One of the great things about living in a city like Chiang Mai is undoubtedly the many options you have to “get an experience” just by jumping on a motorbike and then travelling for an hour or two.
A few weekends ago I did just this, and rode up to Thailand’s highest point on my bike and saw some gigantic waterfalls and a lot of interesting animals on the road.
This weekend I desired some adventure again so we (my brother Fredrik and I) decided to go to the Sri Lanna National Park, where you can sail out on a huge lake named “Mae Ngat Dam“.
Houseboats surrounded by mountains
From here you can sail out to some houseboats, where you can eat, sleep, party, fish, kayak and swim, as well as doing a host of other great stuff, and it all takes place in the perfect setting. The lake is surrounded by forested hillsides and you feel all the time that you are in a film, because the experience is so unique.
Speaking of films, this was also the area where some of the new Rambo 4 movie was shot!
You sail out in one of the characteristic Long Tail boats familiar from the islands of Southern Thailand, where they are everywhere. The companies use these boats to ferry visitors out to the houseboats which are situated approximately 20 mins. sailing away.
It’s located some 1 hour on a motorbike, or by car from Chiang Mai city centre; and if you do feel like staying out on the lake, it’s a great idea to call well in advance, as they are often booked 2 to 3 weeks in advance.
The high-tech boat engine is so noisy that you cannot have a conversation on the rides back and forth to the houseboats!
Prices
It costs 500 baht to be taken out to the houseboats. There you can buy food and water for virtually the same price as on the mainland. An overnight stay in one of their bungalows, costs 150 to 200 baht and it is all paid before being taken to the mainland again.
Video from the site
The first one here shows the view from the houseboat where we sat and ate our food.