Pokhara is considered to be one of the best launching off points for a trek in the Himalayas, but not only is it a great place to prepare for your trek, it is also a great place to relax afterwards. After a few days, or weeks, of hiking through the mountains of Nepal you will definitely be due for some rest, relaxation, and time to just sit back and enjoy the beautiful lakeside of Pokhara! Read on to find out what to do in Pokhara to make the most of your time at a slow pace.
What to do on your first day back in Pokhara
Get a massage
After working hard trekking, let me tell you first hand, a massage will feel soooooo good. Plus, like most things, they are super affordable in Nepal, being much cheaper than what you would pay in Canada, the States, or most other Western countries. So, it’s the perfect time to treat yourself to one (or two or three). I highly recommend getting a full body massage for at least an hour.
There are tons of options all along the main shopping street in Lakeside. Once you create some general criteria of what you are looking for (for me this was just a private room, being able to lie down fully, and a reasonable price), your best bet is to just start walking. When you see a massage place that looks interesting and has someone standing outside, walk a little slower and look at it with casual interest. Most of the time they will offer you a better deal than is posted. If not, no worries, the next one is sure to be close by. But if they do, ask a couple questions, sound mildly interested, but unsure, and they might go down a little more. Then you’ve found your spot! Follow them in, sit back and relax! You body will thank you.
Don’t forget to tip the masseuse once you’re done!
Treat yourself
After your massage, why not treat yourself in a different way? There are so many delicious sweets to be had in Pokhara, from baked goods to fresh fruits and smoothies. A personal after-trek favourite was these amazing Belgian waffle and ice cream sandwiches. There were two stands, basically side by side on the southern end of Lakeside, called The Wonder of Waffles and The Belgian Waffle Co. I tried both and can safely say you can’t go wrong either way!
Relax by the lake
Then, what better to do in the beautiful lakeside city of Pokhara than sit by the lake? Grab an outdoor seat at one of the many restaurants, cafes, or bars along the lake, or just find a bench or patch of grass! Pack a book, notebook, sketchpad, or guitar, and spend a few hours relaxing – you deserve it!
While travelling, it is easy to get caught up in feeling like you need to be doing something all the time – but that’s an easy way to get burnt out. If you had just accomplished a long, possibly multi-day, hike in your home country, don’t you think you’d give yourself some time to rest? You deserve that here too and there is nothing wrong with that! Heck, even if you want to spend a couple hours in bed watching your favourite show, go for it! The rest of your trip will be all the better for it.
Other relaxing things to do in Pokhara
Rent a row boat
All along lakeside you can find places to rent rowboats and paddleboards, or even rent a row boat with a driver if you just want to sit back and relax! It is such a nice way to spend an afternoon. I definitely recommend rowing to the far side of the lake and then just spending some time sitting on the water. It’s nice to get the different view point of the beautiful surrounding area.
For the best deals, I found the further north you walked along the lakeside the better the prices got, though most places had their prices listed anyway so you can scope it out.
Go to Swings Restaurant
If you’re looking for an instagrammable spot, Swings Restaurant is hard to beat. It is exactly what it sounds like – a restaurant with tons of swings. There were so many different types of swings, and obviously I had to try sitting in all of them. And, you also get a great view of paragliders landing from there, so if that’s something you are considering trying it’s a good place to get an idea for it!
But, outside that, it is also nice to explore farther along the lake than the heavily trafficked Lakeside district. It feels a bit more rural and, like everywhere else, is full of beautiful views. It’s worth noting it is a bit harder to flag down a taxi in this area than in the main lakeside area. It’s a nice walk, but if you only plan to walk one way (which I recommend), I would definitely suggest getting a taxi there and walking back!
Check out the mountain museum
Another great, low energy, activity is to check out the International Mountain Museum. Full of details about the highest mountains in the world, the people who live near them, the regions they are part of, and the people who have conquered them, it’s a super cool museum. I learned a lot there! It costs 500 NPR (about $3.80 USD) for entry and has two floors with an outlined route, plus some more stuff outside, including a restaurant. The sections include: Mountain People Gallery, Mountain Gallery, Mountain Activities Gallery, Lakhang (about Buddhism), Associates Gallery, and the Living Museum.
Two of my favourite things to see there were: 1. a huge sand Mandala, which was so impressive to see! The detail that can be made with coloured sand is hard to believe. And 2. a replicate of the whole Annapurna region, which was really cool to look at after returning from a trek through there!
Another highlight for me here was something I certainly can’t promise will happen to you, but it certainly added some extra joy to my time here. On my way out of the museum I was approach by both a goat and a dog at the same time who were wanting pets! As a big animal lover, it was very exciting for me!
Where to Stay
Most articles you read about where to stay in Pokhara will recommend Lakeside. I agree with that but to get more specific I would say the northern end of the Lakeside district is the best, especially after your trek when you don’t need to shop for trekking gear anymore. The northern end seems to be more restaurants & cafes, as opposed to more gear stores on the southern end, though of course you will get some of both all along!
Hostel
In particular if you are looking for a hostel Hotel Forest Lake is an excellent choice, probably the best hostel I stayed in all of Nepal. They have both dorm rooms and private rooms, but they are usually booked up in advance so try to book ahead!
Hotel
Or, if you are looking for a hotel rather than a hostel, just down the street is the Grand Shivalaya Hotel and Restro which is also really nice and includes breakfast!
Homestay
If you are looking for a really cool travel experience, either near Pokhara or anywhere else in Nepal, I highly recommend doing a homestay! There is an organization in Nepal called the Community Homestay Network that has homestays all over the country. This is an amazing way to get to know the locals, learn more about their customs, and get off the beaten tourist path a bit. I did one in a small farming village about 43 kms from Kathmandu and I can’t recommend it highly enough. Check out my experience here.
What else to know for a trip to Nepal
If you’re planning a trip to Nepal, definitely check out this list of things to know before going to Nepal to help you prepare and make the most of your trip! A lot of the fun of travel comes from getting to experience and see different cultures firsthand, but sometimes this can lead to surprises that throw you off and misunderstandings. These are some of the things that surprised me that I will be happy to know in advance for my next trip!
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