A Stunningly Beautiful Lake with an Ancient Legend

The Red Lotus Lake is a truly picturesque and remarkable natural wonder. Here you will find yourself floating across sunlit waters shimmering with starbursts. Stretching across the entire horizon, you will see nothing but a magical, endless tapestry of pink tropical water lilies. Spending an early morning on The Red Lotus Lake is to experience absolute serenity and tranquillity;

Address: บ้านเชียงแหว, Unnamed Rd, Tambon Chiang Wae, Chiang Haeo, Kumphawapi District, Udon Thani 41110

VISITING THE RED LOTUS LAKE, UDON THANI

The early morning sun twinkles on the surface of the water as the boatman slowly guides his vessel to shore. But there is still no sign of the star attraction. It’s only after clambering aboard and travelling for twenty minutes or so into the heart of Nong Han Lake that the scene begins to change. Now the lake is living up to its colloquial name. This is ‘Talay Bua Daeng‘; the ‘Red Lotus Sea’. Tucked away in a quiet district in the north-eastern province of Udon Thani, the lake is a unique tourist attraction that springs to life during Thailand’s cool season months when carpets of pink water lilies cover the surface of the water

Pink as Far as the Eye Can See

‘Red Lotus Lake’ is the English translation of the lake’s popular Thai name ‘Talay Bua Daeng’. Actually, a more accurate and direct translation is ‘Red Lotus Sea’. This though creates three errors in translation. Firstly, the flowers are Tropical Water Lilies and not Lotuses. Secondly, the predominant colour is pink and not red. Thirdly it is clearly a lake rather than a sea.

Tropical Water Lilies are equally as pretty as Lotuses and much more majestic. Their flowers rise up and sit some 15-30cm above the water and grow up to 40cm wide. Lotuses are smaller and tend to sit on the water. It is this characteristic of water lilies that give the lake its spectacularness. They also create the wall of pink that extends as far as the eye can see. So don’t be disappointed if you were expecting lotuses.