Lake Yeak Laom

Yeak Loam (Khmer: បឹងយក្សឡោម, Khmer pronunciation: [jeaʔ laom]), also spelled Yak Lom or Yak Loum, is a lake and a popular tourist destination in the Ratanakiri province of north-eastern Cambodia. The beautiful lake occupies a 4,000-year-old volcanic crater. Due to the lake’s tremendous depth (157 ft or 48 m), its water is exceptionally clean and clear. The lake is almost perfectly round and measures 0.45 mi (0.72 km) in diameter. Large trees and rich, lush rain forest, the home of many exotic birds and parrots, surround the lake.

Beung Yeak Laom is located in Yeak Loam commune, Ban Loung district, about 5 kilometers south of Ban Loung provincial town. A lake in the middle of a mountain, it was formed many centuries ago from a volcano. The water is clear and suitable for swimming.

There are two places along the bank where visitors can relax and enjoy a panoramic view of the lake and the flora and fauna. A tourist information center is on the west bank, and handicrafts made by hill tribes living nearby are available for sale.

There are wooden platforms for bathing, and the 3km track around the lake perimeter makes for a tranquil little hike. The setting is mesmerizing: stands of bamboo rim the lake, lush ferns sprout from fallen trees, the reflections of clouds skim across the lake’s surface, and in the late afternoon an ethereal mist can be seen rising off the water. Watch out for your stuff though – there have been thefts from bags left on the bank while visitors are swimming.

Chunchiet culture is showcased at the small and rather ramshackle Cultural and Environment Centre (300 riel), around 300m anticlockwise round the lake from the entrance steps, with a few dusty displays of chunchiet artefacts. The small craft stall next door sells locally produced textiles, the money from sales going directly to the community.

Beung Yeak Laom is a place of worship for the hill tribes. They believe there is a powerful spirit who owns the surrounding land and forest. Beung Yeak Laom is popular with tourists who like to swim or hike in the forest surrounding the lake. Because there are no vendors, visitors should
bring along their own food and beverages.

Source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Yeak_Laom

http://www.tourismcambodia.com/travelguides/provinces/rattanakiri/what-to-see/216_beung-yeak-loam.htm