Yeak Laom lake is a beautiful volcanic crater lake located 5km away from the provincial town of Banlung in Ratanakiri province. The lake is an impressive 48m deep in the centre and 800m wide. The water is exceptionally clean making it an ideal spot for swimming. It is a popular destination for tourists and locals alike who visit to swim and enjoy the stunning views. No trip to Ratanakiri is comple
te without a visit to this beautiful lake. The area surrounding the lake is a conservation area with dense unspoilt forest. As it is a protected area, there are many tropical plants and birds which are rarely found in the surrounding area. The best way to enjoy the unique forest environment is to follow the clearly marked track around the lake. For Tampoun people, a local indigenous ethnicity, the lake is a sacred place of spiritual importance. It is believed the lake is a meeting place of the spirits of the land, water and forest. Yeak Loam means “Giants Lake”, and is called this due to a belief that a giant spirit dug it. Yeak Loam is managed by Tampoun people under a 25 year lease. Their rights to management mean 75% of the profits (mostly from admission fees) go towards supporting livelihoods in the local Tampoun villages. This allows Tampoun communities to directly benefit from the increase in tourism in Ratanakiri. Another way to support local hill tribes is by buying traditional handicrafts made by them, which are for sale at the entrance to the lake. Entrance Fees:
Khmer: 500r
Visitor: 6,000r
Bicycle: 1,000r
Motorbike: 2,000r
car: 5,000r
mini-bus: 10,000r
bus: 20,000r
