Location
Known as Talay Bua Daeng in Thai, Red Lotus Lake is known throughout Thailand as the landmark of Udon Thani province. Found an hour south of Udon Thani airport, the lake is large with several launching points around the perimeter. The main launching point is here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/a7sxQ9tXKj3gxAw96?g_st=ic
This is our preferred launching point because it has the most formalized ticketing procedure, toilets, and snacks.
Seasonality
The lotuses come out at their peak during cool season in the months of December to February.
If you go other times of the year, there may be lotuses to see just not as many. You will miss the feeling that you can see red lotuses for as far as your eye can see, which is the wonder that this lake is known for.
Time of Day
The lotuses open in the cool dark mornings and close as the sun gets high in the sky. So the best time to arrive is early morning. Many people prefer to get in the boat right before sunrise (between 5:00-5:30am) so they can take pictures by the lotuses with the rising sun in the background. The boatmen will take you to the spots where the light for the pictures will be the best based off the time of day that you go.
Boat Launching Point
Once you arrive at the launching point, you can park right on the edge of the lake or in an open field on the other side of the road. Go directly to the open ticket counter which has the prices marked on a sign. Your choice is a small boat for two people or a large boat for 4-6 people. (We have been allowed to take up to 4 adults and 4 children on a large boat.)
They will give you a slip of paper for the boatman and then you can proceed down to the water. You will be guided to which boat to take. There may be a photographer taking pictures of your group before entering the boat.
*Family tip – there are bathrooms to the left and down the slope from the ticket counter. Have your kids go before you get on the boat. You will need to provide your own toilet paper.
Overview of Boat Tour
Once you get everyone on the boat, you need to take a life jacket. Then you can sit back and enjoy the ride.
The boatman will take a specified route through the lake to the spots with the most red lotuses at the time and maneuver the boat to get the best picture spots. You can stay at a spot for as long as you wish and then ask the boatman to continue on. Once when the boatman realized we were interested in the wildlife, he even took us to a spot to see more birds up close (this was also probably due to the fact that we weren’t that into posing for photos!)
Will kids fall off the Boat?
The boat ride will pick up in speed pretty quickly. My three year old was so fascinated by his surroundings, I didn’t worry when the boat was moving. Once we stopped at our first picture taking spot, I had to be a lot more careful as he wanted to lean in and pick a flower. I was careful to hold onto him. Thankfully our boatman observed what was going on and gave him a flower to look at in the boat. However, this is not necessarily always the case, so definitely keep an eye on your children. Thankfully, they are wearing life vests so they feel more bulky and not able to move around as much.
Wildlife
The water is murky, so you will not be able to see much in the water, but the wildlife on top of the water and in the air is astounding. Watch specifically on the lily pads as the amount of greenery growing on the surface of the water creates a “land” for the birds to walk on and find food. In the early morning, birds are also swooping around the boat as they eat their morning breakfast.
*Family tip – look for white lotuses in the water. They are few and far between so it makes for a fun family game of spot the white lotus!
Tipping Advice
When your boat returns to the launching point, you will take off the life jackets and get off the boat. At this point, you can tip your boat driver. I would just hand a bill to the boatman as you get off. As tipping is usually small amounts in Thailand, I would only tip 20-50 baht max. But of course, it depends on the level of helpfulness of the boatman and how you wish to show your appreciation.
Picture for Purchase
You will see a table with pictures in frames set up for purchase. Your picture should be there for sale if you want instant memories!
Shopping in the area /Accommodation
Once you get off the boat, there is a small store there selling chips, drinks, instant noodles, and several other small snacks. On the road across from the launching point, you will find little stalls selling local snacks. This is a great time to try something new!
