Kuang Si Waterfall

Thirty kilometres southwest of Luang Prabang, Tat Kuang Si is a many-tiered waterfall tumbling over limestone formations into a series of cool, swimmable turquoise pools; the term 'Edenic' doesn't do it justice. Between swinging off ropes into the water, there's a public park with shelters and picnic tables at which you can take lunch. Don't miss Kuang Si Rescue Centre , where Asiatic Wild Moon bears, confiscated from poachers who sell them for their precious bile, are given a new lease of life.

Visiting Kuang Si by hired motorcycle is very pleasant now that the road is decently paved and allows stops in villages along the way. By bicycle, be prepared for two long, steady hills to climb.

An appealing alternative is to charter a boat down the Mekong to Ban Ou (one hour downstream), from which the remaining 5km to the falls should be easy to hitch: Rte 2501 to the falls turns 90 degrees away from the river directly behind Ban Ou's wat. Some boatmen, however, have been known to drop passengers at different villages from which there's no choice but to charter a 'friend's' tuk-tuk.