Welcome to the Red Lotus Sea Talay Bua Daeng
The Red Lotus Sea Talay Bua Daeng is an amazing place to visit, at its best and most colourful in the cooler months of the year around sunrise in the early morning when all the flowers are open and the first sunrays of the day add even more colour to the spectacular views.
Originally called Nong Han, the Red Lotus Sea or “Talay Bua Daeng” in Thai is an amazing 4000 hectare natural phenomena near the town of Kumphawapi in Udon Thani province, about 45 minutes south of the city Udon Thani. The departure point of the boat tours is at the small village Ban Diam where you can find boat tours of about 1 - 1.5 hour from 300 baht for a small boat for two people, or a bigger boat for 500 baht for up to seven people.
Despite the name Red Lotus Sea the millions of brightly coloured flowers are actually pink or crimson water lillies and it is a lake and not a sea but despite these technicalities it is an amazing sight that simply has to be experienced and every year thousands of people flock to this lake in the winter months to witness this amazing speactacle of colours.
The flowers are not the only thing to see on the lake, birdwatchers delight in spotting the many birds that make these wetlands their homes, and there is also a temple on the island in the middle of the lake that can be visited.
The flowers open at night around 9PM and close up again in the morning when temperaturs rise, so it is essential that you go to see them early, at sunrise if you are a morning person, or 9AM at the latest if you like to sleep in a bit. Find your accommodation near the Red Lotus Lake so you only have a few minutes to drive to the boat departure point at Ban Diam. Bua Daeng Homestay Resort also books boats for their guests to save waiting in the queue and can arrange transfers between accommodation and the lake.
Accommodation at Talay Bua Daeng
Don't do a quick day trip from Udon Thani, stay by the lake!
Looking for a hotel by the Red Lotus Lake Talay Bua Daeng? There is no real hotel but there is some great accommodation which is a bit of a mix between a hotel, homestay and resort. For many years tourists stayed in the city of Udon Thani and got up in the dead of night to do the trip to the red lotus sea in the dark in time for the sunrise to get on their boat tours, and after the tour straight back to the city. But this has changed with the opening of the Bua Daeng Homestay Resort, located near the lotus lake. This brand new place under Thai / Australian management brings a whole new level of accommodation to the Talay Bua Daeng area; five spacious comfortable air-conditioned rooms, swimming pool, camping, and a rooftop cafe overlooking their own lotus lakes. There are also two traditional Thai wooden bungalows right next to the lotus pond.
This is the perfect place to spend a few days, couples enjoy the romantic sunset views over the lotus lake, and families love the swimming pool to keep the children entertained. If you are looking for the cheapest resort near the red lotus sea then this is not it, but if you are looking for the best accommodation at Talay Bua Daeng then you have found it here, book direct via this link for the lowest rate on your Red Lotus Sea accommodation.
Bua Daeng Homestay Resort is the only place to see the lotus at night
Bua Daeng Cafe; coffee, food and drinks
Enjoy some food and drinks looking out over our lotus ponds
Looking for a nice place to eat and drink by the Red Lotus Lake Talay Bua Daeng? Bua Daeng Cafe is located only 3 km. from the red lotus lake in Bua Daeng Homestay Resort. Three levels of cafe to relax and enjoy a coffee, a meal or a refreshing drink. Sit by the pool at ground level, go up the stairs to the cafe with views over the lotus ponds, or climb a level higher to the rooftop bar, great views over the surrounding area and some refreshing breezes up there.
Boat Tours on
Talay Bua Daeng
Boat tours are available on Talay Bua Daeng to show you around the red lotus lake in the morning. Small boats that carry two people cost 300 baht and the bigger boats that carry up to seven people cost 500 baht for the tour which runs approximately an hour. There can be a wait for a boat in the morning during the peak season, if you stay at Bua Daeng Homestay Resort they can book a boat for their guests to save the wait in the morning. The flowers open at night and close up during the day so the best time to see them is very early in the morning.