Dal Lake, Srinagar

Dal is a shallow lake of around eighteen square kilometres beside Srinagar, and what makes it unusual is how thoroughly it is lived on: cedar houseboats, elaborately carved inside and moored in lines, developed from the nineteenth century when outsiders were barred from owning land; shikaras, narrow paddled boats with canopies, work as taxis and floating shops; and the rad, floating gardens, are beds of matted lake weed and mud anchored with poles on which vegetables are grown, harvested by boat. A floating market of vegetable sellers meets at dawn, and villages of market gardeners live entirely within the lake.

What you actually see

• The houseboats - carved cedar boats moored in lines along the shore.
• The floating gardens - vegetable beds grown on rafts of weed and mud.
• The dawn market - sellers meeting by boat in the early morning.
• The shikaras - canopied paddle boats as taxis and shops.

When to go

April to October; spring brings the gardens into flower and autumn the chinar colour. In hard winters parts of the lake freeze. Summer is the peak season and houseboats book out.

Honest expectations

The lake has serious pollution and weed problems and has shrunk substantially. Houseboat quality varies widely and touts at the ghats are aggressive. Booking directly and confirming what is included matters.

Nearby

The Mughal gardens lie along the eastern shore; Gulmarg is west.