Khone Phapheng Falls – the largest in Southeast Asia
Locals often refer to Khone Phapheng Waterfall as the jewel or the pearl of the Mekong, as it is Southeast Asia’s largest waterfall. Millions of liters of water descend over a set of cascades making it one of the most spectacular sites in Southern Laos.
The Khone Falls and Pha Pheng Falls together form a waterfall located in Champasak Province on the Mekong River in southern Laos, near the border with Cambodia. It is the widest waterfall in the world at 10,783 metres (35,376 feet or 6.7 miles) in width from one edge of its multiple channels to the other.
Most people never see it. It is out of the way of most tourist travel. There are no large cities or airports right by it, and the transportation infrastructure there is primitive. So it is a good idea to arrange for a private driver who can take you there, take you around, and take you back for meals and hotel.
Highlights of Khone Phapheng Falls
A huge crashing volume of white water: Hear it roar! Many rivers have a greater volume of water. However, those rivers don’t have big falls like this.
Good for: people who love natural places, waterfalls, and majestic scenery
Not overly touristy: The whole area is off the beaten track in the extreme south of Laos where it is more quiet, sleepy, and lazy. The island towns are good for relaxation, and you’ll you find many foreigners simply doing that. The main international travelers are Thais, Vietnamese and Westerners. There are no large Chinese and Korean tour groups as in the north.
Lots of other things to do nearby: It is in Champasak Province that is rich in things to do without crowds. You can find awesome places such as 4,000 small islands and the waterfall. You could kayak on the broad Mekong River, stay and eat in laid back native towns, go to other waterfalls, and kayak out to see dolphins!
Khone Phapheng Falls Quick Facts
Height, breadth and volume: The main drop is 14 meters (45 feet), and the stair of cataracts have a total drop of 22 meters.
Width: It is almost 11 kilometers wide. At any one point though, you’ll only glimpse a small portion of the falls.
Volume: The flow is 9,500,000 liters (2,500,000 gallons) per second. This is almost double the volume of Niagara Falls.
Suitable for: nature lovers and photography
Khone Phapheng Travel Essentials
The best time to visit: Dry season is from about November to April when it isn’t monsoon season. During monsoon season, the water is deeper and more impressive though.
Open hours: about 8 am to 6:00 pm daily. For best lighting, 8:00 am. Crowds come at 11:00 am.
Recommended visit time: You can spend an exciting hour walking to the waterfall and back.
Time to walk next to the waterfall: From the gate, you can walk for 10 minutes to the waterfall. A golf cart to ride the 200 meter distance is an extra 11,000 kip.
Tickets: It is 55,000 kip (about 7.00 USD) for a VIP ticket including a cart ride. There is a 44,000 kip entrance fee to simply walk 10 minutes to the falls.
The Top Things to Do
Photography: You can get really scenic, epic shots at the waterfall. For the best lighting, arrive around 8:00 am.
Kayak on the Mekong to the falls: Kayaks and kayak tours with a guide are available. For example, from Don Det, you take a kayak with a tour guide for a charge of about 200,000 Kip or 25 USD. There are rapids along the way, and they know how to navigate them. It is a good day’s trip with lunch, and you’ll arrive in the afternoon. You can go further to try to find dolphins.