Lak Lake

Lak Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake in Dak Lak Province and the second largest natural lake in Vietnam, located in Lien Son Township, Lak District, about 56 km south of Buon Ma Thuot. Surrounded by low hills and forests, it covers about 6.2 sq km and is notable for its scenic landscape, traditional M'Nong villages, dugout canoes, and the former Bao Dai Palace overlooking the water.

Visitors can expect a large, calm freshwater lake surrounded by rolling hills, rice fields and traditional stilt-house villages, notably Jun Village on a peninsula. The lakeshore offers views of fishing boats and wooden dugout canoes, lakeside restaurants and homestays, and a paved road for walking or cycling around parts of the lake. Boat trips on dugout canoes are commonly available, along with photography, village visits and sunset viewing.

Lak Lake is a natural lake with long-standing settlement by the M'Nong people. A notable historic structure is the Bao Dai Palace, a summer residence built in 1951 for Emperor Bao Dai on a hill overlooking the lake, now a visitor viewpoint.

The lake area is the cultural heartland of the M'Nong ethnic group. Jun Village and neighboring villages preserve traditional long stilt houses, wooden dugout canoe craftsmanship, gong culture, and community livelihoods linked to fishing and rice cultivation around the lake.