Which Sunset Cruise on the Mekong in Luang Prabang Is Worth Booking?
4 min read
Short answer. For most people the Two Rivers Sunset Cruise with Food & Drinks is the one to book: €19, 4.8 stars, a two-hour small-group trip on the Mekong and the Nam Khan with Lao food tastings and a complimentary drink. Be aware that it has only 13 reviews so far. The Mekong Sunset Cruise & Lao Tasting Dinner at €39 has 36 reviews at 4.3 stars and runs on a solar boat; both are run by the same operator, 856today.
Two stand-alone cruises
| Option | Duration | From | Rating | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Two Rivers Sunset Cruise with Food & Drinks | 2 hours | €19 | 4.8 (13) | Small group, Mekong and Nam Khan, tastings, one drink |
| Mekong Sunset Cruise & Lao Tasting Dinner | 2 hours | €39 | 4.3 (36) | Eco-friendly solar boat, Lao tasting dinner |
What the descriptions say
Both cruises are sold by the same operator, 856today, so you are choosing between two formats rather than two companies. The Two Rivers cruise spends about 100 minutes on the Mekong and the Nam Khan, the second river that meets the Mekong at Luang Prabang, with one drink (wine, beer or juice) and a Lao tasting plate with chicken laap, salad and coconut pancakes. Its page gives the group limit as 10 participants in one place and a maximum of 18 guests on board in another. The hotel pickup is one-way, so plan your own way back. The solar-boat cruise picks you up at 4 p.m., leaves between 4:30 and 5 p.m. and is back around 6:30 to 7 p.m.; it adds a Lao mojito, a small river ritual in which you release a fish, blankets for the cooler return and a platter of seven Lao dishes in tasting portions. Neither is a full dinner. Both pages list their cruise as not suitable for people prone to seasickness, the solar-boat page also for wheelchair users and people with mobility impairments, and both say the sunset itself depends on the weather.
Sunset on a tour instead
Several day trips end on the water. The Kuang Si Falls & Sunset Cruise (€28.85, 4.6 stars from 379 reviews) puts the cruise after a swim at the falls; the Pak Ou Caves half-day cruise has an afternoon version that returns downstream at sunset. If you want a sight and a sunset in one booking, these combine both; if you want a relaxed evening only, they are too much. The falls option is explained in Kuang Si Falls from Luang Prabang.
A word on the review numbers
Both cruises have far fewer reviews than the day tours around them. A high score from a few dozen people or fewer says less than the same score from hundreds. That is not a reason to avoid them, but it is a reason to read the most recent reviews before you pay. Our page of Mekong cruises in Luang Prabang lists further stand-alone sunset cruises; these two have the most reviews among them so far.
Who should skip it
If you have a long day trip already, a second boat in the same evening is probably one boat too many. Browse the full list of Mekong cruises in Luang Prabang if you want to compare more.
Check dates and prices for the Two Rivers Sunset Cruise
Our recommendation
Book the Two Rivers cruise for a short, social evening on the water; choose the solar-boat cruise if the longer tasting platter, the river ritual and its larger review count matter more to you; and combine a sunset with a day trip if you want one booking to cover a sight as well.
