Classic Enduro Tour, 4 Days
Luang Prabang, Laos
4 days
Contact for price
Highlights
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Fuel station
Kuang Si is the ride everyone in Luang Prabang does first, and for good reason. Route 2501 leaves the old town, crosses a low ridge and runs through rice paddies and farming villages to the foot of a waterfall that spills down through the forest into a staircase of turquoise pools. You can swim in some of them, walk to the top of the main fall, and be back in town for a late lunch.
There is only one paved road to Kuang Si, so the first 55 km are out and back on the same road. This version comes home a different way: a hilly road east to Route 13, a short detour to Ban Aen for the boat to Tad Sae waterfall, then back into town past Wat Visoun to the foot of Phou Si. The roads are paved throughout and the gradients gentle, so a rented 110–125 cc scooter is fine. The hazards are village life rather than corners: dogs, chickens, buffalo, children and tour minivans.
The ride, stop by stop
- 1km 0
Start
Royal Palace
Photo: Allie Caulfield, CC BY 2.0 The former royal palace, Haw Kham, stands on Sisavangvong Road at the foot of Phou Si, in the middle of the old town that UNESCO lists as a World Heritage site. Built in the early twentieth century for the Lao kings, it is now the National Museum, and the gilded Haw Pha Bang temple in its grounds is one of the most photographed buildings in town.
Tip: If you leave at dawn, the monks' alms round passes through the old town; wait for it to pass or take another street, and keep engine noise down.
The roadkm 0–8
Out of town
2501Town streets, then two-lane tarmacFrom the palace you ride south-west through the old town and out along Phothisarath Road, joining Route 2501 at km 2. The suburbs have fuel stations and markets; watch for tuk-tuks stopping without warning and scooters pulling out of side streets.
The roadkm 8–30
Route 2501 to Kuang Si
2501Two-lane tarmac, narrow in placesThe road climbs gently over a low ridge, then drops into a valley of rice paddies and farming villages. A few narrow steel bridges cross the streams; slow down for them, especially when wet. The last few kilometres climb to the falls. This is the busiest stretch for tour minivans, which overtake fast and close.
- 2km 29.8
Sight
Kuang Si Falls
Allow 2–3 hours with lunch
Photo: Ekrem Canli, CC BY-SA 4.0 The road ends at the entrance car park. From the gate a forest path follows the stream uphill past a bear rescue centre and a chain of milky-turquoise pools held back by limestone terraces, some of them open for swimming. The main fall drops over the cliff at the top of the path, and a steep trail climbs beside it to the stream above. Simple restaurants by the entrance make this the lunch stop.
Tip: An entrance fee is charged at the gate. Arrive by mid-morning to beat the minivans, and bring swimwear and shoes with grip for the wet paths.
The roadkm 30–55
Back along Route 2501
2501Two-lane tarmacThe same road back down the valley, with the afternoon light low over the paddies and the minivans heading home with you. Expect people walking and cycling along the road through the villages, and ride slowly past schools and markets.
The roadkm 55–68
East to Route 13
2501Two-lane tarmac, rolling hillsInstead of turning back into town where Route 2501 meets the edge of the suburbs, keep on the road east. It runs along the southern edge of Luang Prabang, then climbs through hills to about 450 metres before dropping to Route 13. There are no fuel stations on this stretch.
The roadkm 68–83.7
Route 13 and back into town
13N2502Phommathat RoadMain highway, then town streetsRoute 13 is Laos's main north–south highway, so expect trucks and buses. Turn right at the junction for the Tad Sae detour, or left to head north. At km 77.5 Route 2502 turns west and brings you back to the old town along Phommathat Road, past Wat Visoun to the foot of Phou Si.
- 3km 69.7
SightDetour
Tad Sae Waterfall
Allow 1–1½ hoursAbout 2 km each way to Ban Aen, then a short boat ride
Photo: Tisloafp, CC BY-SA 3.0 Where the road east meets Route 13, turn right for Ban Aen, a village on the Nam Khan. Boats from the landing take you to Tad Sae, a series of low cascades and pools spread over limestone terraces in the forest. It is smaller and quieter than Kuang Si, and at its best in the rainy season and the months just after it.
Tip: The flow drops through the dry season and by March or April there can be little water, so skip it then.
- 4km 83.2
Sight
Wat Visoun and That Makmo
Allow 20 min
Back in town, the road passes one of Luang Prabang's oldest temples. Wat Visoun was founded in the early sixteenth century and rebuilt after the town was sacked in 1887; its round-topped stupa, That Makmo, is known locally as the watermelon stupa.
Tip: Dress for a temple visit: cover shoulders and knees, and take off your shoes before going inside.
- 5km 83.7
Finish
Phou Si
Photo: Alcyon, CC BY-SA 3.0 The ride ends on the east side of Phou Si, the hill in the centre of the old town, a few minutes' walk from where you started. Steps lead past temples and Buddha images to That Chomsi, the gilded stupa on the summit, which looks out over the town, the Mekong and the Nam Khan. It is the classic place to watch the sun go down.
Tip: There is a small fee to enter the summit. Climb before sunset to find space at the top.
Before you ride
Licence and insurance
To ride legally in Laos you need a valid motorcycle licence, and as a visitor that means your home licence with an International Driving Permit that covers motorcycles. Most travel insurance will not pay out if you ride without one, so check your licence and policy before you hire a bike.
Which bike
A 110–125 cc scooter is all you need: the roads are paved and the climbs are short. Check the brakes, tyres and lights before you leave, and ask for a helmet that fits.
Fuel
There are plenty of stations in town and along Route 2501 as far as the last villages before the falls, but none at Kuang Si itself. On the way home there is a gap of about 20 km with no station, from the road east until you are back on Route 2502 near town, so leave Route 2501 with fuel in the tank.
When to ride
November to February is dry, sunny and comfortable, with cool mornings. March and April are hot, and smoke from field burning often hangs over the hills. The rainy season runs roughly from May to October: the waterfalls are at their fullest, but expect heavy afternoon storms, slippery roads and the water at Kuang Si turning cloudy after heavy rain.
Traffic and safety
Laos drives on the right. Helmets are compulsory for rider and passenger. Village roads are shared with dogs, chickens, buffalo and children, so ride at a speed you can stop from. Avoid riding after dark: many roads are unlit and animals and unlit vehicles are hard to see.
Rather ride with a local?
These operators run guided tours from Luang Prabang, listed alphabetically. Contact any of them through Moto Mass.