DSC 0171

Loktak Lake: Night at a Floating Homestay

So, I spent a night in Loktak Lake. It was a quick trip while coming back from the Ukhrul Trekking trip, and I barely had the time for a night stay without much exploration. Generally, I don’t even write about mere stays but the very act of staying in the middle of the lake is something that I think is worth sharing.
So, I had one day left in Manipur after the trek in Ukhrul. Shyam, my friend in Imphal suggested that instead of staying in the city, I book one night in Loktak Aquamarine, a new homestay that had been doing rounds on my social media feeds. I took a bus from Ukhrul to Imphal, and then to Moirang. Now, here is the tricky part. The homestay is in the middle of the water. You need a boat ride to reach it and even the point from where the boatman (who works for the homestay) gets you, is around 3-4 KMs from Moirang Town. Also, this particular route does not have any public transport. (The straight route towards Thanga does have shared cars but not this one!)
Loktak 7
Thick vegetation on the lake.
So, I called Ashok, the owner of the homestay, who somehow coordinated an auto-rickshaw guy to pick me up and leave at the boating point. AFter another call and some hand waving from a distance, I was noticed and the boatman was dispatched. It took another 15-20 miutes as I watched the boat arrive at a glacial pace, negotiating the thick groves of water lilies. In fact, it is surprising how he even managed to move this boat in not-so deep water full of thick vegetation. Most of the following images are shot on phone due to my tiredness. So, please excuse the quality.
Loktak 2
The boatman arrives.
So, the homestay is a small cluster of bamboo huts built on a small, floating island, called Phumdi. These are one of the unique features of Loktak Lake and local communities, especially fishermen, have used them for ages. These are formed naturally by a combination of vegetation, soil, and organic matter.
Loktak 5
Boatride begins
Loktak 8
And we arrive!
So, after 15 mins we reached the homestay and I was given a hut with a bed (Covered with mosquito nets). Some local organic tea was offered and I enjoyed a good siesta after a tiresome morning (I’d started from Ukhrul at 4.30 AM!). The golden hour was already there when I woke up!
Loktak 6
The golden hour
The evening was spent talking to Ashok and also a couple of people already staying at the homestay. The homestay has 3-4 local stuff who do the housekeeping, cook, and also double up as boatman as well as fisherman. Even in the dark, I saw one of them going out with the boat, apparently to catch fish for the dinner. Except Ashok, rest of the crew barely speak Hindi or English, so you need to mostly rely on sign language or specific keywords.
Loktak
One of the cottages.
Anyway, during the conversation I figured out that a lot of care has been taken to make this homestay into a responsible and sustainable entity rather than a mere business. They go fishing at designated timings and spots, so as not to completely destroy the habitat. The cottages are built in a traditional manner with local material, just how the locals stay. There is no electricity line here and the power comes from solar panels. I noticed both firewood and LPG cylinder at the kitchen.
The dinner was simple but was well cooked, with local rice, lentils, a simple vegetable curry, and a fish curry for those who were interested. It was not a surprise as I have already spoken highly about the cuisine of Manipur on various occassions.
Loktak 4
The Dinner
The next morning I woke up late and left slowly after a scenic breakfast, staring at the open expanses of the lake. If I had one more day, I could have visited the Keibul Lamjao National Park, which was not far away. But this is how things turned out to be. Maybe next time I will keep more time for these options.
Loktak 3
The next morning.

What are the stay options in Loktak?

I stayed at Loktak Aquamarine Floating Homestay. It is a huge lake, so there are some other options too, spread across the lake, including a big luxury resort in Sendra Island.

How to Book the homestay?

Just follow this link to book Loktak Aquamarine online.

For a more expensive luxury option, you can also go for Sendra Park & Resort By The Classic

How to reach Loktak Aquamarine?

First, you need to reach the town of Moirang, which is around 40 KMs from Imphal and plenty of buses and shared cars are available. From Moirang call the homestay people so that they can come to pick you up or at least arrange a local auto-rickshaw.  The autorickshaws are expensive though. They can charge anything between INR 150-200 for a one-way drop at the boating spot. Once you reach there, you can call them again to send the boatman.

What are the rates of the homestay?

I paid INR 1000 for the night stay including food. Rates may be different if you are in a group. Also, they have tents and sleeping bags and can arrange camping in one of the islands.
Also, I had to spend extra for the autorickshaws (200+200). So, expect to spend around 1500 if you are alone.

Connectivity in Loktak?

The network was mostly working even in the middle of the lake. I was even getting data connectivity. So, in that regard, you should not have any issues.

Power Supply?

Power comes through solar panels. You can charge your phones too, but it takes time to charge.

What else can be done here?

You can go deeper into the Loktak Lake, visit Keibul Lamjao – the floating National Park, and also the INA Museum preserving the memory of Subhash Bose & WWII in Moirang town. Read the following posts for a better idea.
Jitaditya Narzary

9 thoughts on “Loktak Lake: Night at a Floating Homestay”

  1. Good information jita. The price of the floating homestay for a night including food is not too bad 🙂 but do you think there will be cheaper ones around? Keibul Lamjao National Park sounds interesting….can’t wait to explore Manipur!

  2. Hi ! Your stay at the Loktak Lake floating house is something really unique, and as you have put across your experience, does look like something to be tried for a travel enthusiastic. The cottages look lovely in the middle of the lake.

  3. Considering its a big lake and phumdis all around, how do people find their way there? I understand the phumdis also move over time. Did you feel any different sleeping and walking there?

    1. The drill is to call them once you reach a specific point on the banks an dthen they send a boatman.
      Sleeping was fine… walking you can feel a bit shaky if you are too close to the edge.

  4. Hi Jita,
    I’m very interested about your travel and your experiences….I visited India few cities ,temples but never have chance to discover Another places ….but right now,because of Covid19,traveling is banning….but once the pandemic is over,sure,I would like to travel again and to meet you….
    I live in California ( USA) and I’m semi retired…..
    Thanks .
    Ms Zara Vu

  5. I am going to Imphal on 24.9.22. Will it be safe to stay in the Loktak Lake house boat with family ? Please suggest me. Is it safe to stay in Ukhrul ?

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.