Tuyen Lam lake (Ho Tuyen Lam), also known as the forest lake, is one of the main and largest lakes surrounding the city of Da Lat.
Although in our view it isn’t a must-see, you can pay it a visit by taking the cable car to Truc Lam monastery and walking down to the lake to stroll along its shores for a while before heading back.
The lake is actually a reservoir, since it was built artificially. In fact, “tuyen” means stream and “lam” means forest — a thoroughly fitting name, because if you ever visit you’ll realize it’s the perfect fusion of the two.
The lake is surrounded by green forests and hills on all four sides. You can get out on the water by renting a small motorboat (300,000 VND, ~US$11.50) or a swan-shaped rowboat (we did tell you Da Lat is the city of love — of the saccharine variety).
A less romantic way to explore it is by kayak, getting a bit of exercise in while you’re at it. Several companies in the area rent them out.
How to get to Tuyen Lam lake
The lake lies a few kilometers outside Da Lat. To reach it you can rent a motorbike, or take a taxi or motorbike taxi. You can also use the cable car to get to Truc Lam Zen monastery and walk down from there to the lakeshore.
