Huay Teung Tao Reservoir

Posted by Northerner on January 18th, 2010 filed in Attractions, Day trips, Living here, Locals, tourist tips

If you’re looking to chill out and escape the city of Chiang Mai, why not head out of town to Huay Teung Tao Reservoir. It’s only about 12 kms to the northeast of town and easy to get to by car, motorbike or songthaew. If you are making your own way there, follow the signs for Mae Rim on route 107, then take a left hand turn for the last 2 kms, but it’s all so clearly signposted, you can’t miss it.

 So why go there? Well it’s a huge lake with some great Thai restaurants around it where you sit in your own bamboo raft and just eat loads of inexpensive delicious Thai food; enjoy a drink and just chill for as long as you want. Then jump off your raft, enjoy a swim, paddle your toes in the water – it’s like having your own fish spa!!! 

Feeling fit, you can walk around the lake, it’s not actually as big as it looks, takes around 30-40 minutes to stroll round. Avid bird watchers should go early in the morning, as apparently there are quite a few different species of birds to see, but don’t ask me what kind, I’m still a ‘oh there’s a blue bird and ooh there’s a brown bird’ kind of person.

 Don’t want to walk but feel you should do some kind of exercise; you can hire a bike at the entrance to the lake for 40 baht an hour. The cost to get into the reservoir is just 20 baht per person, regardless of whether you are Thai or foreigner. It gets a little busy at weekends but not packed but it’s a lovely place for lunch during the week.