Huay Tung Tao Lake, a man-made reservoir, is a stunning waterside location outside Chiang Mai to spend the day. It features a gorgeous view of the Doi Suthep mountains, calming waters, and grass huts peppered along the landscape. It has dozens of restaurants with seating floating atop the lake where you can grab a bite, order a drink, lay back, and relax.
The Huay Tung Tao Lake was built by His Majesty King Bhumibol to solve water scarcity issues in the area. Now, it has become a popular attraction between tourists and locals alike. Not only can you swim in the stunning Huay Tung Tao Lake, but there are swan boats and floats that can be rented to laze in the water. Beside the lake is a two-lane jogging track, a quad-bike course, and even a field of quirky straw sculptures to explore. Located less than half an hour from Chiang Mai, Huay Tung Tao Lake is one of the area’s most popular picnic and day trip destinations.
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Things to Do at Huay Tung Tao Lake
The lake is the main attraction here.
1. Boating and Swimming at Huay Tung Tao Lake: The waters are fairly shallow, enough to wade around or swim in some parts. Swan pedal boats, inflatable tubes, and swim rings are available to rent for the day. Prices start at around THB 50 depending on the vendor, so do negotiate beforehand. There are water rafts available for anyone looking to try their hand at fishing.
2. Enjoy Paint Ball, Quad Bikes and Games: There are plenty of land-activities to keep the children happy like paintball, quad bikes, zip-line, and a designated game zone. The field of straw sculptures is fascinating to play and explore. An eight-metre tall King Kong statue was recently unveiled, along with ‘mother’ and ‘child’ sculptures on each side. There are steps leading upwards and a platform where you can take a picture inside King Kong if you please.
3. Jogging and Cycling at Huay Tung Tao Lake: The Huay Tung Tao Lake also has a two-lane jogging track circling all the way around. This is ideal for cycling, jogging, or even walking. You’ll often find people starting their run at Canal Road a little further away and ending at the lake’s 4-kilometre track to complete a 5-kilometre run.
4. Relax with foot massages: For those looking to merely relax, there are Thai back and foot massages available. You can call their number on arriving at the lake to make an appointment and they’ll come to you.
The greatest appeal of Huay Tung Tao Lake is that it provides the perfect environment and setting for a picnic without any hassle of bringing food. Instead, it offers a row of restaurants with their own seating areas as bamboo bungalows floating on the lake. You are welcome to spend as long as you like here as long as you order off their menus.
Each of these rafts has a large table that can comfortably seat at least 6 people. They are attached to the shore and accessible by a short walkway. To rent a raft, there is a small fee of THB 20 per person. With open windows on each side, you’ll get a fantastic view of the lake and its surrounding from the comfort of your own little area while the waitresses come to the raft to take the order.
The food is fairly affordable here. A small dish starts at around THB 50 and can go up to THB 200. Most of the restaurants have similar menus such as grilled fish, fried rice, papaya salad, tom yum soup, grilled fresh-water prawns, and Thai fried chicken wings. The servings are generous and can serve up to 2 people. These restaurants also serve alcohol like beer and whiskey. For the convenience of travellers, the menus are printed in both English and Thai. Aside from the restaurants, there are vendors who walk around selling food like fresh fruit salad, spicy nuts, fried bugs, boiled peanuts, and squid sticks. These are usually sold for THB 20 per packet or THB 50 for three packets. On a particularly hot day, you’ll find ice cream carts as well!
1. Entry to Huay Tung Tao Lake opens as early as 8:00 AM. While there isn’t an official ‘closing time’, restaurants and other facilities usually shut by 9:00 PM. After this, the lake becomes a pretty isolated place and it can get dark. 2. As it is a great location to spend the day with friends and family, it gets understandably crowded on weekends. It’s a good idea to visit on a weekday or arrive early (before 9:00 AM) on weekends to grab a great spot and avoid crowds. 3. The locals usually swim with t-shirts and shorts, so bikinis, Speedos, or revealing swimwear is not advisable here. 4. Be sure to arrange your transport back from the lake instead of relying on taxis there. Most of them have been booked by other visitors and apps like Uber aren’t always reliable in areas outside the city area.
How To Reach Huay Tung Tao Lake
Huay Tung Tao Lake is located at 107 Don Kaeo Sub-District, Mae Rim near Canal Road. It is around 20 minutes from Chiang Mai’s city centre. Due to its proximity to Chiang Mai, you can opt to spend a few hours here or even spend the entire day. It’s a good idea to book a taxi or get your own vehicle for the entire day as there aren’t a lot of vehicles hanging around the lake for rides.
Renting a taxi to Huay Tung Tao Lake for the entire day will be priced at around THB 600- THB 1,200. Don’t be afraid to negotiate while arranging the ride. There are taxi apps like Uber that can be used for a one-way ride of THB 125, but taxis coming back can be scarce.
To reach Huay Tung Tao Lake, you will have to exit Chiang Mai from the Old City onto Huaykaew Road (Route 1004). After driving for 2 kilometres, you’ll need to turn into Canal Road on the right. After crossing the Stadium Sports Complex on the left, you’ll need to drive ahead for 2 kilometres before to reach the lake. There will be a big, blue sign indicating your destination. On crossing the bridge to the lake, you’ll find a checkpoint where you’ll be required to pay the entry fee. From there, you’ll need to drive around the perimeter of the lake to the allotted parking area.
