Resorts in Bhimtal

Bhimtal has always been popular among tourists as a stop over. BUT I strongly feel there is more to Bhimtal and people do come here for Holidays. The association with Mahabharata, Bhimeshwar Mahadev temple, Hill of Karkotaka, Nal Damyanti Tal, Hidimba Parvat...There is lots to see and do! One can also explore nearby areas of Naukuchiatal, Sattal and Nainital.

Unlike Naukuchiatal, there are much more resort options in Bhimtal. From low budget to a High end resort, Bhimtal has a good mix of accommodation options. I am listing a few for you:

Country Inn Bhimtal: Country Inn is a good 3 Star Deluxe resort located in a quiet village close to Bhimtal Lake. Please note that Country Inn does not offer any lakeview. However, the rooms are nice and you also have an option of One/Two bedroom Cottage...excellent for families. Country Inn is also one of the only few resorts to have a Swimming Pool. Other facilities include a Health Club, Mini Theatre and Conference Hall, etc. Rates are slightly on a higher side...Not recommended for those who want to stay by the lake.

Monolith Resort Bhimtal: Monolith is known in the entire region for bagging the India Architecture Award in the Best Resort Architecture category. Located above the lake this small but extremely beautiful resort is indeed a work of art. Blessed with a Swimming Pool, A viewing Tower and an open air lake view restaurant, Monolith Resort is arguably the best in Bhimtal. However, I have heard stories of their family dispute which answered my concerns about the resort not being maintained well. But I still liked it when I went in July...Love the food there. That's probably one thing which will definitely not disappoint you. And last but not the least...The rooms are very well made and trust me the quest for "newness" that you are looking for in a resort room gets answered here. Little damp during the monsoons but thats everywhere in the region.

There are some more resorts like Satvik, Mountain Club, Neelesh Inn, etc. in Bhimtal. I will be convering these resorts in my next visit in September. Will probably write a post from there now :)

Bhimtal Attractions

The main tourist attraction in Bhimtal is the lake. Like Naukuchiatal, boating and fishing is also possible in Bhimtal. The beauty about Bhimtal Lake is its Island Centre. The distance of island from the lake shore is about 90 mtrs and it can be accessed by a boat. A multi cuisine restaurant is located atop the island centre in Bhimtal and the view is simply breathtaking.

A large victorian dam close to the Bhimeshwar Maharaj Temple at one end of the lake is famous of terrace flower gardens. The folk culture museum in Bhimtal (a private institution) has an excellent collection of artifacts (ancient wooden artifacts) and great information about the hills of Uttarakhand. You can also see an excellent collection of reproductions and photographs of rock art in this museum.

Garg Parvat is a beautiful place close to Bhimeshvar Temple and source of a local River Gargi. Nal Damyanti Tal which is famous for King Nala is a small natural lake about 2 kms from Bhimtal. Floklore has it that the palace of this famous King drowned in this lake. Hidimba Parvat is known for a small Wildflife santuary created by Vankhandi Maharaj. The hill of Karkotaka is famous for a Nag temple dedicated to Nag Karkotaka Maharaj.

Bhimtal - An Epic Lake

Bhimtal, a nagar panchayat and a town in ditrcit of Nainital is situated at an altitude of roughly 4700 feet above the sea level. Bhimtal is only 22 kms from Nainital, 4 kms from Naukuchiatal and 11 kms from Bhowali. The main attraction of Bhimtal is the mighty Bhimtal Lake and its "island centre". Bhimtal lake is the largest lake (larger that Naini Lake) in the lake district of Nainital.

History: Bhimtal is named after "Bhima", one of the 5 "Panadava" brothers who fought the "Kauravas" in Hindu epic, Mahabharata. It is said that the Pandavas visited this beautiful region during their banishment and Bhima was inspired to build and dedictate a temple to Lord Shiva. It was at this place that they built the "Bhimeshwar Mahadev" temple. The present temple was built in 17th century by the Chand Dynasty. The temple is located along the 40 feet high dam in Bhimtal.

Bhimtal is older than nearby Nainital and has been a stop over for travellers of Kuman region for a very long time. Bhimtal is also a stop over for travellers going to Nepal or Tibet and it is believed that it might be a part of the famous "Silk Route".

We will be discussing attractions and resorts in Bhimtal in our next section. Stay tuned...