowds, no one taking pictures — it was just us few enjoying this gift from nature.
But the secret pool wasn’t entirely a secret. A handful of other intrepid backpackers were already swimming around.
“No matter,” I thought. I needed to cool down after my long hike in the hot sun. After a long, hot day of hiking, the water, though cold, was refreshing. The water was deep enough to swim around, and we played in the pool and went over to the edge, where we found a little shelf to sit on, look down, and spy on the tourists below, who didn’t seem aware of this special place right above them.
After playing for what seemed like minutes but was really hours, we made our way back with just enough time to eat at one of the stalls that line the road before our ride arrived. We feasted on BBQ chicken, sticky rice, and som tam (spicy papaya salad). The chicken was cooked to perfection, with the skin just the right amount of crispy, and the sticky rice soaked up the perfectly sweetened som tam.
It was the perfect end to a perfect day.
How to Get to the Kuang Si Waterfalls
Getting to Kuang Si is easy. Just pick up a tuk-tuk (called “songtaews” here) from the center of town in Luang Prabang. They depart anytime you want and cost around 50,000 LAK ($6 USD) for a shared ride (usually 5-6 people). The ride will take around 45 minutes.
If you have a mid-size group of people you can rent a private van (with AC) for around 250,000 LAK ($30 USD) which can be more economical (and much more comfortable) if you have people to tag along with.
The best time to visit is from December to May since the monsoon season will have ended and the pools will be settled.
The entrance fee for Kuang Si falls is 20,000 LAK ($2.50 USD).
Book Your Trip to Laos: Logistical Tips and Tricks
Book Your Flight
Use Skyscanner or Momondo to find a cheap flight. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned. Start with Skyscanner first though because they have the biggest reach!
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the biggest inventory and best deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. My favorite places to stay are:
Friendly Backpackers Hostel
Sunruse Riverside Pool Hostel
Downtown Backpackers Hostel
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
World Nomads (for everyone below 70)
Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
Medjet (for additional repatriation coverage)
Looking for the Best Companies to Save Money With?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use to save money when I’m on the road. They will save you money when you travel too.
Want More Information on Laos?
Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on Laos for even more planning tips!
NOTE: This pool no longer accessible and you shouldn’t go there.
“Do you want to join us to see the waterfall tomorrow?” the girls across the table asked.
“Sure!” I replied.
And, just like that, I was heading off to Luang Prabang’s famous Kuang Si waterfalls with three strangers I met at dinner.
Walk around Luang Prabang for more than two seconds and dozens of tuk-tuk drivers will ask if you want to go to the waterfall.
And they mean only one: Kuang Si.
The waterfall was listed in my guidebook as a “must-do,” and every traveler I spoke to before visiting the city told me I would be crazy not to see falls.
Normally, when so many people talk so enthusiastically about a place, I become skeptical. This is going to be a tourist trap, I think. It’s going to be one of those beautiful places so overwhelmed by crowds jostling for the perfect selfie, I won’t be able to escape for a moment of serenity.
Waking up early the next morning, I waited at the appropriate meeting spot for my new friends. We had to make arrangements with one of the many tuk-tuk drivers waiting to take tourists like us.
One approached me and we began a dance as old as time: we haggled, joked, threw up our arms in frustration, walked away, and then came to a price he feigned was too low and I knew was still slightly too high.
My friends and I boarded our shared taxi with a few other strangers and drove the hour outside town to the waterfalls. The air cooled as we passed through small, dusty towns, past schools where kids played and screamed outside, and beautiful Buddha statues, rice fields, and verdant mountains in the distance.
It was my first real look at Laos since I landed the night before. There was a simple, unspoiled beauty to it.
After arriving and paying our 20,000 LAK ($2.50 USD) entrance fee, we first stopped at the famous bear sanctuary. Asiatic black bears, or moon bears, are an endangered species, as their bile is used in Chinese medicine to “relieve internal heat” (it’s also prescribed for anything from hangovers to cancer and is found in common bath products).
This sanctuary rescues them and houses 23 bears that are now allowed to roam and enjoy life outside a cage. It made me want a bear. They were so cute and furry.
We watched them climb up and down trees, play with each other, and drink water. A collective “awwww” swept the onlookers every time a bear came into close view.
With the ogling over, we continued toward the waterfalls, eager for a swim.
Kuang Si is a giant waterfall that flows through the limestone-rich jungle and empties out into a series of three gently cascading pools. From the lowest one, each pool seems like a step on your way up to a holy temple.
Legend has it that a wise old man summoned the water by digging into the earth. Then a golden deer made its home under a rock protruding from under the new waters. That’s where the name Kuang Si comes from: “kuang” means deer, and “si” means dig.
We started at the lowest pool and wandered toward the waterfall. As you walk through and around each pool, you feel as if you’ve found yourself in a fairy tale, with water flowing over white limestone rocks into aquamarine pools surrounded by tropical trees that let in just the right amount of light.
The closer you get to the waterfall, the more groups of people I saw, swimming under the falls, walking on the rocks, and taking endless pictures.
Gazing up through the crowds and silently cursing in hopes that they would get out of the photos I was trying to take, I couldn’t help but marvel at how beautiful the scene was. Everyone was right: this place was a must-see.
Gazing at the blue-green water as it fell over the rocks’ edges, with the light casting an ethereal glow on the scene, the crowds and noise couldn’t take away from this place’s beauty.
“Should we go for a swim or hike some more?” I asked the girls.
“Let’s hike some more.”
We continued on, marveling at each pool until finally reaching the waterfall. As the water cascaded down in a torrent of sound, we gazed with dropped jaws. What a beautiful sight to behold! This waterfall cut through the jungle like a razor. I couldn’t get over how intense and wonderful it looked.
From the right side of the falls, we climbed a muddy, unkempt, worn trail that often required a bit of mountaineering skills. Our prize was the top and its spectacular views of the valley.
We wandered around the top of the fenced-in waterfall, wading through pools and crossing rickety walkways. I was struck at how few people there were compared with below. Though the pools below were filled with people, barely a fraction of them came up to enjoy the view.
At the edge, we took in the vast expanse of Laos. I let out an audible “wow.” I had no idea how green Laos was. We stood there and stared.
As we were about to descend, a friend of the girls came up and asked if they had found the entrance to the secret pool.
“What secret pool?” we asked in unison. Our voices shooting up in excitement. There’s nothing more exciting to a traveler than something off the beaten path.
He told us that further down, along the path we’d climbed already, was a hidden entrance to a mid-level pool that was virtually empty. He hadn’t been able to spot it and wanted our help. The girls wanted to join, and though I hemmed and hawed, I agreed, and we backtracked down the way we came to look for this hidden entrance.
As we descended, we spied what looked like another small path in the forest.
We climbed through the first one barrier and then another to walk along a path. Within a minute, we came to the secret pool. Before me was an aquamarine basin below a cascading waterfall lit up with the setting sun of the day. Rays of light eked through dense trees and created an even more fairy-like environment than the one below.
Surrounded by jungle, it was like we had the world to ourselves. No touts, no crowds, no one taking pictures — it was just us few enjoying this gift from nature.
But the secret pool wasn’t entirely a secret. A handful of other intrepid backpackers were already swimming around.
“No matter,” I thought. I needed to cool down after my long hike in the hot sun. After a long, hot day of hiking, the water, though cold, was refreshing. The water was deep enough to swim around, and we played in the pool and went over to the edge, where we found a little shelf to sit on, look down, and spy on the tourists below, who didn’t seem aware of this special place right above them.
After playing for what seemed like minutes but was really hours, we made our way back with just enough time to eat at one of the stalls that line the road before our ride arrived. We feasted on BBQ chicken, sticky rice, and som tam (spicy papaya salad). The chicken was cooked to perfection, with the skin just the right amount of crispy, and the sticky rice soaked up the perfectly sweetened som tam.
It was the perfect end to a perfect day.
How to Get to the Kuang Si Waterfalls
Getting to Kuang Si is easy. Just pick up a tuk-tuk (called “songtaews” here) from the center of town in Luang Prabang. They depart anytime you want and cost around 50,000 LAK ($6 USD) for a shared ride (usually 5-6 people). The ride will take around 45 minutes.
If you have a mid-size group of people you can rent a private van (with AC) for around 250,000 LAK ($30 USD) which can be more economical (and much more comfortable) if you have people to tag along with.
The best time to visit is from December to May since the monsoon season will have ended and the pools will be settled.
The entrance fee for Kuang Si falls is 20,000 LAK ($2.50 USD).
Book Your Trip to Laos: Logistical Tips and Tricks
Book Your Flight
Use Skyscanner or Momondo to find a cheap flight. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned. Start with Skyscanner first though because they have the biggest reach!
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the biggest inventory and best deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. My favorite places to stay are:
Friendly Backpackers Hostel
Sunruse Riverside Pool Hostel
Downtown Backpackers Hostel
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
World Nomads (for everyone below 70)
Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
Medjet (for additional repatriation coverage)
Looking for the Best Companies to Save Money With?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use to save money when I’m on the road. They will save you money when you travel too.
Want More Information on Laos?
Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on Laos for even more planning tips!
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