Lak Lake

Lak is a shallow natural lake of a few hundred hectares in Dak Lak, the largest in the central highlands, ringed by rice fields and hills, with M'nong villages on the shore - Jun and M'Lieng among them - whose longhouses stand on stilts with the family's sections arranged along the length. Bao Dai, the last emperor, built a hunting lodge on the hill above it in the 1950s, which still stands. Dugout canoes are used on the lake and are offered to visitors. Elephant rides were long sold here; the district has been moving away from them, unevenly, and some operators still offer them.

What you actually see

• The largest highland lake - shallow, a few hundred hectares.
• M'nong longhouses on stilts - in villages round the shore.
• Bao Dai's hunting lodge - built on the hill in the 1950s.
• Dugout canoes - used on the lake and offered to visitors.

When to go

November to April, the dry season. A full day.

Honest expectations

Elephant rides are still sold by some operators here despite the shift elsewhere, and the animals' condition has been criticised. Homestays in longhouses are simple and sometimes staged. The lake is shallow and can look muddy.

Nearby

Buon Ma Thuot is north-west; the road to Da Lat runs south-east.