Jong Kham Lake Lake
Freshwater lake in northern Thailand
A northern Thai lake framed by low mountains; visitors come for boat rides, temple views nearby and late-afternoon light over the water.
Jong Kham Lake at a Glance#
Exploring Jong Kham Lake#
Mae Hong Son is ringed by mountains, and at its heart lies a small, tranquil lake called Jong Kham, which reputedly was once a watering hole for elephants that dragged logs from the surrounding forest.
The area around the lake has been prettified, and the view across it from the northern edge, with the spires and rooftops of Wat Jong Klang and Wat Jong Kham reflected in the water, is the iconic image of Mae Hong Son. The lake is small enough to walk right round in 10 to 15 minutes, a pleasant thing to do in the morning or evening. During the high season a night market runs along its banks in front of the temples, where you can tuck into phad thai or a tasty roti.
How to Get to Jong Kham Lake#
Jong Kham Lake is in Mae Hong Son town; from the Mae Hong Son bus terminal/town centre the lake and surrounding temples are a short tuk‑tuk ride or roughly a 10-20 minute walk. If coming from Chiang Mai, expect a road journey of about 240-260 km (around 4-5 hours) by car or regular intercity bus/minivan services to Mae Hong Son; from there local songthaews or tuk‑tuks will take you to the lake.
Best Time to Visit Jong Kham Lake#
Best visited in the cool, dry season (November-February) when skies are clearer and temperatures are comfortable for lakeside walks.
Weather & Climate near Jong Kham Lake#
Jong Kham Lake's climate is classified as Tropical Savanna - Tropical Savanna climate with very hot summers (peaking in April) and warm winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from 14°C to 37°C. Abundant rainfall (1265 mm/year), wettest in August with a pronounced dry season.
| Month | Comfort | Temp | Feels | Rain | Sky | Humidity | Wind | UV | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Ideal | 14° - 28° | 21° | 6 mm | mostly sunny | 66% | 0.7 m/s | 1.5 very high | 11.0h |
| February | Ideal | 16° - 31° | 24° | 5 mm | clear | 54% | 0.9 m/s | 1.9 very high | 11.4h |
| March | Excellent | 20° - 35° | 28° | 18 mm | mostly sunny | 52% | 1.1 m/s | 2.0 extreme | 11.9h |
| April | Very Good | 24° - 37° | 33° | 56 mm | some cloud | 57% | 1.3 m/s | 2.2 extreme | 12.5h |
| May | Acceptable | 24° - 35° | 35° | 175 mm | overcast | 74% | 1.2 m/s | 2.2 extreme | 12.9h |
| June | Acceptable | 24° - 32° | 32° | 175 mm | overcast | 82% | 1.2 m/s | 2.0 extreme | 13.2h |
| July | Acceptable | 24° - 31° | 31° | 214 mm | overcast | 85% | 1.1 m/s | 1.9 very high | 13.1h |
| August | Acceptable | 24° - 31° | 31° | 244 mm | overcast | 86% | 1.2 m/s | 1.9 very high | 12.7h |
| September | Acceptable | 23° - 31° | 31° | 199 mm | overcast | 84% | 0.8 m/s | 1.9 very high | 12.1h |
| October | Very Good | 22° - 31° | 27° | 113 mm | partly cloudy | 82% | 0.7 m/s | 1.8 very high | 11.6h |
| November | Excellent | 20° - 29° | 25° | 45 mm | mostly sunny | 79% | 0.8 m/s | 1.6 very high | 11.1h |
| December | Ideal | 16° - 28° | 22° | 15 mm | mostly sunny | 75% | 0.7 m/s | 1.4 high | 10.9h |