Visiting Thailand? The Red Lotus Sea is a “must see”
Red Lotus Sea (Nong Harn Lake) at Udon Thani.
Udon Thani is the 6th largest city in Thailand, located in northeastern region of Isan. Approximately 1 hour’s drive from the city centre is Nong Harn Lake, a shallow wetland which from November until March is carpeted by red lotus flowers.
On arrival at the lake, we bought a ticket and were directed to a “taxi rank” of small, flat-bottomed motor boats for a tour around the lake. The boat trip costs 300 Baht (approximately $8) for 45 minutes, or 500 Baht for an hour and a half. The boat glided through a sea of pink and crimson lotus flowers, and when the boat’s engine was turned off the setting was both beautiful and serene.
For anyone visiting this part of Thailand during the winter months this is a must-see. It’s important to get there in the morning as at around midday the overhead sun causes the flowers to close.
On the way back to Udon Thani we visited the National Museum at Ban Chiang, an archaeological site with artifacts dating back to around 2000 BC. This is a well laid-out museum with about 10 different galleries showing the various stages of archaeological discovery, all with detailed descriptions in both Thai and English.
We flew to Udon Thani International Airport on AirAsia, and stayed in the city centre at Paradise Hotel, a modern, comfortable hotel within walking distance of the main shopping and entertainment areas.
For more information about Udon Thani and other interesting locations in Thailand, contact SAT Travel.