Rowing a dug-out canoe on Lak Lake, one can enjoy its sapphire coloured water, and see fish swimming in the clear water and even hear the sound of a fish catching its prey in a quiet space. The serene ambience and the idyllically glassy water make one forget all the worries of daily life.

Riding an elephant to cross the lake also amazes tourists. Each elephant often carries two tourists and a mahout. On the elephant’s back, it seems like being in the middle of an endless lake. This is also a combination of tourism and wildlife conservation as elephants in the Central Highlands are endangered.

A dug-out canoe crosses Lak Lake. Photo: Tat Son/VNP   The pier for dug-out canoes at Lak Lake. Photo: Tat Son/VNP A traditional dug-out canoe made by natives at Lak Lake. Photo: Tat Son/VNP Traditional houses of the M’nong people lie near Lak Lake. Photo: Tat Son/VNP Visitors take elephant rides to discover Lak Lake. Photo: Tat Son/VNP Tourists make friends with an elephant. Photo: Tat Son/VNP The happy smiles of visitors to Lak village. Photo: Tat Son/VNP Lak Lake at sunrise. Photo: Tat Son/VNP Tourists visit Lak Lake by dug-out canoes. Photo: Tat Son/VNP  A longhouse of ethnic people at Lak village. Photo: Tat Son/VNP

We visited the elephants of Dang Nang Long who owns the most elephants in the Central Highlands. As a businessman who earns a living from tourism, Dang Nang Long has trained his elephants to be friendly and nice to tourists.

Later, we called at Jun Village of the M’Nong people and were warmly received in the village’s longhouse, a kind of traditional community house. The village is famous for traditional crafts, brocade and objects such as Kpal benches, H’gor drums, gongs, and vases which also attract both foreign and Vietnamese visitors.

It is also very interesting to behold the sunrise on Lak Lake in March – one of the most impressive sights. At that time, the bright red sun looks as if it is hung on the mountain peak and shines its yellow light everywhere to form a gorgeous space full of light, making the crystalline waters sparkle. The scene is so breathtakingly beautiful and splendid that photographers can’t help taking pictures to capture the incredible moment.

Many tourists stay overnight at Lak Lake to enjoy local food and can wine while listening to songs performed by local people by the bonfire. It is an enthralling excursion that sticks in travellers’ minds for a long time./.