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Bao Dai's Palace at Lak Lake
Places · Dak Lak

Bao Dai's Palace at Lak Lake

This teak villa overlooking Lak Lake was the highland retreat the last Nguyen emperor preferred over any of his palaces — and today you can sleep in his bedroom.

Di tích Bảo ĐạiKiến trúc thực dânKhách sạn di sản
Address
On the shore of Lak Lake, Lien Son Town, Lak District, Dak Lak Province
Hours
Open for visits 8:00 AM–5:00 PM; rooms available for check-in all day
Admission
Visit: 20,000 VND/person; rooms from 500,000–1,200,000 VND/night
Best time
November–April (dry season, clearest lake water and finest dawn mist from the terrace); avoid September–October (flood season, turbid water and high lake level)
01

History & story.

Bao Dai's Palace at Lak Lake was built in 1933 as a rest and hunting villa for the French Governor-General of Indochina, then transferred to Emperor Bao Dai's use from around 1936. Bao Dai particularly preferred Lak Lake over even Dalat — according to surviving royal household staff, he said it was the only place where he truly felt he was no longer the emperor. The house is built from solid teak planks from Central Highlands forests, on a local green-stone foundation, in French mountain villa style with steeply pitched red tile roof, timber balconies, and multi-paned glass windows. All interior wood is unvarnished — only oiled to preserve the natural teak colour.

Bao Dai's Palace seen from Lak Lake — the teak villa perched on its hill overlooking the still water
Bao Dai's Palace seen from Lak Lake — the teak villa perched on its hill overlooking the still water

Inside the villa, Bao Dai's main bedroom retains its original layout: a high French-style single bed with carved headboard, a double teak wardrobe with full-length mirror, and a dressing table with three-panel mirror still in place. The small adjacent study retains a teak writing desk with its original 1940s French stationery set intact and an old armchair positioned to look directly over the lake through the window. This is the only intact everyday living space of Bao Dai's preserved nearly unchanged in Vietnam outside of Hue.

Bao Dai's main bedroom — original layout and teak furniture from the 1930s–1940s
Bao Dai's main bedroom — original layout and teak furniture from the 1930s–1940s

Bao Dai's Palace now operates as a small heritage hotel with 7 rooms — 3 in the original villa and 4 in period-sympathetic additions around it. Two rooms in the original wing are Bao Dai's bedroom and dining room converted into guest rooms, retaining all original furniture with only a separate modern bathroom added. The terrace looking over Lak Lake is where guests typically sit from 5–7 AM to watch dawn break and mist lift gradually off the water.

Bao Dai Palace terrace overlooking Lak Lake at dawn — mist still completely covering the water surface
Bao Dai Palace terrace overlooking Lak Lake at dawn — mist still completely covering the water surface

A 100-step stone staircase descends from the palace to the royal private landing, where M'Nong dugout canoes can pick up guests and cross directly to Buon Jun village without going to the public pier. In the water lily season from May to September, the terrace looks out over a carpet of purple and pink flowers spread across the lake surface. This is the highest and finest viewpoint over Lak Lake, as the palace sits about 20 metres above water level on its hill.

Here, looking down at Lak Lake, I am a person — not a king, not an emperor — simply a person.

Lời vua Bảo Đại theo hồi ký người phục vụ hoàng gia / Words of Emperor Bao Dai per royal household memoir
02

Highlights not to miss.

1
Sleep in Bao Dai's Room

Bao Dai's original bedroom is now a guest room, retaining all original teak furniture — the high French-style bed, mirrored double wardrobe, three-panel dressing table, and small writing desk overlooking the lake. A modern bathroom is added in a separate enclosure that does not touch the original structure. This is one of the very few experiences in Vietnam of sleeping in an authentic Bao Dai royal space.

2
Dawn Terrace over the Lake

Bao Dai's terrace stands about 20 metres above lake level — the finest sunrise viewpoint on Lak Lake. Between 5:30 and 6:30 AM, thin mist covers the water surface and the first red light of the sun filters through eastern forest and strikes the lake directly — creating a scene utterly different from the daytime lake. From the terrace you can also watch the first M'Nong dugout canoes begin paddling in the early morning stillness.

3
The Royal Private Pier

A 100-step stone staircase descends from the villa to the royal private pier — a small landing that avoids the crowds of the public pier. From here M'Nong dugout canoes can take guests directly to Buon Jun village without the road detour. In the flowering season from May to September, paddling out from this pier means passing through a carpet of pink lotuses and purple water lilies extending across the surface.

Stay overnight, don't just visit

Bao Dai's Palace at Lak Lake cannot be properly experienced in an afternoon. Stay at least one night to wake early and watch dawn break over the lake from the terrace — a moment that is impossible to adequately photograph and must be experienced in person.

03

How to visit & get there.

Getting There Bao Dai's Palace is in Lien Son Town, Lak District — the same location as Lak Lake. From Buon Ma Thuot it is 52 km on National Highway 27. Look for 'Lak Lake Tourism Area' signs on the main road.

Booking Rooms **Book at least 2 weeks ahead** for rooms in the original villa — only 3 rooms are available and Bao Dai's bedroom fills especially on weekends. Contact directly through Lak Lake Resort (current management). **Combine with Lak Lake** in the same trip — Buon Jun village and dugout canoes are only 15 minutes' walk from the palace.

Sources

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Bao Dai's Palace at Lak Lake — Dak Lak | Explore Vietnam