Waterfalls in Laos

Laos's best-known falls sit at opposite ends of the country. Kuang Si, a short drive from Luang Prabang, is the country's most-visited natural attraction, a multi-tier travertine cascade running through a series of turquoise pools popular for swimming. In the south, the volcanic Bolaven Plateau feeds Tad Fane, a dramatic twin waterfall dropping side by side into a forested gorge, while Khone Phapheng, on the Mekong itself near the Cambodian border, is Southeast Asia's largest waterfall by volume, a wide, rapid-strewn stretch of the river rather than a single sheer drop.

When to go

The wet season, roughly May-October, brings the fullest flow and the most turbid water to all three falls, Khone Phapheng especially, where the Mekong can rise dramatically. The dry season, November-April, offers clearer, more turquoise water at Kuang Si and easier travel on the Bolaven Plateau's roads, though volume drops accordingly.

Getting around

Kuang Si is reached by tuk-tuk or hired car from Luang Prabang on a paved road. Tad Fane and the Bolaven Plateau are usually explored on a multi-day loop by motorbike or hired car from Pakse. Khone Phapheng is a couple of hours' drive south of Pakse, often combined with a visit to the Si Phan Don ('4,000 Islands') area.