Luang Prabang: Cruise to Pak Ou Caves & Kuang Si Waterfalls
Overview
Available languages
9 hours
Mobile ticket
A full day tour to the Pak Ou Caves and Kuang Si Waterfalls. We depart Luang Prabang boat pier in the morning. Floating along the Mekong River, you will be in love with the beautiful landscape in Luang Prabang. Stop by a village "Ban Xang Hai" for tasting unique local rice whisky and rice wine. Afterward, exploring the mystery cave with local tour guide.
Having buffet lunch at the restaurant overlooking the Mekong river. In the afternoon, we take a car to waterfalls and enjoy swimming in the cool water. At 5pm, we leave for the city. Stop by a Hmong village en route. We'll meet Hmong people wearing traditional cloths and see their small Hmong museum. Arrival at the city center or your hotel at 6:00.
There is an option visiting waterfalls in the morning and Caves and Sunset Boat Cruise in the afternoon. This is the same experience except the morning and afternoon itineraries are swapped.
Additional Info
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
This tour is not hard at all. But it's about 10 hours full day excursion including a long distance drive (60km). If old people and infants are in your group, please consider to choose 2 days split option or private option
What To Expect
Whisky Village
A unique little village on the banks of the Mekong River. Ban Xang Hai, is also known as whisky village, is famous for their handicraft products like distilling and selling whisky, hand woven fabric and jewelry.
Pak Ou Caves
These two caves are located some 25km from Luang Prabang where the Nam Ou River flows into the Meking. The journey on a slow moving longboat to caves is decidedly picturesque. Motoring upriver you can see locals fishing and listen to the joyful laugher of children splashing in the water. The caves are revered throughout Laos and a very popular place for tourists and pilgrimsalike. There are some 4000 statyes abd statyettes in the caves, mostly of the Buddha, many stukk covered with paper thin gilding. The first cave is reached by a steep staircase from the river’s edge, while the second cave is a little deeper inside the mountain: bring a torchilight!
Options
Private tour (morning cruise)
Route: [Morning] Whisky village -> Pak Ou Caves -> Elephant Camp Restaurant (lunch) [Afternoon] Kuang Si Falls -> Hmong Village Pickup included
Joint tour (Sunset Cruise)
Group tour Duration: 9 hours: Pickup at 8:30-9:00. End at 17:30 - 18:00. Buffet Lunch, Drinking Water Route: Morning: Kuang Si Waterfalls, Afternoon: Pak Ou Caves, 2.5 hour Mekong Sunset Cruise Minivan, Longtail Slow Boat Pickup included
Private tour (sunset cruise)
Buffet Lunch, Drinking Water Route: [Morning] Kuang Si Falls -> Hmong Village [Afternoon] Elephant Camp Restaurant (lunch) -> Pak Ou Caves -> Whisky village Private Minivan and Boat Pickup included
Joint tour (Morning Cruise)
Group tour: This is a joint tour, so please assume that pick-up or end times may be delayed by 30 minutes due to unforeseen circumstances Duration: 9 hours: Pickup at 8:15-45. End at 17:30 - 18:00. More specific pick-up time will be provided after booking Buffet Lunch, Drinking Water Route: Morning: 3 hour Mekong Cruise / Pak Ou Caves, Afternoon: Kuang Si Waterfalls Minivan, Longtail Slow Boat Pickup included
What‘s Included
Buffet-style lunch (Chicken and fish. 4-5 vegetarian options available)
All Fees and Taxes
Pickup 8:15 AM - 8:50 AM, End 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM
Coffee and/or Tea
Alcoholic Beverages
Soda/Pop
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
1,867 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Waterfalls and the Mekong river
Yunior P,Jun 23, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Beautiful day on the waterfalls and the Mekong river …. The tour guide amazing name Bon!!! He was very enthusiastic and helpful in all aspects, very caring and kind . We love him The waterfalls are breathtaking, what a beauty in Laos . Also the long tail boat on the mekong river so beautiful and peaceful .. good opportunity for a relaxing on the journey all the way to the temples on the rock formation. I really recommend this tour and the company.
A fantastic Luang Prabang experience!
578leonardl,Jun 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00An absolutely unforgettable day in Luang Prabang! Our guide, Dang, was fantastic, incredibly helpful and knowledgeable throughout the trip. Seeing the rescued bears and feeding the elephants were wonderful, heartwarming experiences. The ultimate highlight of our tour was the sunset cruise back down the Mekong River. It rained just a little bit, which rewarded us with a stunning, picture perfect double rainbow over the water. We also enjoyed visiting the village of the Hmong people. The only minor downside was the lunch. While it offered several options, the food quality wasn't the best. However, they did have an excellent cold drink selection and ice cream to make up for it. Overall, it is a highly recommended tour. LandLTravelWithAloha
100% recommend for the unexpecting traveler
dwaynemV144IV,Jun 15, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This tour exceeded expectations! The falls in the morning is a MUST. You get to climb and walk at your own pace; all doable, and the winding roads towards the caves was worth it in my opinion as it was a trip lol but I am young and living through it alll! The buffet was vegan friendly and avoid the elephant if you can for their own protection :)
This was nice. They drop...
Wilhelm L,Jun 14, 2026
- Review from Viator
4.00This was nice. They drop you off at the different places and give you free time to explore. It’s not a guided tour which I really liked. Lunch was at an ”elephant sanctuary” which I thought was questionable. They said that the elephants could live freely in the forest and only came to the fence for snacks. However, they were obviously trained to perform tricks for tourists, like putting a hat on a person etc.
a very good set of...
Yury A,Jun 2, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00a very good set of activities, properly organized. it looked beautiful! Waterfall 10/10 Boat 10/10 Cave 9/10 Lunch 7/10 Transport 9/10
This was an awesome tour!...
Jasmine B,May 31, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00This was an awesome tour! The day was filled with activities and the boat ride was very peaceful. The lunch was excellent and I also was able to see and feed the elephants. Ended the day with the waterfalls, rice farm and sunset cruise. Highly recommend! The tour guide Von was great and knowledgeable.
It was a really good...
Sunita K,May 25, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00It was a really good tour. The cruise back to Luang Prabang was out of this world with the beautiful surroundings. Enjoyed myself thoroughly, thank you.
Amazing day on the Mekong river
youngwanderer07,May 25, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Dang was the best tour guide we could have asked for. He was friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable and did an excellent job making us feel welcome throughout the day. We had an awesome lunch, fed elephants, tried rice whiskey and got caught in a rainstorm at a rice field.
Well organised,...
Tanya W,May 19, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Well organised, appreciated the lunch. Luang Prabang sunset was gorgeous. Loved seeing the elephants as well!
Would recommend!
Journey11127192263,May 19, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Itinerary was well thought out, had a bit of everything and went smoothly without waiting around to long. Arguably one of the best excursions I have done for a very reasonable price. Staff were nice and had space for a decent sized crowd. Good for all types,
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Operated by Manifa travel