The sea can be a great draw when going on holiday, but one mustn’t underestimate the appeal of a good lake. Below we present some of our favourite lakes in the world. Some of them are lively hubs where you can take in the local life of leg-rowing fishermen or floating fruit sellers, whilst others such as Bolivia’s stunning Lake Titicaca, are perfect for quiet contemplation. Check out our full list below...
1. Lake Titicaca, Peru/Bolivia
Lake Titicaca, as pub quiz regulars should know, is the highest navigable lake in the world (3,812 metres). This gives it an eerie shimmering quality – at times the lake looks like a vast mirror, reflecting the huge skies, clouds you feel you can touch and the snow-capped peaks of the Andes. Whilst the floating islands on the Peruvian side are interesting, they can feel somewhat touristy. A far better place to appreciate the beauty of Lake Titicaca is Isla del Sol, on the Bolivian side. This island is home to a small number of inhabitants and a walk amongst the small villages, farms and herds of llamas and donkeys feels like stepping back in time. There are no roads, cars or motorbikes here and the air is incredibly clear. This remote part of the world also offers the most wonderful deep red sunsets.
View our holidays to Bolivia
View our holidays to Peru
2. Dal Lake, Kashmir, India
Dal Lake has been in and out of fashion for centuries. First discovered by the Moghuls, Dal Lake was popular with the British during the Raj as an escape from the heat of the plains; after the Sikh wars the Brits were banned from building any properties there. They got around this by building elaborate houseboats and this became a popular holiday retreat. Then in the 1960s the lake was revitalised by the hippie trail, with intrepid backpackers often staying for months at a time on the houseboats. Today, the region is recovering from a decade of conflict and instability and tourists have slowly started to return in the last five years. Wild Frontiers offers a number of options on Dal Lake, including the luxurious houseboat Sukoon. Read more about houseboats in Kashmir here.
3. Lake Son Kul, Kyrgyzstan
Son Kul is one of Central Asia’s most beautiful lakes. Situated at 3000m in the heart of nomad country, it has a deep turquoise colour and for most of the year is icy cold – this is a lake only for the brave-hearted swimmer. Kyrgyzstan’s semi-nomadic people spend the summer months here, grazing their cattle once the snow melts. Visitors to Son Kul get to enjoy a full nomadic experience, staying in a yurt and enjoying watching a game of the local sport Kok Boru – a kind of horse polo played with a goat’s carcass instead of a ball. There are some wonderful local walks as well, including the mountains overlooking the lake where you can see 10,000-year-old petroglyphs. With no internet connection, hot water or even much electricity, this is a place to unwind from the stresses of the modern world.
View our holidays to Kyrgyzstan
4. Attabad Lake, Pakistan
Created after a landslide in 2010, the stunning bright turquoise waters of Attabad Lake can be found nestled in the remote Hunza Valley in the Gilgit Baltistan region of Northern Pakistan. The lake grew to 13 miles long and more than 300 metres deep after the initial landslide dammed the Hunza River and flooded the area. The beauty of this lake came at a huge price. The initial landslide buried Attabad Village, killing 20 and destroying homes, and as the lake grew, displaced a further 6,000 people from surrounding villages and damaged more than 20km of the Karakoram Highway. But, as if trying to compensate for the devastating impact its formation had on the area, Lake Attabad has drawn in a huge number of tourists which has benefitted some of the local people affected by this disaster. Guesthouses and hotels have sprung up around the lake, access to the area has improved with the build of new tunnels and routes for the Highway and with boating, jet-skiing and fishing opportunities, there is plenty to do on the lake itself. But it's sad to think that not so long ago, far below the calm surface of this gorgeous lake, village life once thrived.
5. Lake Pichola, Udaipur, India
Udaipur’s Lake Pichola is one of the world’s most famous lakes for a number of reasons; the iconic Taj Lake Palace hotel which sits in the middle of the lake is the second-most photographed building in India (no prizes for guessing which is number one); the lake famously featured in the Bond film Octopussy, starring Roger Moore; and finally, as any visitor will testify, it is one of the most beautiful and romantic lakes in the world. Around the lake, there are many old Havelis that have been converted into character hotels and rooftop restaurants, which offer the perfect place to sit for dinner or enjoy a quiet sundowner. The lake itself is very shallow and can even dry up completely during a drought. In such occurrences, it’s possible to drive up to the islands but, be warned, when the rain falls the lake fills up very quickly!
View our holidays to Rajasthan
6. Lake Inle, Myanmar
Myanmar's Lake Inle is synonymous with images of stilted accommodation and amazing sunsets. The locals have adapted seamlessly to life on the water, living in villages on stilts and using reed beds to create floating vegetable gardens. One of the most iconic sights of Lake Inle is the foot-rowing fishermen, who row their boats using their feet, which makes for a particularly special photo opportunity at sunset. At the annual Inle Lake Festival in October, there is even a foot-rowing competition – the only one of its kind in the world! The wonderful floating market is a five-day rotating affair, taking place on different parts of the lake on various days of the week. With a wealth of things to see and do it’s easy to spend a whole week in the region; highlights include spotting indigenous birdlife, trekking and overnighting in a monastery, visiting sunken stupors, watching the magical act of weaving lotus into cloth, kayaking on the lake to enjoy a different perspective of its tranquil waters or even visiting the local vineyard.
