Kuang Si Falls, Natural waterfall cascade in Luang Prabang Province, Laos.

The multilevel system extends over 60 meters in height and consists of numerous turquoise pools flowing down limestone formations surrounded by dense rainforest, with the main basin at the base reaching about 50 meters in width and displaying natural travertine layers.

The Nam Si rises about 10 kilometres from the falls, at the foot of mountains where Hmong and Lao Theung Khmu hill tribes once lived in villages such as Ban Nong Thouk, Ban Hin Oih and Ban Nam Ork. Slash-and-burn rice farming caused the river to run dry. After 1975 the Lao government relocated the hill tribes to restore natural resources; only a few straw houses remain for foreign tourists, and the village of Ban Tad lies at the base.

The name combines Lao words: Nam Tok Tad means waterfall, Kuang means deer, and Si is the river that feeds the falls. The Si River rises about 10 km from the cascade, at the foot of mountains where Hmong and Khmu villages such as Ban Nong Thouk and Ban Hin Oih once stood. After 1975 the government moved hill tribes away to restore the land, and only a few straw houses remain near the site for foreign visitors.

The falls lie about 29 km south of Luang Prabang, a drive of roughly 53 minutes from the Night Market downtown. The site is open from 06:00 to 17:00 and charges 20,000 kip admission. Food may be eaten in a designated area but cooking is not allowed; separate zones are set aside for swimming, and waste is collected and sorted.

At the entrance stands a bear rescue centre that takes in Asiatic black bears confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade in Laos; a share of the admission fee goes towards their upkeep. Visitors pass the enclosures on the way to the falls and can watch the animals in the outdoor pens.