A Visit to Umiam Lake in Meghalaya

Once upon a time, there were two sisters in heaven who decided to visit a place called Abode of Clouds (Meghalaya). They started their journey together from heaven but one sister got lost on the way. The other sister who reached the destination started crying. And she cried so much that all her tears gathered to form a Lake in Meghalaya – Umiam Lake.

This beautiful Khasi myth is the reason why it is called Umiam Lake. “Um” in Khasi means “water” and “Umiam” literally means “water of tears“. You will hear many such Khasi myths when you visit Meghalaya. All these legends and myths about the places in Meghalaya will make your trip to the “Abode of Clouds” more intriguing.

About Umiam Lake

Now lets come to reality and do some fact-checking about Umiam Lake in the state of Meghalaya. Umiam Lake is a man-made reservoir that was built in early 1960 by constructing a dam over Umiam river. This was northeast India’s first hydroelectric project which started commercial operation from 1965.

This huge water reservoir has a catchment area above 200 sq km. It not only stores water for generation of hydroelectricity but it is also important for downstream irrigation, fisheries and as a source of drinking water.

With time, it became an idyllic place for locals. Meghalaya Tourism Development Corporation started a resort here and promote water sports to boost up tourism. Now Umiam Lake is a prominent tourist destination in North-East India.

Where is Umiam Lake Located

Umiam Lake is located in the state of Meghalaya in India. It is in Ri Bhoi district and is 15 km north of Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya. The other name of Umiam is Barapani Lake as called by locals.

This lake is surrounded by hills in three sides. It is right beside Guwahati-Shillong highway which borders the lake on the other side.

Things to do in Umiam Lake or Barapani Lake

Enjoy the view of the Lake

There is a well-directed pathway that slopes down from the Water Sports Complex and goes to the lake. Follow that path and go down. Walk till the end of it and you will be surrounded by the lake.

Sit there. You can see the reflection of the hills and the coniferous trees over the blue water of the lake – isn’t that beautiful. Far away there is an alone boatman slowly steering his boat across the water. And look there is an island in the middle of the lake and a boathouse, anchored to that island. Are you curious to explore the island?

Catch a Boat Ride

Why don’t you hop into the boat of that lone boatman who had just come all the way to give you a ride to the other side of the Lake. He can take you to Lumpongdeng Island – the island that you just saw from the shore. You can hike on that island or go for a nature walk or you can even camp there at night. Or else you can just sail in the water of Umiam Lake, till the sun dips behind the mountain.

Engage in Water Sports

Oh, you are not my type, you are an adventurous soul. Well, Umiam Lake has it all. It has a highly recommended Water Sports Complex run by Meghalaya Tourism Development Corporation.

You can opt for kayaking, you can ride a water scooter, get into a cruise boat, accelerate in a speed boat, sit back in a river bus or go water skiing. You have all the options to satisfy your adrenaline craving soul.

Go Fishing

If you bring your fishing rod with you then you can go for fishing too. This reservoir is home to a variety of fishes. You can spot locals who frequently come to the lake for fishing and might be lucky enough to get a company.

When to Go to Umiam Lake in Meghalaya

You can go to Umiam Lake throughout the year. The best time is March to June, before monsoon or at the beginning of monsoon. Surrounding hills with different shades of green, the reflection of monsoon cloud in lake water and occasional scattered rain – create a magical atmosphere to make your visit unforgettable.

How to reach Umiam Lake from Guwahati / Shillong

Distance of Umiam Lake from Guwahati is 80 km. And Shillong to Umiam Lake is 15 km.

Road

The best way to reach Umiam Lake from Guwahati is to hire a cab from Guwahati airport or railway station. Else you can go to Police Bazar Taxi Stand in Guwahati from where you will get a bus or a shared cab to Shillong.

Rail

The nearest rail station is Guwahati which is 100 km from Shillong. A number of Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) and Meghalaya Transport Corporation (MTC) buses operate from Guwahati to Shillong.

Air

Shillong Airport, located 35 km away at Umroi, is a domestic airport that links the hill station with Kolkata via direct flights from Indigo Airlines and Air India. Another bigger and convenient airport is Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport at Guwahati. Regular flight options are being offered by most of the major carriers such as AirAsia India, GoAir, Spicejet, Air India and Indigo Airlines, from here to Delhi, Bagdogra, Imphal, Bangalore, Agartala, Kolkata, Silchar and Mumbai, to name a few destinations.

Where to Stay near Umiam Lake

Orchid Lake Resort

I stayed in Orchid Lake Resort which is run by MTDC. It is situated inside Water Sports Complex, adjacent to the lake. Some rooms have balconies that open to the enchanting view of Umiam Lake. You can head to the website for further information.

Ri Kynjal – Serenity By The Lake

This boutique resort is the only other option to stay beside Umiam Lake. The architecture of this resort is inspired and derived from the original Khasi thatch huts. View of Umiam Lake from the “Lake View Cottage” is stunning. For trekkers, the legendary peaks, ‘Lumsohpetbneng’ and ‘Lumdiengiei’ are few kilometres away while the resort’s own forest walks to the lake provide a more relaxed exploration.

Stay in a Boat House

Do you know you can stay in a boathouse in Umiam Lake? Yes, there is a boathouse floating over the azure blue water of the lake, anchored to Lumpongdeng Island, an island inside Umiam Lake!!

All you need to do is book the boathouse few days in advance and then park your car inside Water Sports Complex and hire a boat to the island. Don’t forget to carry your cooking supplies and enough drinking water with you. Rest will be taken care of by your cook and caretaker. Just relax and enjoy nature. You can go for hiking along the forest trail or a nature walk inside Lumpongdeng Island. You can even camp under the starry sky in Lumpongdeng Island.

A Message to Travellers who are going to Visit Umiam Lake in Meghalaya

In recent times, environmentalists and civil society raise a concern about the pollution level in Umiam Lake. Pictures of Umiam Lake with tons of plastic floating over the water is scary, to say the least. And this is a common scenario during monsoon every year. Umkhrah and Umshyrpi – two rivulets which pass through Shillong city, carry all the waste of the city downstream and dump it inside Umiam Lake. Though most of the garbage settle down at the bottom of the lake, the quantity of the garbage that floats up is also huge.

Things those are directly and indirectly related to this Lake – be it electricity, vegetation, fishing, tourism, ecosystem or local economy; all are suffering havoc due to this pollution. This reservoir was created with public expenditure for the benefit of people. So the onus to save it also lies with the people.

Being a traveller we should be familiar with sustainable tourism and how to practice it. Minimizing generation of waste, disposing it as cleanly as possible and saying a big “No” to littering – we can stop Umiam Lake from dying. Our one-step forward towards sustainable travel can lead to a big change in our environment.

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