Tourism is blossoming on Udon Thani's pink lily lake
Isaan’s second-largest lake is seeing an influx of tourists since the pink lilies that blanket it began to bloom late last month, local officials say.
More than 100 boats are now available for tours of the lake in Udon Thani province, Paisit Sukrome, chairman of the lake’s tourism boat enterprise, told news outlet Thansettakij on Wednesday.
Paisat said the blooming lilies are more noticeable than in previous years because the lake’s floating moss has been eradicated. He said about 200,000 tourists have visited the lake so far this year, up from 50,000 in 2021.
The lake draws the most tourists during the cool season, when the lilies bloom. It is seeing a surge in visits since Covid-19 pandemic restrictions were eased nationally, though the provincial administration has kept some pandemic prevention measures in place.
Only three of five piers are currently open, Paisat said, adding that two were impacted by the efforts to remove floating moss.
The lake covers more than 22,500 rai and is the second-largest freshwater lake in the Northeast. It received a surge of visitors after CNN included it on its list of the 15 strangest lakes in the world in 2014. Boat guides say the best time to visit the lake is in the morning as the sun can be overwhelming after 11am.
