The 15 Best Kayaking Tours in Laos

1.Kayaking & Cave Tubing with Zip Line/Blue Lagoon

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 410 reviews · 6 - 8 hours · from $30Our pick

Paddle the Nam Song River from a Khmu village, pass small rapids, tube through Tham Norn Cave, and walk through Tham Nang Far. Guides such as Duang, On, Lee, Om, and Ming are known for careful instruction. Add the zip line for the strongest thrill, or choose Blue Lagoon 1 for a calmer finish.

“amazing experience, the kayaking and zipline were especially great fun, the tubing was way shorter than expected but the cave made up for it”

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2.Tham Nangfar and Tham Nam Day Tour with Kayaking

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 147 reviews · 5 hours · from $24

Spend five active hours north of Vang Vieng kayaking the Nam Song, tubing through Tham Nam, and exploring Tham Nang Far, or Angel Cave. Your English- or Thai-speaking guide provides safety instruction, gear, lunch, water, and hotel transfers. Expect scenic river stretches, small rapids, limestone formations, and a busy cave passage.

“Fantastic. I guide was exceptional. He was knowledgeable, practical and caring. This trip was amazing in many ways. The company provided everything like a waterproof bag, towels, straps for anyone with glasses. Come enjoy for yourself. Don't forget to bring slippers or water shoes.”

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3.Kayak Tour to Pak Ou Caves

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 115 reviews · 5 - 9 hours · from $43

Paddle easy stretches of the Nam Ou and Mekong to Pak Ou Caves, then continue by road to Kuang Si Falls and Ban Na Uan Hmong village. Guides such as Lan, Mungkone, and Vone are praised for friendly, clear explanations. Expect a small group, buffet lunch, muddy riverbanks, and a busy full-day schedule.

“Really enjoyed our day kayacking along the Ou river, exploring the Ou caves and visiting the Kuang Si waterfall. Kayacking was lovely though a bit short - only 2 hours kayacking and would have liked to kayak for longer. Lunch was exceptional - one of the best lunches I’ve had during a tour and in a beautiful location. The waterfalls were wonderful too, though would have been nice to have a bit more time as there is a lot to explore, especially if you want to climb to the top of the hill overlooking the waterfalls. Overall, a great day seeing all the best spots around Luang Prabang.”

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4.FULL DAY – Kuang Si Waterfall, Kayak on the Nam Ou / Mekong River, Pak Ou Caves

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 81 reviews · from $50Top rated

Spend about 8.5 hours combining river kayaking, Pak Ou Caves, Whisky Village, Kuang Si Falls, and lunch at Manifa Elephant Camp. You’ll paddle through limestone scenery, see thousands of Buddha images, and have time to swim in the falls. Small groups, bottled water, kayak equipment, entrance fees, and a vegetarian buffet option are included.

“A very full and exciting day. Especially enjoyed the kayaking, waterfall and the excellent buffet lunch with the elephants.”

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5.Nam Song River Kayak Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 69 reviews · 4 hours · from $33

You’ll spend four hours kayaking the Nam Song River from Vang Vieng, starting 6 km north in Ban Viengsamai. An English-speaking guide explains paddle technique, river safety, and local history before you set off through small rapids, fishing areas, and dramatic mountain views. Equipment, water, and hotel transport are included.

“le guide etait tres sympa et les paysages exceptionnels”

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6.Vang Vieng Tour with Cave Kayak & Zipline

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 32 reviews · 9 hours · from $113

Travel from Vientiane to Vang Vieng for a full day of kayaking on the Nam Song River, ziplining near Nangfa Cave, exploring Jang Cave, swimming at Blue Lagoon 1, and visiting Wat Kang. An English-speaking guide leads the day, with private groups available. Bring swimwear, sports shoes, dry clothes, and cash.

“It was a pleasant tour: we visited suggestive and truly particular places in Vang Vieng. The journeys, even if long, were carried out with maximum punctuality and comfort. A truly recommended experience”

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7.Day Tour with Kayaking, Ziplining, and Rafting

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 30 reviews · 1 day · from $55

You’ll spend a full day near Vang Vieng kayaking small rapids on the Nam Song River, tubing through Tham Chang Cave, hiking, eating a local lunch, ziplining over the forest, and swimming at Blue Lagoon 1. An English or Lao-speaking safety guide handles instructions, with pickup from central Vang Vieng around 9:00 to 9:30.

“It was a mix, pick up was quite late, kayak and zip line were funny, the cave tube and the Lagune overcrowded”

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8.Muang Ngoi, View Point, Water Fall and Kayaking

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 26 reviews · 8 hours · from $35

From Nong Khiaw, you’ll travel by boat along the Nam Ou River to Muang Ngoi, visit a history cave and Phanoi Viewpoint, then walk through farms and rice terraces to Tad Mok Waterfall. The day also includes a weaving village, lunch, an organic farm, and a sunset kayak. An English-speaking guide leads the way.

“Sehr schöner und abwechslungsreicher Tagensausflug. Der Guide hat viel erzählen hat viel erklären können. Jederzeit wieder :)”

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9.Full day / Half Day Kayaking and Pak Ou Caves with optional sunset cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 24 reviews · from $41

Join Manifa Travel for a small-group kayaking trip from Luang Prabang to Pak Ou Caves. Paddle the Nam Ou and Mekong, see limestone cliffs, visit Buddha-filled caves and Ban Xang Hai whisky village, then return by car or optional sunset cruise. Lunch, water, equipment, and entrance fees are included.

“We did the half day tour in a small group of six. The whole experience was excellent. We really enjoyed the kayaking and the caves. You definitely need to take a change of clothing - there are lockers at the activity centre where you can leave Read more”

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10.Hot Air Balloon,Kayak,Zipline,Blue lagoon1 Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 24 reviews · 1 day · from $186

This full-day Vang Vieng outing combines a 30-minute hot air balloon flight with cave tubing, a Tham Chang hike, ziplining, lunch, rafting, kayaking, and optional Blue Lagoon 1. English and Lao-speaking staff handle the activities, with central hotel pickup. The schedule changes around a morning or sunset balloon flight.

“enjoy the multiple zipline, water cave. hotair balloon in morning was awesome. disappointed with blue lagoon as it's too commercial. guide us very efficient.ovetall good tour.”

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11.2-Day Trekking,Hmong village,Home Stay&Kayaking

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 17 reviews · 2 days · from $80

Spend two days walking through primary forest and remote Lao villages, with an overnight homestay, bamboo handicraft lesson, cave and viewpoint visit, Tad Mork waterfall swim, and Nam Ou River kayaking. Guide Bic, also spelled Bick in one account, leads the trip in English. Expect a moderate to challenging trek and simple village accommodation.

“Bic is the best guide in all of Laos! Really nice hike through the jungle but it is tough one so I wouldn’t recommend for anyone with mobility issues. Visiting the villages felt authentic, the kids say hello and the locals go about their day without trying to sell anything or anything else to give it a touristy/gimmicky feel. The views are stunning and there is a lot to learn and appreciate about Laos on this trip. But hands down the best part of the trip was Bic. A really lovely guy and an excellent guide who at every opportunity would teach us about the land, people and history of…”

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12.One Day Guided Tour: Kayaking, Zipline & Tubing In The Cave from Vang Vieng

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 15 reviews · from $49

Spend about eight hours outside Vang Vieng with a local English-speaking guide. Paddle 7 km on the Nam Song, float through gentle river sections, swim at Tham Nam Water Cave, pull yourself 500 meters underground by rope, and finish with forest ziplining. Hotel transfers, gear, entrance fees, and picnic lunch are included.

“It was a really cool experience especially the kayaking and the zip line, the guide was super nice and friendly”

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13.Kayaking&Zipline&Water Cave&Tham Chang tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 11 reviews · 1 day · from $51

You’ll spend a full day near Vang Vieng kayaking small rapids on the Nam Song River, tubing through Tham Chang Cave, hiking, swimming, eating a local lunch, and ziplining over forest and river views. Hotel pickup, equipment, safety instruction, and return transport are included. English and Lao support is available.

“Meget ubehagelig oplevelse i Cave tuning pga for mange mennesker på en gang”

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14.Zipline,Water Cave,Tham Chang,Kayak,Blue Lagoon 3

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 8 reviews · 1 day · from $58

Spend a full day around Vang Vieng kayaking the Nam Song River, rafting through Tham Chang Cave, hiking and swimming, then ziplining through the forest and cooling off at Blue Lagoon 3. Pickup, lunch, equipment, and central hotel return are included, but activity order, guide communication, safety standards, and lagoon choice can vary.

“la tyrolienne par contre le guide etais très pressé c est beaucoup trop chère par rapport aux activités proposées.”

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15.One Day Kayaking, Zipline and Tubing In Cave from Vang Vieng

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · from $75

Spend about eight hours exploring Vang Vieng by kayak, zipline, and inner tube. Your English-speaking guide leads a small group from Khmu Village to the Nam Song River and Tham Nam Water Cave. Hotel pickup, safety gear, entrance fees, picnic lunch, and return transport are included.

“I really enjoyed this half-day kayaking tour in Vang Vieng. Starting at Khmu Village with proper training made me feel safe and confident right away. The scenery along the Nam Song River was incredibly peaceful and beautiful. It was the perfect mix of adventure and relaxation.”

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