A Guide to Visiting Tat Sae Waterfall in Luang Prabang, Laos
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Not to be confused with the more famous Kuang Si Waterfall, a visit to Tat Sae Waterfall should be on every traveler’s Luang Prabang, Laos, bucket list. These falls don’t get as much attention as Kuang Si but trust me, it’s well worth making an effort to visit. Not only are these cascading falls and picturesque swimming pools absolutely stunning, but getting there is half the fun!
Visiting Tat Sae Waterfall
Getting to Tat Sae Waterfall
By Tuk-Tuk
The most popular way to reach Tat Sae Waterfall is by tuk-tuk – although you will have to negotiate the price with your driver. To give you some idea of the cost, I was quoted 700,000 kip ($32) for two people for the 30-minute journey from Luang Prabang to the falls.
By Motorbike
If you’re up for a bit of adventure, you can also rent a motorbike and take the scenic drive to the waterfalls. This is what I did and the price was 90,000 kip ($4) for a daily motorbike rental. If you go this route, be careful while driving. While the roads are decent, there are a lot of potholes and twists and turns to watch out for along the way.
If you’re new to riding a motorbike, check out my guide to safely riding a scooter in Southeast Asia.
You’ll want to take Route 13 to reach the Tat Sae Waterfall ferry. The journey should take around 30-40 minutes from downtown Luang Prabang. There is plenty of parking (for 5,000 kip) down the hill next to the ticket booth. (You’ll see a beautiful Buddhist temple on your right and the parking area is just down a little hill from there.)
Whether you go by tuk-tuk or motorbike, you’ll need to pay 20,000 kip ($1) for your ferry ticket once you reach the ferry station (which is basically a wooden kiosk with longtail fishing boats). After that, you’ll hop in one of the fishing boats and take a 10-minute ride down the Nam Khan River. Trust me, the boat ride is a highlight of visiting Tat Sae Waterfall!
Once you reach the falls, you’ll pay a 30,000 kip ($1.40) entrance fee. Go past the entrance and you’ll find a little restaurant serving food and drinks, bathrooms and changing facilities. While there is a restaurant on-site, this is a popular spot to enjoy picnic lunches – so you might consider packing your own and making an afternoon of it, especially when the falls are at their prime (more on this below).
By Tour
Viator offers this unique tour that combines a visit to a local village with a trek to Tat Sae Waterfall. One thing that makes this excursion extra special is that you’ll get to meet members of the Lao Loum, Khmu and Hmong ethnic groups and get to know a little bit about their lives and culture.
After that, you’ll trek through the Laos countryside to Tat Sae Waterfall. Once you’re there, you’ll have plenty of time to hike around to the different falls and dip into the pools to cool off!
Best Time to Visit Tat Sae Waterfall
In general, the falls are open every day from 8am to 5:30pm. But because Luang Prabang has a wet and dry season, the time of year you visit Tat Sae Waterfall is going to impact your experience.
If you want to see the falls at their best, you’ll want to visit at the end of the rainy season and the months that follow – from around September to December. At this time of year, you’ll more than likely get to experience the cascading falls and picture-perfect turquoise pools that are ideal for swimming.
I visited in August, during the heart of the rainy season. While I still recommend visiting the falls in the wet summer months, it’s important to note that the gushing falls make swimming far too dangerous. Because of the sheer power of the water, you likely won’t experience those perfectly blue swimming holes you’ve seen on Instagram. It is still gorgeous and well worth visiting, though!
If you visit from February to May, there’s a good chance that there won’t be any water at all, so I’m not sure I’d recommend making the journey at this time of year. That being said, the cheap boat ride to the falls might make your efforts worth it! The scenery is really incredible.
