After arriving in Luang Prabang from the slow boat from HuayXai, Henman and I found a room, ate, slept, etc. We woke up in the morning not knowing what there was to do in Luang Prabang. We asked the owner of the guesthouse, and she told us that there was a waterfall about 30km away that was very easy to get to. That easily warranted getting a motorbike down the road and making the trip. After making the preparations, we wobbled off up the road on our 110cc steed.
Quick Tips:
After leaving the city roads, a few kilometers out of Luang Prabang, there is pretty much a mud road the rest of the way to Kuang Xi. Along the way, there are local children and adults going about their business and waving, herds of animals (mainly cows) left to wander around in the road, and a few bridges of questionable safety. It was quite daunting at times negotiating our way through 30 odd cows, but fun nevertheless, and it made for good photo opportunities. The area on the way is very rural and has some amazing views of jungle, fields, and the odd mountain and stream. Upon arrival at Kuang Xi, we paid a small fee and parked the bike. We then walked a small way to the base of the waterfall. There are a few big pools at the bottom of a multi-tier waterfall. Things that strike you the most are the height of the falls and the turquoise, almost mystical colour of the water. After walking around at the base of the waterfall, we began the trip up to the very top. This is a journey not for the faint-hearted, depending on which route you take. We opted to climb up the right-hand side of the waterfall, stopping at each of the pools on the way up. The climb involved ladders and ropes already placed there, or sometimes walking into the nearby jungle to find another route when the proposed one was too wet, steep, crumbly, or slippery. This climb is extremely worthwhile upon arrival at the top pool. Here, there were a few other like-minded souls sitting around on the edge of the pool, looking over the edge down at the extremely long way down and the spectacular views all around. The pool here is quite deep, and there are many ledges of different heights that you can jump/dive/back flip/somersault from into the water below. There is even a rope swing tied to the big tree that overhangs the pool. It looks and feels quite like something I would imagine paradise to. After jumping, swimming, chatting, and smoking the local herbs with some newfound friends, Henman and I decided to climb up to the very top of the waterfall, to where this pool was sourced from. Here was a gently moving river/lake that flowed slowly through dense forest before tipping over the edge to a long descent.Best Way To Get Around:
Get a map, hire a motorbike, and drive there yourself. There is pretty much one road all the way from Luang Prabang to Kuang Xi. You'll have a much more entertaining journey than you would in a taxi and can stop and admire the amazing scenery as often as you like on the way. It's also a lot of fun driving around the cows, pigs chickens, dogs, and locals that you'll meet on the way.
If you decide to visit Kuang Xi, then go to the top. If you take the route up the left-hand side, there is a wooden staircase towards the top that makes the climb a lot easier. Once at the top, you can explore the many pools and forest, admire the amazing views, and enjoy the tranquility. The journey there is almost as good as the falls themselves. It was only a week or so after we left England, and it was therefore very new and exiting to be riding a motorbike up a mud road in Laos in search of a waterfall. There are also food vendors and a tiger enclosure at the base, and plenty of swimming opportunities for those not wanting to climb to the top pool.