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Luang Prabang Cave tours

Our most recommended Luang Prabang Cave tours

Luang Prabang: Pak Ou Caves and Kuang Si Waterfalls Cruise

1. Luang Prabang: Pak Ou Caves and Kuang Si Waterfalls Cruise

Enjoy a private or shared group boat tour to the Pak Ou Caves and Kuang Si Waterfalls departing from Luang Prabang. You will be picked up at your accommodation and travel straight to the pier. Hop onboard a long tail boat for a relaxing journey aong the Mekong River. Enjoy the views from the water as you pass by local villages and fishing communities. After the first hour and a bit, the boat makes its first short stop at the popular Ban Xang Hai, also known as ‘the whiskey village’. Explore the village, see the process of making Lao Lao, the country’s beloved rice whiskey, and taste the finished product. Continue by boat traveling slowly along the Mekong in the direction of the glorious Pak Ou Caves. Arrive at a small boat landing dock where stairs lead you straight up to the cave. These limestone Buddhist caves have been a place of worship for thousands of years, over this time a collection of Buddha statues and idols have filled these spiritual natural caves Enter the Ou River to visit the limestone cliffs. Then, after a 30-minute boat ride down the Mekong River, arrive at Manifa Elephant Camp for lunch. Enjoy a full buffet-style lunch at the restaurant overlooking the Mekong river and free-roaming elephants. After lunch break, travel by car to the Kuang Si Waterfalls. Enjoy 2 hours of free time to explore the three-layered Kuang Si Waterfalls. Walk the trails of the nature reserve and swim in the refreshing turquoise water pools and visit the bear rescue center. Depart for Luang Prabang, with a short stop at Ban Na Uan Hmong village on the way. Return to the city with drop-off at your hotel.

Luang Prabang: Kayak to Pak Ou Caves

2. Luang Prabang: Kayak to Pak Ou Caves

Discover Laos' varied and scenic landscapes on this guided tour. After getting picked up from your hotel in Luang Prabang, head north to the Nam Ou Riverside where you will begin your kayak tour. This is an easy river for kayaking where you can enjoy breathtaking views of the tranquil countryside and see naturally-formed limestone cliffs.  Kayak your way towards Pak Ou, where you will visit the famous Pak Ou Caves – 2 linked caves crammed with thousands of gold-lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by devoted pilgrims. Enjoy a guided tour of the caves before starting the second section of your kayak on the Mekong River. Paddle down the Mekong for 30 minutes to reach your lunch destination. Sit down to a delicious buffet lunch as you admire breathtaking views of the Mekong. After lunch, continue to the Kuang Si Falls and enjoy some free time to explore these unique 3-layered falls. You could go for a walk through the trails of the surrounding nature trails, take a dip in the refreshing turquoise water pools or pay a visit to the bear rescue center. Finally, begin the journey back to Luang Prabang. Stop at Ban Na Uan hmong village and get the chance to experience Hmong village life, meet some of the local people and see their traditional embroidery crafts. Get dropped off back at your hotel at the end of the day.

Luang Prabang: Pak Ou Caves & Kuang Si Falls Day Trip

3. Luang Prabang: Pak Ou Caves & Kuang Si Falls Day Trip

Visit the Pak Ou Caves and Kuang Si Waterfall on a full-day tour, with a scenic drive up and down the length of the Mekong River. Start with early morning pickup and relax on the 40-minute drive to Pak Ou Village. Admire locally-produced crafts, before crossing the mighty Mekong River in a small boat to the base of a limestone cliff. Enter the impressive Pak Ou Caves, filled with Buddhist statues and relics. Take your time to explore this incredible place, scented with burning incense and overlooking the impressive landscape. Climb a winding set of stairs, grab a flashlight, and find another fascinating cave to visit. After enjoying the caves, stop for lunch at the base of the caves. Cross back over the water and drive downriver for 1.5 hours, to reach the famous Kuang Si Waterfall. Stop at the popular Whiskey Village along the way, to sample local Lao Lao. Admire the rushing turquoise waters of the falls, surrounded by beautiful jungle scenery. Visit the bear sanctuary while there. We drop you back in Luang Prabang where your tour ends.

Luang Prabang: 4-Day Explorer Tour

4. Luang Prabang: 4-Day Explorer Tour

Day 1 Upon arrival at Luang Prabang airport meet and greet your local guide at the exit of the arrival hall. Drive to the hotel where you can get some rest and relax at your own pace. Day 2 Enjoy a short but thorough guided tour of the city’s oldest temple Wat Sene and the magnificent Wat Xiengthong. With its roofs sweeping low to the ground, it embodies classical Laotian architecture. Then embark on a cruise upstream on the Mekong River, and take in a breathtaking view of the tranquil countryside as well as exploring the mysterious Pak Ou Caves, 2 linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by pilgrims. Along the way, you will stop at the village of Ban Xanghai where they make the local rice wine and Ban Xangkhong a village well known for its silk weavings and for its Saa (jute) Papermaking. On return, visit the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrine of Wat Aham, Wat Mai. You'll then climb up to the top of Mount Phousi for an enjoyable exploration of the sacred, gilded stupa as well as a panoramic view of the city at sunset and the Mekong River.  Continue to explore the night market, where you can find a lovely selection of handmade textiles made by Luang Prabang locals. Return to the same hotel in Luang Prabang. Day 3 Wake up to the beautiful morning in Luang Prabang, and if you are an early riser, participate in the daily morning rituals of saffron-clad monks collecting offerings of Alms (sticky rice) from the residents. This tradition is unique to Laos, the only Buddhist nation still preserving the procession. After breakfast, drive about 15km out of town to journey to the elephant village in Ban Xienglom. En route stop at a famous and well-known village, Ban Phanom, where almost all of the villagers are weavers. Next, stop at Henri Mouhot, the explorer who discovered Angkor Wat, a monument at Kaeng Noon.  Once at the Elephant Village Camp, get up close and personal with elephants while you feed them. Visit the elephant hospital, museum, gallery, and dung paper making facility.  Return to the town visit local villages of Lao ethnic minority groups at Ban Ouay, Hmong Village, Ban Ou, Laoloum Village and Ban Thapene, Khmu Village, then drive to the beautiful Kuang Si Waterfall where you can cool off with a refreshing swim in the turquoise pools or walk along the forest trails. Returning to Luang Prabang by afternoon, you'll be back in the city in time to observe the sunset at Wat Phabath Tai. Day 4 Enjoy your breakfast and free time to pack in the morning before check-out, you will then be transferred to the airport to catch up with your flight.Enjoy your breakfast and free time to pack in the morning before check-out, you will then be transferred to the airport to catch up with your flight.

Full-Day Private Guided Pak Ou Caves & Ethnic Village Tour

5. Full-Day Private Guided Pak Ou Caves & Ethnic Village Tour

Set off into the Mekong River after being gathered from your hotel, passing scenes of fishermen and wildlife on the way. Once you arrive at the Pak Ou Caves, head to Tham Ting, the first cave. The smaller cave is illuminated from the entrance, making it a popular place to burn incense and offer prayers. As your guide leads you through the dark cave with a light, catch sight of the Buddha icons, numbering in the 1,000s that fill the place.  After your excursion through the caves, hop aboard your boat and make your way to the village of Ban Xanghai. Here, you can witness the traditional method of making lao-lao, the local rice wine. A short drive then takes you to Ban Phanom, which is famous for its handwoven textiles. Watch the craftsmen deftly work at their looms, weaving silk and cotton into intricate patterns. Conclude your day of adventure with a leisurely boat trip back to Luang Prabang.

Frequently asked questions about Luang Prabang

What top attractions are a must-see in Luang Prabang?

What are the best day trips and excursions from Luang Prabang?

The best day trips and excursions from Luang Prabang are:

Kuang Si Falls

What are the best indoor activities in Luang Prabang for rainy days?

Other Sightseeing Options in Luang Prabang

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What people are saying about Luang Prabang

Overall rating

5.0 / 5

based on 1 reviews

Thanks for the nice tour. Everything worked well, good organization and all employees were very friendly, courteous and helpful. Thanks for the cozy and lovely day, would definitely do it again for the price! Please remember tips, they really try! Start at the hotel with a new minibus. Comfortable boat tour including coffee, tea or water. Boat in fair condition and toilets were well maintained. Our tour guide Worn was very accommodating and answered as many questions as possible. Buddha Caves were visited. Very tasty food on the elephant Manifa Farm (try the pumpkin soup) followed by feeding the free-roaming elephants, no sticks, no chains... all very natural, elephants let themselves be stroked against banana bribery, ;) Visiting two villages Was a waterfall visit gg. afternoon, so very empty, but already cooler return journey with a new minibus with air conditioning.

Two hour boat cruise on Mekong See a lot of great scenery with refreshments Lower cave was cool Climbed to upper cave , not worth the effort Arrived very scenic area for lunch Lunch was very good Then came the elephant Feeding her bananas was awesome Into car to travel to waterfall There are four layers of the fall Don’t leave at stage two thinking u have seen it all Absolutely beautiful Bears were an extra treat, watching them play Then only 35 mins back to LP. Great day and value for money. Oh and pit stop to try local whiskey and chance to buy it from village.

Mr. Pong was a lovely tour guide, who tried everything to make you feel comfortable. The tour was really nice, especially the waterfall and watching the sunset from the boot. Be aware that the roads are really bad.

Waterfall and boat trip are excellent, be prepared for a long minibus journey

Great trip. Lots of things to see. Highly recommended.