Lake Lotos (Ozero Lotos)

Lake Lotos lies in the south of the Khasansky municipal district of Primorsky Krai, near the village of Khasan, a few kilometers from the border with China and North Korea. The lake is part of the Khasansky nature park and covers an area of about 3.28 square kilometers.

Nature

The lake owes its modern name to the extensive stands of Komarov's lotus (Nelumbo komarovii) that cover much of its surface in summer. During the blooming season, in July and August, large pink flowers rise above the water — the main reason tourists and photographers come here. Water chestnut and the floating fern Salvinia natans grow near the shores. Migratory waterfowl stop at the lake and its surroundings, including the great egret and the Chinese button-quail (also known as the barred buttonquail).

The nature park status means these plant communities and the resting grounds of migratory birds are protected, so gathering lotus or other vegetation at the lake is not allowed.

History

Until 1972 the lake was called Doritsine. It was later renamed Lotos after the lotus stands that define the water body's appearance. In 1938, a few kilometers from Lake Lotos, the Soviet-Japanese Battle of Lake Khasan took place in this part of the Khasansky district, leaving its mark on the names of nearby places.

Getting there

Lake Lotos is located near the turn to the urban-type settlement of Khasan, where a viewing platform has been built for tourists. A wooden walkway leads to it from an arch, with a descent that is fairly steep in places. The platform has benches and canopies, though by some accounts these structures are not always in good repair, so caution is advised. There is also a birdwatching tower and a pier on the site, convenient for observing the lake and its birds without entering the lotus stands.

The nearest settlement is Khasan, with a railway station of the same name, through which the main road in this part of the Khasansky district passes.