Living in the mountain ranges somehow makes me feel closer to home but I miss the ocean like crazy. I love the smell of the salt water, the sensation of sand between my toes, the expanse of blue before me as the wind sweeps my hair, and the humbling feeling of standing before something that could crush me with one breath. I love candlelit seafood dinners while watching the sun fall into the ocean. Swimming, scuba diving, and snorkeling.

But as much as I love the ocean, I also simply love water. So when I can’t make it to the sea, I get my fix from rivers and lakes. Today I want to talk about one of my paradise locations in the northern mountain ranges—Mae Ngat Dam.

As a tourist, you won’t hear much about Mae Ngat, and it is a well-kept secret that is all but completely off of the typical ex-pat radar. At the risk of changing that, let me fill you in.

The dam is about a one hour motorbike drive outside of Chiang Mai. The drive itself is beautiful—open fields and mountain ranges, small villages and small shops inside of the road selling fresh baby coconuts. It’s a pleasure, but if you don’t know the area or haven’t done much driving in Thailand, stop by a local tourist shop and see if you can arrange a van to take you and your crew out there.

When you finally get to the dam, you will find there are a collection of long-tail boats sitting on the water. You may have to wait a while before someone shows up ready to take you out, which is another good reason to talk to a tour shop and make reservations. The second time I went out, I sat on the shore for about 2 hours waiting for someone to come in and get me. The longtail boat ride is 500 baht, but if you go with a group that covers everyone.

The lake itself is quiet and peaceful. It’s not like lakes in America, which are often crowded with speedboats and jet skis, although I love those things as well. This is a place of relaxation and raw natural beauty. Apart from the occasional long-tail boat cutting through the water, it’s practically devoid of life.

15-20 minutes out into the lake, the long-tail boats drops you off at a group of about fifteen floating bamboo rafts, and on these rafts are small guesthouses and restaurants. Simplistic plywood structures in the typical Thai style—nothing fancy here.

But in a heaven like this you don’t really need fancy. It’s absolute peace as soon as the long-tail takes off back to shore.

During the daytime there’s no power—generators kick on at about 7 p.m. and run until midnight before leaving you in pitch darkness.

While the guesthouses are all but empty on weekdays, the weekends are a different story altogether. The lake is a popular place for middle class Thai families and Thai university students, and it becomes one big party along the guesthouses, which are interconnected with wooden walkways.

When my friends and I went, we joined the party in my typical style, singing karaoke over the water and feasting on delicious Thai food. Be prepared to have people staring at you like you’re crazy, wondering how you ever found them. But everyone is accommodating and friendly. We met some really great people and spent the night diving in the water and singing with strangers who spoke little English.

If you’re looking for something a little less local (meaning no loud karaoke music all night) consider booking ahead of time at The Floating Cottage. I haven’t been there myself, but apparently it is the guesthouse farthest out onto the lake and is set up to accommodate a Western tourist crowd.

It is available by booking only, and according to the word on the net, it is more focused on peace and quiet and even serves up vegetarian food along with the typical fish dishes, something you often won’t find at Thai restaurants.

There is one ex-pat who actually lives out on one of the floating rafts—well, I saw his house but never saw him. On his raft is a small deck covered in plants, and he apparently lives up there all year round. Not a bad way to retire if you ask me.

The guesthouses run from about 100 baht to 300 baht per night. The cheapest ones are obviously very simple—just a mattress on the floor—but what more do you need in a place like this? When you get back to shore, be sure to check out the restaurant overlooking the water for some great food before you head back to town.

Trust me—you’ll be sorry you have to leave.