rocket festival<\/a><\/strong> organised to end an eight-year drought, Nang Ai unknowingly kills and eats Phangki. Phangki had transformed himself into an albino squirrel in order to spy on his former wife. Nang Ai, not realising the true nature of the squirrel, orders it hunted and cooked after seeing it in the Palace Gardens. The meat from the squirrel miraculously expands providing enough food for the whole kingdom. Thus, she has been granted the wish she made in her previous life but with terrible consequences.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPhaya Nak,<\/strong> enraged at his son\u2019s death, sends Nagas to the surface to destroy the Khmer Kingdom and to kill anyone who ate the meal cooked from the squirrel. The Nagas, as they rise to the surface, cause a flood using the muddy waters from their underworld home. The rising waters destroy the Khmer kingdom and drown its people. Phalanges tries to save Nang Ai, but she is swept from his horse by a flick of a Naga\u2019s tail and is lost. Phalanges, in his turn, dies from grief and rises up as a ghost warrior with a ghost army to fight the Nagas in an enduring, endless battle. <\/p>\n\n\n\nAs the floodwaters finally recede,<\/strong> they leave behind the Nong Han Kumphawapi Lake. In eternal remembrance to Nang Ai\u2019s beauty and her tragic love, the Lake is blessed to blossom every year with millions of Pink Tropical Water Lilies.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDiscover Udon Thani: The Red Lotus Lake and the Legend of Nang Ai<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhen to Visit The Red Lotus Lake<\/h2>\n\n\n\n The Red Lotus Lake <\/strong>is at its most magical during the winter months of November through to February. This is the peak blossoming season for Tropical Water Lilies. As every Lake Aficionado will advise: Go Early! For it is only in the morning when the Lilies flowers open. When the sun rises, the flowers shut throwing away their magic and wonder.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt is this writer\u2019s preference<\/strong> to arrive at the lake at between 6:00 am and 6:30 am to experience the lake with the rising sun and before the crowds steal away some of the serenity. At this time, you can still find yourself isolated in a secluded spot amongst the flowers with your only companions being Great White Egrets and the occasional fisherman; both hunting for their respective breakfasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor those who are not naturally<\/strong> early morning risers, salvation is available from coffee stalls next to where you board your boat. There are also two surprisingly excellent cafes that serve both Thai and Western food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nGetting to the Lake<\/h2>\n\n\n\n Take a Car or a Tour to Ban Dam Village:<\/strong> Visitors to the lake should travel to Ban Diam, a small village on the North bank of Nong Han Kumphawapi Lake (google map location is at the bottom of the page). This is a pleasant and easy drive that takes 45 minutes from Udon Thani centre. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThere are limited public transport options<\/strong>. <\/strong>So it is recommended to either hire a car or go as part of a tour. <\/strong> A taxi and hire car are both around 1,000-1,500 THB; a tour would be much cheaper. Hotels often run packages with free travel to the Red Lotus Lake. So do check if your hotel offers this or alternatively can organise transportation for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\nChoose Short or Long Boat Trip:<\/strong> At Ban Diam you will find ample parking, plenty of street food, a small market as well as two cafes. There are also several toilets if needed. Once you arrive, head to the pier where you board the boats. Previously you could book either a 60 minute trip or 90 minute trip. However on our most recent trip only the 90 minute trip was offered.<\/p>\n\n\n\nChoose a Boat or A Canoe:<\/strong> Typically you pay approximately 500 baht for the whole boat of which there are two types. The wooden canoes, loved by instagrammers, take two people. Larger plastic hulled boats can take group of 4-6 people. Sometime a supplement is asked for solo travellers during busy periods. The people that run the pier are friendly, helpful and well tuned to the needs of their tourists.<\/p>\n\n\n\nLifejackets are provided:<\/strong> Whilst the lake is large in area, it is only 1-2m deep. All boats though are still equipped with life jackets most of which are in good working order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\n
Choose From a Boat or a Canoe<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
The Lotus Flowers are Seen in the Centre of the Lake<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Combine With a Trip to…<\/h2>\n\n\n\n Combine with Unesco Heritage Site at Ban Chiang:<\/strong> After your trip, you can take a while to stroll along the bank of the lake or enjoy breakfast at one of the restaurants. Eggs Isan style are well served in both. Beyond that, there is little to keep you at the Lake. You can extend your day by adding in<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ban Chiang to see the Unesco Heritage Site<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Lotus Flower Temple: Wat Pa Dong Rai<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both are to the North East of the Red Lotus Lake and to the East of Udon Thani.<\/p>\n\n\n\n