Yeak Laom Lake

Yeak Laom fills a volcanic crater around seven hundred metres across and some fifty metres deep, formed several thousand years ago, and the water is clear, green and warm, with forest running right down to the edge on all sides. It is sacred to the Tampuan people, who hold the land and manage the site, and the entrance fee goes to the community. A path runs round the rim in forty minutes or so under the trees, with wooden jetties and platforms at intervals for swimming, which is the main activity; the water is clean and deep and the lake is the best swimming in the northeast. A small cultural centre near the entrance holds displays on Tampuan life. It is a short ride from Banlung.

What you actually see

• The circular crater - a near-perfect round lake ringed by forest.
• Clear green water - clean deep swimming from wooden jetties.
• The rim path - a forty-minute forest circuit around the lake.
• The cultural centre - displays on Tampuan life and the community's role.

When to go

November to March for dry weather; the lake is swimmable year round. Weekends bring local visitors. Early morning is quietest and the water calmest.

Honest expectations

Facilities are simple jetties and changing huts. The rim path is muddy after rain. This is a sacred site for the Tampuan and behaviour matters, particularly around noise and alcohol. It gets busy at weekends and in holidays.

Nearby

Banlung lies west; the Ratanakiri waterfalls are nearby.