Lak Lake

Introducing Lak Lake

This beautiful spot is awakening to tourism, offering authentic experiences of hill-tribe life, along with increasingly comfortable accommodation choices. Lak Lake (Ho Lak) covers 600 hectares in the rainy season, but shrinks to 400 hectares surrounded by rice paddies in the dry. It was once full of crocodiles, but these have long since found their fate as shoes, handbags and taxidermied monstrosities.

Located on the mountainous road between Dalat (154km southeast) and Buon Ma Thuot (50km north), the surrounding countryside is stunning. Emperor Bao Dai must have thought so, as he built yet another of his palaces (is anyone keeping count?) overlooking the lake.

On the south shores, near the town of Lien Son, Jun Village reveals an enigmatic slice of traditional M’nong life. The rattan and wood houses are all built on stilts, which was a way of keeping the animals out. Pigs, cows and chickens wander around at will, and you’ll see the odd elephant being ridden around. The villagers go about their daily lives quite uninterested in the tourists in their midst. If you’re interested in staying overnight, Mr Duc at Café Duc Mai (586 280; 268 Ð Nguyen Tat Thanh), in the heart of the village, can organise a mattress in one of several traditional stilt longhouses for US$5, as well as gong concerts, elephant rides (US$16), and kayaking or walking tours.

Last updated: Mar 2, 2009