Just after sunrise on a clear autumn morning, the Lakeside shore is the quietest it will be all day. Painted wooden rowing boats sit tied to bamboo poles, a few boatmen are already waiting by the water, and if the cloud has not built up yet, white peaks show above the green hills to the north.
By Uncover Nepal Team · Checked by our Kathmandu travel team · Last checked 9 November 2026
Pokhara Lakeside, also called Baidam, is the strip of hotels, cafés, bars and shops along the eastern shore of Phewa Lake, and it is where many visitors base themselves. You can walk to the boats, the shore path and the evening lights from your door. For the rest of the city, start with our guide to things to do in Pokhara.
Key facts
- Where it is
- Eastern shore of Phewa Lake; also called Baidam, Ward 6 of Pokhara Metropolitan City (Nepal Tourism Board; Pokhara Metropolitan City (ward list as cited by Wikipedia) (checked 9 Nov 2026))
- Altitude
- Pokhara about 820 m (2,690 ft); Sarangkot viewpoint 1,595 m (5,233 ft) (UncoverNepal fact base (checked 9 Nov 2026))
- Size of Phewa Lake
- About 5.7 to 6.3 sq km in recent surveys; the boundary is disputed (The Kathmandu Post, 1 Jun 2025 (checked 9 Nov 2026))
- Boat rules
- Life jackets for everyone; all water activities stop at 6 pm; in bad weather, no boating after 2 pm (District Administration Office Kaski safety notice, 25 Jun 2026, as reported by The Kathmandu Post, 2 Aug 2026 (checked 9 Nov 2026))
- Tal Barahi temple
- Island temple; reopened for worship after reconstruction on 11 Oct 2026, Ghatasthapana (Nepal Tourism Board; UncoverNepal fact base; Ratopati/RSS, 6 Oct 2026 (checked 9 Nov 2026))
- Pokhara Street Festival
- 2025 edition ran 28 Dec 2025 to 1 Jan 2026; 2026 dates not yet announced (Ratopati/RSS, 14 Dec 2025 (checked 9 Nov 2026))
In this guide
- What is Pokhara Lakeside and where does it sit?
- Where can you walk from Lakeside?
- What are the boat rules on Phewa Lake?
- Where should you stay in Lakeside?
- What can you eat in Lakeside?
- What is the Pokhara Lakeside night view like?
- When is the Pokhara Street Festival?
- What happened to buildings within 65 m of Phewa Lake?
- When is the best time to visit Lakeside?
- Frequently asked questions
- Plan your visit
What is Pokhara Lakeside and where does it sit?
Pokhara Lakeside is the visitor quarter on the eastern shore of Phewa Lake, mostly in Pokhara's Ward 6, known locally as Baidam. It runs along the water from the dam at the southern end up towards Khapaudi in the north, with the lake on one side and the rest of the city behind it.
The Nepal Tourism Board puts it simply: "On the eastern shore of Phewa Lake is Lakeside or Baidam". Pokhara sits at about 820 m (2,690 ft), so winter days are mild, and the lake is the reason people stay here rather than in the busier city centre.
The Lakeside road and its lanes
Lakeside is built around one main road a short way back from the shore, lined with shops, money changers, trekking-gear stores, bars and restaurants. That is the "Lakeside road" on maps. Lanes run off it down to grassy banks and jetties, and back into quieter streets of guesthouses and homes.
Damside, at the southern end
Damside is the southern end of Lakeside, around the dam where the lake drains out at Pardi. The Kathmandu Post reports the dam was first built in 1961 with Indian government assistance, washed away in 1974 and rebuilt by 1982. The water that leaves here feeds the stream that drops into the ground at Davis Falls, whose source the city's tourism office gives as Phewa Lake.
Damside feels calmer than central Lakeside, with fewer bars and more homes.
North Lakeside, towards Khapaudi
North of the main strip, Lakeside thins out towards Khapaudi, where the paragliders land after taking off from Sarangkot or Toripani (Himal Press, May 2025). Expect more space, more trees and a longer walk into the centre.
Where can you walk from Lakeside?
You can walk the whole of Lakeside on the shore path and the main road, take a boat across the lake and climb to the World Peace Pagoda, or head up to Sarangkot for the view. Davis Falls and Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave are a short taxi ride south rather than a walk.
The lakeshore path
A footpath runs along the water's edge for much of Lakeside, past jetties, tea stalls and grassy banks. Early morning is the nicest time: the path is quiet, and on a clear day the snow peaks show behind the hills across the lake. Our Phewa Lake guide covers the lake itself in more depth.
Across the water to the World Peace Pagoda
The white stupa on the ridge across the lake is the World Peace Pagoda, inaugurated in 1999 and about 35 m tall. Pokhara Metropolitan City lists it as free, open 6 am to 6 pm. The usual way from Lakeside is a rowing boat across, then the trail up through the forest, looking back over the lake to the town. The pagoda closes at 6 pm and boats must be off the water by then, so go in the morning or early afternoon and leave time to get back across.
Further afield on foot or by taxi
Sarangkot, at 1,595 m (5,233 ft), is the ridge above the north side of the lake and a popular sunrise viewpoint, reached on foot or by road. South of Lakeside, about 2 km south-west of the old airport on the Siddhartha Highway, are Davis Falls and, across the road, Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave, with the Tashiling Tibetan settlement just past the falls.
What are the boat rules on Phewa Lake?
Everyone on a boat must wear a life jacket, all water activities on Phewa stop at 6 pm, and in bad weather no boating is allowed after 2 pm. These rules come from a District Administration Office Kaski safety notice of 25 June 2026, as reported by The Kathmandu Post.
- Put the life jacket on before you push off, and keep it on. Children too.
- Be back at the jetty before 6 pm. Boat trips that stay out after 6 pm are not allowed.
- If the weather turns in the afternoon, come in. Boats should not go out after 2 pm in bad weather.
- Agree the price and time before you get in. There is no official published fare list.
Many boat trips stop at Tal Barahi, the small temple on an island in the lake dedicated to Ajima, or Shakti, according to the Nepal Tourism Board. After reconstruction, it reopened for worship on 11 October 2026, Ghatasthapana, the first day of Dashain. Dress as you would for any temple and ask before photographing people at prayer.
Where should you stay in Lakeside?
Stay in central Lakeside if you want to walk everywhere and do not mind evening noise. Choose Damside or North Lakeside for quieter nights, with a longer walk or a short taxi into the centre. Every area has simple guesthouses, mid-range hotels and some higher-comfort places.
We are not naming hotels here. Places change hands and standards drift, and we would rather match you to somewhere we know is right this season than send you on an old tip.
| Area | What it feels like | Suits | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Lakeside | Everything on your doorstep: cafés, shops, boats, bars | First visits, short stays, people without a car | Music and traffic noise in the evening |
| Damside | Calmer, more residential, near the dam | Couples, longer stays, early risers | Further from the nightlife |
| North Lakeside | More space and trees, towards Khapaudi | Families, people wanting quiet | Longer walk or a taxi into the centre |
Kinds of places to stay
Family-run guesthouses give simple rooms, often with a rooftop. Mid-range hotels add en-suite rooms and a restaurant, and much of Lakeside is in this bracket. Higher-comfort hotels and resorts have more space and gardens, and some lake-view rooms. Light sleepers should pick the lanes behind the main road.
Ask about the room, not just the hotel. A "lake view" can mean the lake past a road or other buildings, and a room on the main road will be louder than one at the back.
What can you eat in Lakeside?
Lakeside has a wide choice of food: Nepali set meals, Thakali and Tibetan dishes, bakeries and cafés for trekkers, and Indian, Chinese, Korean and Italian menus. Vegetarians eat well here, and most places can explain what is in a dish if you ask.
What to look for
- Dal bhat. Rice, lentil soup, vegetable curry and pickle, the everyday meal across Nepal. Vegetarian unless you add meat, and refills are usual.
- Thakali sets. A dal bhat style from the Thakali people of the Kali Gandaki valley, with many small sides.
- Momo and thukpa. Dumplings and noodle soup, Tibetan in origin; Pokhara has had Tibetan communities since the 1960s.
- Bakeries and cafés. Breakfasts and coffee for trekkers heading to the Annapurna trails.
Honest notes on eating
Prices vary a lot between a back-lane dal bhat house and a lake-view restaurant. Read the menu first, and check whether service charge and tax are added. Do not drink tap water; ask for filtered water or use a filter bottle.
A Jain or other strict diet takes more explaining, so ask before you order, and tell us about it when you enquire.
What is the Pokhara Lakeside night view like?
At night, the Pokhara Lakeside view is the shore lights reflected on dark water, with the black outline of the hills across the lake. Boats are off the water by 6 pm, so the lake goes quiet while the road behind you gets busy.
The best spot is the shore path or a grassy bank, a few steps from the music. Bring a warm layer in winter; December nights average about 8 °C at the airport station.
How late does Lakeside stay open?
Late, but the rules have changed more than once, so ask your hotel. We found no new closing rule as of 9 November 2026.
On 8 October 2023, the High Court in Pokhara issued an interim order allowing Lakeside businesses to open 24 hours a day (Republica). In March 2024, Pokhara's discos, nightclubs and live-music venues were allowed to stay open all night, and bars, restaurants, spas and shops in Lakeside and other central areas until 1 am (PTI, 17 March 2024). In May 2026, hotel and tourism groups asked for Lakeside's nightlife to close by 2 am (Rising Nepal, 19 May 2026).
Places to visit in Pokhara at night
- The lakeshore path and Lakeside road. The main evening walk, busy and well lit in the central part.
- Live-music bars and restaurants. Most are on or just off the main road.
- The Street Festival, in season. See the next section.
The World Peace Pagoda and the boats close at 6 pm, so they are daytime trips. Stick to lit streets late at night and take a taxi back to Damside or North Lakeside. The Tourist Police number is 1144.
When is the Pokhara Street Festival?
The Pokhara Street Festival usually takes place in the last days of December, running into New Year. The 27th edition ran from 28 December 2025 to 1 January 2026 along about 3.5 km of Lakeside, organised by the Restaurant and Bar Association Nepal (REBAN) Pokhara, as reported by Ratopati and RSS on 14 December 2025.
The 2026 dates had not been announced when we checked on 9 November 2026; ask us nearer the time and we will confirm them once the organisers publish. Expect food stalls, music and crowds along the main road, and book your room early.
What happened to buildings within 65 m of Phewa Lake?
In April 2026, Pokhara Metropolitan City demolished structures near Phewa Lake to enforce a long-running Supreme Court order on a 65 m buffer around it, then suspended the work. The dispute is about where the boundary lies and which buildings fall inside the buffer.
The background, as Nepal's press has reported it:
- 29 April 2018. The Supreme Court ordered the lake's boundaries fixed, illegal structures removed and land acquired with compensation (The Kathmandu Post).
- December 2020. A removal drive within the 65 m line stopped after locals went to the High Court.
- June 2023. A further Supreme Court order cleared the way for the 65 m rule.
- From 4 April 2026. On a directive from the federal government, bulldozers were used on around 30 structures near the lake, starting with a resort at Sedi; a restaurant at Khapaudi was also hit (The Kathmandu Post, 4 and 14 April 2026).
- April 2026. Mayor Dhana Raj Acharya said the action had been symbolic and was suspended until further notice (The Kathmandu Post, 14 April 2026). Later that month, residents asked the Supreme Court to review the 65 m rule (Ratopati, 26 April 2026).
In July 2026, Ratopati reported that the campaign had stalled and that businesses were operating as before. We found no report of the work resuming as of 9 November 2026. Even the lake's size is disputed: recent surveys put Phewa at about 5.7 to 6.3 sq km, and a 2024 figure that includes the 65 m zone is larger. The lake also belongs to a protected wetland group, listed under the Ramsar Convention on 2 February 2016:
"Lake Cluster of Pokhara Valley comprises nine lakes of noted beauty along the Pokhara Valley in the mid-hill region of Nepal."
Ramsar Sites Information Service, "Lake Cluster of Pokhara Valley" (Ramsar Site no. 2257), read 9 November 2026
For visitors, it means some lakefront buildings may change. If you book a lake-front room, it is fair to ask the hotel whether the building is affected.
When is the best time to visit Lakeside?
October to December is the best time for most visitors: the monsoon is over, rain is light and the mornings are often clear. Lakeside is open all year, though, and the monsoon months are green and quiet if you can live with cloud and heavy rain.
The figures below are long-term averages for Pokhara Airport (1991 to 2020), from Nepal's Department of Hydrology and Meteorology.
| Month | Average high / low | Average rain | What it means for Lakeside |
|---|---|---|---|
| June | 30.8 / 21.2 °C | 648.2 mm | Monsoon starting; hot, humid, cloudy |
| July | 30.4 / 22.4 °C | 941.0 mm | The wettest of these months; views rare |
| October | 27.9 / 17.2 °C | 159.2 mm | Monsoon over; warm days, clearing skies |
| November | 24.4 / 12.3 °C | 17.2 mm | Dry and mild; often clear mornings |
| December | 21.0 / 8.3 °C | 11.5 mm | Cool nights, dry days; Street Festival at year end |
The monsoon normally runs from about 13 June to 2 October; in 2026 it fully withdrew on 14 October. Spring, from March to May, is warm, and haze often softens the views.
Coming from Kathmandu, the road takes most of a day, often six to nine hours, and the flight about 30 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Is Begnas Lake worth the trip from Lakeside?
Yes, if you want a quieter lake for half a day. Begnas is about 15 km from central Pokhara, in the city's Ward 31 to the south-east of the valley, and part of the same Ramsar-listed lake cluster as Phewa. It has far fewer hotels and shops than Lakeside, so the draw is calm water and farmland, not cafés. Add Rupa Lake if you have the whole day.
Is it OK to visit Pokhara in the monsoon?
Yes, as long as you expect rain and cloud. The monsoon normally runs from about mid-June to early October, and July averages 941 mm of rain at Pokhara Airport. Mountain views are rare, and in bad weather boating stops at 2 pm. In return, Lakeside is green, quieter and easier to book.
What is the Tibetan refugee settlement near Pokhara?
There are several. Tashiling, at Chhorepatan beside Davis Falls, was set up in the mid-1960s and is the easiest to add to a sightseeing day. Tashi Palkhel, established in 1962 at Hemja, north-west of the city on the Baglung road, is usually described as the largest. Paljorling is in central Pokhara near Prithvi Chowk. The settlements began as temporary camps and became permanent homes, so visit with the respect you would show any neighbourhood.
What are the best things to do in Pokhara?
Walk the Lakeside shore path, take a boat to Tal Barahi, cross the lake to the World Peace Pagoda, catch sunrise at Sarangkot and see Davis Falls and Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave. Paragliders take off from Sarangkot and Toripani and land at Khapaudi. Our full Pokhara guide, linked below, covers the rest.
When is the best time to visit Pokhara for mountain views?
Late October to December usually gives the clearest mountain views from Pokhara. The monsoon is over, November averages only about 17 mm of rain at the airport station, and mornings are often clear before cloud builds later in the day. Nobody can promise a view on a given day, so give yourself more than one morning and get up early.
Plan your visit
Lakeside works as a base for two or three days, or a rest stop after a trek. For a comfortable lake stay with the planning done, look at our Pokhara luxury escape. To pair the lake with a hill town on the way from Kathmandu, there is the Bandipur and Pokhara Lakeside tour. For a short walk into the hills with mountain views, try the Australian Camp tour from Pokhara. A licensed guide walks with you on every trek we run.
Heading on to Lumbini? The bus takes about six to seven hours, according to a travel guide updated in October 2026. For the rest of the city, go back to things to do in Pokhara.
Send us your dates on WhatsApp or through the enquiry form, tell us what kind of room and how quiet you want it, and we will tell you honestly which part of Lakeside suits you.
Your Nepal visa and international flights are your own arrangements; official visa information is on the Nepal Tourism Board tourist-visa page.
