About Lakeside in Pokhara
Lakeside is a popular tourist destination beside Phewa Tal (lake) in Nepal's second largest city, Pokhara. The main areas of Pokhara are divided into Lakeside, Damside, and the old Pokhara. Within Lakeside, there are now North Lakeside and South Lake Side.
It's all quite easy to navigate as tourist buses drop most tourists off at the border between Lakeside and Damside. After that, it's an easy walk or taxi to the start of South Lakeside and into the ongoing development of North Lakeside. For most people, it's just "Lakeside" - which consists of a quiet main road that runs alongside Lake Phewa Tal in Pokhara.
Swimming around Lakeside is not recommended. There's a lot of debris in the lake, and safety is a strong concern there due to undercurrents. Not even the locals swim around Lakeside!
Did you know?
Phewa Tal is also known as Fewa Lake, Phewa Lake and Lake Phewa Tal. It's a freshwater lake made famous for it's reflection of mount Machhapuchhre and that section of the Annapurna Range. Phewa Tal also generates a lot of electricity for Pokhara through it's dam. Lakeside houses most of the popular tourist accommodation in Pokhara which offers both lake views and mountain views.
Getting around Lakeside
There's really not much to getting around Pokhara's Lakeside. Most people simply walk as it's roughly only a 30-40 minutes walk from one end to the next. Or 20 minutes if you only count the main strip.
People often rent out bicycles, but they are mostly only good if you are staying a while or for day trips around the lake due to high daily rates.
There are no rickshaws around Lakeside or indeed Pokhara as a whole.
Traffic around Lakeside has changed a lot in the past few years. Compared to Kathmandu, it's virtually non-existent. There's a "no horn" ban that arrived in 2017 which few people pay attention to. Similarly, a traffic-free weekend promotion began in early 2018 which doesn't seem to be that efficient either. Stick to the wide open footpaths as the local administration seem determined to allow traffic along the once peaceful lakeside area.
Things to do in Lakeside
Given the small area, there's not a lot to actually do in Lakeside, but there is a lot to do in and around Pokhara! Check out this full guide to Pokhara for everything to do in Lakeside and Pokhara.
You might like to check out the weather in Pokhara to plan ahead.
Meanwhile, here are some of the things to do around Lakeside:
- Take an early morning breakfast on a hotel rooftop and watch the Annapurna mountains put on a show
- Watch as the paragliders fly down from Sarangkot to north lakeside nearly every morning
- On a fine day, walk the quite main road enjoying the music from stores while the Annapurna mountain range stretches out in front of you
- Leisurely shop without the raucous hard sell that's found in Kathmandu
- Stop off at many of the great cafes during the day for tea overlooking Lake Phewa Tal - here's a guide to finding the best places for coffee in Pokhara.
- Take a rowing boat out onto Lake Phewa Tal or hire a rower and make a day trip to the World Peace Pagoda
- Arrange any number of white water rafting, mountain biking, motor biking, micro-flights, trekking or paragliding activities from the many agents at Lakeside
- Chill out at a number of bars around lakeside
- Discover the temples of Pokhara
- Search out the small Shiva Shrine that few know about as a picnic area
- Take the new cable car ride to Sarangkot
- Enjoy a movie in one of the cafes or bars at night
- Pack a lunch and some water for a trek out around and past north Lakeside
These are just some of the things to do around the Lakeside area in Pokhara. Again, there's a lot more to do around Pokhara and the surround area from visiting Tibetan villages to actually paragliding yourself.
Check out the full Pokhara travel guide for more or better yet, you can support this website and get great insider guides via by national bestselling guidebook to Nepal.
Map of Lakeside
There's really not much to Lakeside. There's a main road with several side streets leading off it. This map of Lakeside is just to show you the different areas in Lakeside.
It takes about 30 mins to walk from the bus station in north Damside to the start of South Lakeside (Basundhara Park). To walk from South Lakeside to North Lakeside takes about 40-60 minutes.
Accommodation & hotels in Lakeside Pokhara
There are probably more hotels and guesthouses along Lakeside in Pokhara than anywhere else in the city. In fact, there's too many, so bargains are often easy to come by. Generally speaking, the further from the lake, the cheaper the hotel!
Luxury:
Fishtail Lodge - One of Pokhara's best-known luxury hotels. This 3-star hotel offers a swimming pool, wifi, gardens, and mountain views.
Temple Tree Resort & Spa Pokhara - Located near the center of Lakeside, this hotel offers a swimming pool, wifi, and a massage/beauty center.
Mid-range:
Hotel Splendid View - A hotel with a view and free breakfast to match. Wifi on site, generator, and cable TV in the rooms. Location is in the center of Lakeside.
Hotel Trekkers Inn - Popular spacious hotel located in Lakeside Pokhara. Large rooms and a rooftop view of the mountains along with wifi and free breakfasts.
Budget:
Hotel Grand Holiday Pokhara - At the high end of budget hotels in Pokhara but you do get good service. Wifi, generator, and plenty of customer service.
Hotel Fewa Holiday Inn - Cheap private rooms with TV and ensuite. Backup generator and a good central location with plenty of rooms.
The North Face Inn - Super cheap dorm rooms and reasonable singles. Wifi is available and the location is at the quiet north end of Lakeside Pokhara.
Looking for more places to stay in Pokhara? Try my hotel search below for the best rates.
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