WESmile Magazine February 2020

TRAVEL
omantic RRed Lotus Sea in Udon Thani
WHEN THINKING ABOUT A ROMANTIC ATMOSPHERE, THE
PICTURES OF BEACH, FLOWING RIVER AND THE SEA OF MIST OVER
HIGH MOUNTAINS MAY POP UP IN THE MIND OF MANY. BUT IN THE
THAILAND’S NORTHEAST, THE ‘RED LOTUS SEA’ OF UDON THANI’S
BUENG NONG HAN PROVES SO ROMANTIC AND INVITING EVERY
WINTER.
Dozens, if not hundreds, of thousand
water lilies or the so-called ‘red lotuses’
breathtakingly bloom at Nong Han Lake
between December and February. Such
colourful landscape, when coupled with
cool weather, truly provides a romantic
setting for holidaymakers.
Nong Han Lake is big, spanning over
22,500 rai (8,900 acres) of land. It sits
in Kumphawapi, Prachaksinlapakhom,
and Ku Kaeo districts of Udon Thani.
This abundant freshwater lake is home
to various plants, fishes and birds. But
the most outstanding of all is the pink
and red water lily, which shines like the
‘queen’ here. People, as a result, call this
lake the ‘Red Lotus Sea’.
Tourists love visiting the lake during
wintertime because it is when water lilies
bloom across the lake. Friends, family
members and couples alike enjoy such
marvelous blossoms over water surface.
There are 2 types of boats for tourists to
ride around the lake. A small long-tailed
boat can accommodate no more than
2 tourists, while a larger boat type can
seat up to 6 tourists. The best time
for boat rides is from 06.00-11.00 am
because water lilies close in full sun. If
tourists come early, they can also enjoy
stunning sunrise amid the flower-filled
lake as water birds fly around.
Not only that Nong Han Lake is
romantic for couples who look for
beautiful scenery and wonderful
moments, but it is also a paradise for
bird watchers. Migratory birds come to
the lake every winter. So, it is possible
to see both local and foreign species.
Among them are barn swallows, herons,
storks, eastern stonechats and little
cormorants. In addition, hundreds of
lesser whistling ducks are also seen
floating in the lake. Watching such
creatures in the beautiful lake is very
delightful and relaxing to tourists.
So, in the month of love, you
definitely should come to the Red Lotus
Sea in Udon Thani to colour up your life
in a romantic way.
TRAVELLERS’ GUIDE
Getting there : THAI Smile operates 5
Bangkok-Udon Thani flights each day.
The flight duration is 1 hour 5 minutes.
You can make reservations at www.
thaismileair.com. After landing at Udon
Thani Airport, drive to Ban Diam in
Tambon Chiang Wae, Kumphawapi
district by taking Highway 2 (Udon
Thani-Kumphawapi) and turning left at
kilometre marker 26 into the Huai Sam
Pad-Prachaksinlapakhom road. Drive
straight for about 13 kilometres to reach
the spot where you can board a boat.
More info : Tourism Authority of
Thailand’s Udon Thani Office,
Tel. 042 221 455, Ban Diam Tour Boats for
Red Lotus Sea Tel. 089 395 0871
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