Phewa Lake is the travellers’ focal point in Pokhara, and is the second largest lake in Nepal. In contrast to the gaudy tourist development of Lakeside, the steep southwestern shore is densely forested and alive with birdlife. The lush Rani Ban, or Queen’s Forest, bestows an emerald hue to the lake, and on a clear day the Annapurna mountains are perfectly reflected on its mirror surface.
The view of Fishtail and other mountains reflected in the lake, the little island and the Tal Barahi temple in the middle, the white stupa on the top of the hill, the gliders jumping from Sarangkot, the Ultralight soaring up high and paralleled each other, buzzing, all at once can be seized in the mild breeze over the Phewa Lake.
You can take to the lake in one of the brightly painted doongas (boats) available for rent at Lakeside. At Phewa Lake, you can choose what type of boats you would like to have, the driven boats (the old fashioned one joined two boats with planks and pedals in the middle), row boats and sail boats. There is also choice between fibred-body sailboats and wooden ones. You can do boating in Pokhara valley throughout the year except monsoon.
Many people walk or cycle around the lakeshore – the trek up to the World Peace Pagoda affords breathtaking views over the lake to the mountains beyond.