Kuang Si Falls

About this place

The most beautiful waterfall in Laos, tumbling down limestone tiers in the forest. It begins as shallow pools at the top of the hill, the main fall drops about sixty metres, and the water then spreads through a chain of stepped pools of a milky turquoise that looks unreal. The colour comes from dissolved limestone, which settles on the rocks and builds up the pool rims layer by layer. Wooden walkways and little bridges climb between the pools to the foot of the big fall, and a steep trail leads to the top, with calm pools and a view over the forest. At the entrance is a rescue centre for Asiatic black bears saved from poaching and trafficking, which can be watched in wooded enclosures. The falls are about an hour by car from town. The ticket is LAK 60,000 for foreigners and includes a return electric cart and the bear centre, per visitor guides. The best months are November to March, when the water is clearest, and early morning beats the crowds.