Full-Day Nam Khan River Kayaking and Tad Sae Waterfall Tour from Luang Prabang

Your guide will greet you at 8am in the lobby of your Luang Prabang hotel, where you'll drive to the Nam Khan river. If it's rained heavily, driving can be quite the adventure as you careen along dirt roads.

Here, you'll board a boat and cruise to the Tad Sae waterfall, which flows into the river over a series of natural steps, forming stunning turquoise green pools. Admire the beauty, take a swim in the natural pools, or grab a photo with the elephants whose keepers sometimes bring them here.

Refreshed, it's back on the boat again to motor to the kayaking start point. Your guide will equip you with safety gear, including lifejackets, and show you the basics if you've not kayaked before. You'll paddle with the rushing waters through stunning panoramic views of karst landscape and typical scenes of rural Lao life: kayaking the rapids is a real adrenaline rush when the waters are at their highest.

Most people spend three or four hours kayaking the 12-mile (20-kilometer) journey. Expert paddler? It's possible to start your journey from Ban En, giving you a 16-mile (25-kilometer) ride.

Once your kayaking adventure is done, you'll drive back to your hotel, arriving around 6pm.