Tat Sae Waterfalls — Attraction in Luang Prabang

If you want to get away from the crowds, and swim next to and beneath beautiful waterfalls, go to Tat Sae. Come in the morning and you'll likely have the place to yourself.

It's about 30 mins by motorbike from Luang Prabang, and then a 5 minute boat ride up the river. Note: motorbike parking fee of 5,000 KIP; ferry charge of 15,000 KIP; and entry fee of 20,000 KIP, as of December 2023.

There are three waterfalls to take in, with the first two fairly easily reached, and the third a partially steep climb, for about 15-20mins, but worth it for the swimming area.

That said, it feels like this place has seen better days. Two of the bridges which connect the pathways to the falls are broken, and look to have been this way for a while; the on-site coffee shop is closed and looks like it has been for some time, with its decking falling into the water; and the path from waterfall 3, back down to waterfalls 1 and 2 completely overgrown and unmarked. It's a shame, since this place is beautiful and, with some new markings and tending to routes, could be more accessible for all.

For context, I last visited in 2009. It was almost unrecognisable to me this time. The elephants have gone (which is great news, since they were not well-treated, I felt), the zip-lining and tree-surfing equipment is no longer used, and the place is much, much quieter. I appreciated the lack of tourists, honestly, so the final one was a blessing.

The place still has a real charm, though, and, with just a little more way marking and care from the custodians of the site, it could be fantastic.

The waterfalls, of course, remain as beautiful as...

MUST READ REVIEW! the reviews for this waterfall are confusing and contradict each other so we were apprehensive but decided to try the waterfalls anyway and we were so glad we did! our guesthouse in luang prabang arranged a drop off for us in the local village where you pay a really small fee in kip. then you are taken on a typical lao long canoe only a 5 minute journey to the steps up to the waterfall. that was all a very easy process and the local boat driver waits for you to go and see the waterfall before taking you back. in mid 2024 there were some bad floods in the area so what used to be a fairly built up tourist location with toilets cafe etc is no more but the natural beauty of the waterfall remains. DO NOT GO IN DRY SEASON there is simply no water! but in wet season there is crystal blue water and almost white rocks. there are steps to climb up to view the waterfall but we braved swimming! it was a little cold at first but so refreshing and fun. we were wearing wet shoes (the kind you might wear say surfing) meaning it was easy for us to scramble up the waterfall into other pools). another person swimming there told us they had been to kuang so waterfall which is the more popular one and it wasn’t worth it because too busy full of tourists but we went to tao se at around 10am and there was only 4 people there in total. so peaceful and tranquil! our guesthouse owner informed us that there are plans in dry season to rebuild the cafe etc. giving some more life to the place but honestly it was such a magical experience on its...

These falls feature smaller cascades on a wider tributary. The area around the falls is more built-up than Kuang Si, and there are decks criss-crossing the water where you can relax and enjoy the sights and sounds. Nearby, an elephant park offers visitors the chance to meet, feed, and even ride Asian elephants. Tad Sae requires a ride out of town and then a short trip down the Nam Khan river in a traditional longboat. Tuk-tuks regularly make the 14km trip to the boat launch area and cotinue to take the boat to the main waterfall about 8 minutes. And also you can go by bicycle takes around 45 minutes. Tad Sae can be dry or mostly dry from February to July, so be sure to check before you go. (Tuk-Tuk cost about 150.000 kip and you can share with others for cheaper cost). When cooling off at the pool or the falls, it’s also important to remember that bikinis and other very revealing swimwear are also frowned upon and public displays of affection, from hand-holding to more intimate gestures like kissing, are considered crude. Please also note that visitors are expressly requested not to walk around with shirts off or in just bikini tops. This is considered rude (and the individual in question is assumed to have questionable morals and status). Open daily 08:00am – 17:00pm Tickets: 20.000k/person (under age of 8 years old...