Kashmir - Nagin Lake - Houseboat

Notes for travellers: Actually the neighbours home in #1 is probably more ornate than the one featured in #2 and #3 on which i stayed. But it was a nice boat to have as back patio view.

I stayed on this boat in September 2005 for a few days. Not used to luxury at the best of times, it was lovely to pass a few nights on board The Ritz. Its very peaceful, and the owners of the boat take care of your meals and act as a sort of servant. Its sounds strange but I found it perfectly civilised and relaxed.

Srinagar is renowned for these houseboats, which were originally built by the English because they were not permitted to buy land, and most visitors endeavour to spend a little time on them. Dal Lake is the most famous but people often find themselves experiencing daylight robbery of a sort. The houseboats on Dal Lake are not shoreside and visitors are reliant on shikara boats, a water taxi, to get ashore when they want to.

The safest bet is to stay at Nagin Lake or the Jehlum River (which is not as pretty as the lakes) because you can walk off the boat onto the shore.

Any visitors aboard should bargain for the best price with the owner of the houseboat. It is NOT adviseable to book a houseboat in Delhi or elsewhere. It is advisable to maintain your independence when finding a houseboat. It seem like a greater hassle in the beginning, and a bit scary if you are not used to such things but, this is the best way to avoid being scammed. It is also NOT adviseable to give your passport to anyone but you have to give them your passport details.

People arriving by plane at Srinagar are mobbed by touts. It is best to avoid these people, buy a map and take a prepaid-taxi to the city or straight to Nagin Lake or even Dal Lake if you want to look there first.

It might even be easiest to stay the first night in a hotel and look for a houseboat the next day when you are rested and not worrying about finding a place to dump your luggage.

The last photo shows a man selling flowers from a shikara. There are many salesmen on the lakes, selling everything from postcards to tea to shawls and other souvenirs. They can be annoying but its always up to you whether you buy anything or whether you look at their wares. Its your holiday.