There are places in rural Thailand that catch you completely off guard. Nong Tah Haeng lake, on the Buriram-Surin border, is one of them.
An hour’s drive east of Buriram city sits a 247-rai reservoir. The water is so clear and blue that locals call it their own private freshwater sea. Until 2022 it was barely known beyond the villages that border it. Now it draws families from across the region on weekends and school holidays — yet almost nobody writing in English has noticed it exists.
If you are spending time in Buriram and want to know where locals actually go to enjoy themselves, this is one of the answers.
What Is Nong Tah Haeng Lake?
Nong Tah Haeng lake (หนองตาเฮง) is a 247-rai reservoir — roughly 40 hectares — in Tambon Phiayram, just across the Surin provincial border from Buriram. A bridge at one end connects it to Krasang district. Visitors from both provinces treat it as their own, and in practice it is an easy day trip from anywhere in the Buriram area.
The lake opened to tourism in April 2022. The local subdistrict administrative organisation developed it as a community tourism project. The water is genuinely striking — clear, blue and calm — and the setting is ringed by community forest rather than the flat, scrubby land common elsewhere on the plateau. A 2.3-kilometre paved road loops around the perimeter for those who want to walk.
The draw, though, is not the scenery alone. It is the rafts.
The Rafts: What to Expect at Nong Tah Haeng Lake
Around 30 floating platforms are moored along the water at Nong Tah Haeng lake, and no two are the same. Each one belongs to a different local family — built, fitted and run independently. This is not a managed resort with standardised facilities. It is a community of small family businesses operating side by side on the water, which is precisely what makes it interesting.
Some platforms are simple: tables, chairs and hammocks overlooking the lake. Others are considerably more elaborate: multiple levels, water slides into the lake, and shallow wading pools built into the platform. These are ideal for small children who want to splash without going into the deeper water. Most have a small changing area. Every raft provides life jackets in multiple sizes. Most have Bluetooth speakers — if yours does not, ask, and one will usually appear.
Every raft also operates as a small food business. Order from whoever is running it and they bring food and cold drinks to your table while you sit on the water. The food is cheap and straightforward — Thai home cooking that locals actually eat. Cold beer is available if you want it.
Choosing Your Raft
Take a walk before you commit. The platforms are genuinely different, and picking the right one for your group matters. Nobody minds you walking the bank and looking before deciding. If you have young children, find one of the platforms with a built-in shallow pool. If you want more action, look for slides and a higher level to jump from. Take your time — it is worth it.
Not every raft operates every day. During quieter periods, some owners simply do not open up. Arrive on a weekday in low season and you may find fewer options. Those that are open will be more relaxed for it.
On the Water
Beyond the raft itself, the lake is there to be used. Swim out from the platform, hire a pedalo, or float on one of the rubber rings every raft provides. The water quality is good — a proper reservoir, not a stagnant pond.
Put a life jacket on children. For adults, the choice is yours — the atmosphere here is relaxed rather than rule-bound.
The overall experience is something like an affordable floating leisure centre, run by people who are genuinely pleased to have visitors. It feels like a discovery — which in a sense it still is, particularly if you are coming from outside Thailand.
Getting There
Nong Tah Haeng lake is approximately 48 kilometres from Buriram city — around a one-hour drive. Enter the coordinates 15°04’40.0″N, 103°26’21.4″E into Google Maps or Waze and the route is straightforward. The road is paved throughout.
There is no entry fee to the site. Parking is free and plentiful directly at the lake. Your costs are raft hire — charged by the hour, very good value — plus food and drink on the day.
For getting to Buriram and hiring a car to make this trip, compare car hire at Buriram Airport.
Facebook page: ชายหาดหนองตาเฮง ตำบลเพี้ยราม — check here for current conditions before visiting, particularly outside high season.
Worth Knowing Before You Go
- Technically Surin, practically Buriram. The lake sits just inside the Surin border, but it is a Buriram-area destination in every practical sense.
- Community-run, not commercial. This is local families making a living. Buy your food from the raft you hire and look after the place — you will be looked after in return.
- Busiest during school holidays and long weekends. For quiet, go on a weekday during term time. Check the Facebook page first, as fewer rafts may be operating.
- No English signage. This is genuinely off the beaten track. A few words of Thai helps, but smiling and pointing gets you a long way.
- Combine it with a day out. Nong Tah Haeng lake pairs naturally with See Sun Resort in Krasang. Both are in the same part of the province and make for a full day away from the city. For accommodation in Buriram, see our where to stay guide.
The Honest Verdict
Nong Tah Haeng lake is the kind of place that genuinely surprises you. You arrive expecting a reservoir in the middle of nowhere. What you find is a proper afternoon out — cold drinks, kids sliding into clear blue water, families spread across a dozen platforms in the Isaan sunshine.
The cost for a half-day family visit, including food and drinks, will be well under the price of a round of drinks back home.
It is not famous. There is no English content about it. Most foreign visitors to Thailand never hear of it. That, in itself, is part of the appeal.
Planning your trip to Buriram? Get a Thailand eSIM before you arrive — the easiest way to stay connected from the moment you land, and works throughout rural Isaan where roaming can be unreliable.
Considering travel insurance for your trip? Get a travel insurance quote for Thailand — World Nomads covers more than 150 adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, and trip cancellation.
For flexible monthly cover from around $63, get a Nomad Insurance quote — SafetyWing is popular with longer-stay visitors across Southeast Asia.
Buriram Live covers the real Buriram — temples, football, motorsport, rural life and practical information for visitors and those with deeper connections to the region. No fluff, no sponsored itineraries. Follow Buriram Live on Facebook for new articles and updates.
This article contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through a link on this page, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Get Buriram updates by email
Occasional emails when there is something worth knowing: new guides, festival and MotoGP dates, and Buriram United news. No spam, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
We will email you a link to confirm. See our privacy policy.