Loktak Lake! Magical Floating Paradise

Loktak, a natural wonder of Manipur should definitely be on the bucket list of any traveler. The fresh water lake is filled with phumdis, a cluster of vegetation that are at different levels of decaying. This amazing natural vegetation runs deep underwater and only 20% of it is seen above water level. The amazing aspect of these floating islands is that when the water levels goes down they absorb the nutrients from the lake bed. The vegetation is so thick and durable that the locals have built their homes on them.

This beautiful wonder surprisingly was devoid of any tourists. Only locals tend to visit this place and it is more like a day trip. The natural beauty of this place definitely requires a stay of minimum 2-3 days for perfect relaxation. 'Sendra Park and Resort' run by the Classic group of hotels is the only stay option here. The resort offers 4 stunning cottages and a couple of deluxe rooms. Undoubtedly, the cottages offer the best of the view and the aesthetics are simply amazing. The charming rooms are very romantic and a fleet of wooden stairs led us to the best part of the cottage- the attic. It offers a beautiful sit out with unending views of the amazing Loktak lake, her vegetation and the mountains in the backdrop.

Apart from the attic, we spent hours sitting outside our cottage looking at the blue mountains, red tall grass, amazing loktak lake and lone fishermen on their tiny boats. No amount of modern engineering structures can even remotely come close to natural beauty.

The price at which the cottages are let out is unbelievably reasonable. The resort also has a view point and cafe. To be honest, the views from the cafe are even more mesmerizing than the view point. We spent hours sitting on the wodden benches sipping hot cup of chai, munching hot pakodas and soaking in breathtaking views.

The food served in the cafe is really good. Their service is also pretty commendable. If the fresh water fish in Nagaland tasted amazing the fresh water fish of Manipur showed us a glimpse of paradise. The fish served at Sendra resort was tender, juicy and melted in our mouth. Do try out the water chestnut fruit which is available in abundance right outside the resort.

While at Loktak, post sunset you might feel locals are bursting crackers but it is actually soldiers of Assam Rifles practicing in their shooting range. The shooting range is right next to the resort entrance and one can see the soldiers practicing. Clicking pics might not be the brightest of ideas.

Sendra is also a bird watchers paradise and in under two hours in the afternoon we spotted several different species of birds. Spotting a common hoopoe right outside the cottage was a beautiful moment. Growing up as a child we used to see several sparrows. Thanks to urbanization we have chased them away from our streets. Looking at the sparrows at Loktak we were reminded of our childhood. Amur falcons tend to hover around in Manipur as well and you catch a glimpse of them at close quarters.

Very close to Loktak is the mesmerizing Keibul Lamjao National Park, the only floating National Park in the world and is also the last natural adobe of the indigenous Sangai deer aka dancing deer.

Due to infrastructure development around Loktak lake the natural habitat around are disturbed and the vegetation is highly threatened and are decreasing at a very rapid rate. Some of the larger sections of the phumdis have broken down into several parts and have drifted away. It is such a shame that the human race is destroying natural wonders at a extremely alarming pace.

Loktak is just 45 km away from the capital of Manipur, Imphal and frequent buses ply from 'Keishampat Bridge' in Imphal to Churchandapur via Moirang. We got down at Moirang and a short ride of 4 to 5 km in a jam packed share auto took us to Sendra resort.

The Only Floating National Park In the World- Keibul Lamjao

The only floating National Park in the world, Keibul Lamjao is the last abode for the endangered species Sangai or dancing deer. Once threatened to near extinction, re-appeared a couple of years later and now one of the most endangered species. This Park is a part of the Loktak lake and though the lake has phumdis all over, the phumdis in the National Park are the ones that are best suited for the survival of the dancing deer. The reeds and grasses that grow on the phumdis serve as food for the sangai.

The Park is also home to rare species marbled cat and Himalayan black bear. Also it is a birders paradise and you can spot black kites, mynas, and hornbills in the vicinity.

Entering the park was one of the best moments of our travel lives. Walking on the trek path en-route the watch tower, we felt like we had the whole Keibul Lamjao National Park to ourselves. Though you can take a vehicle inside the park and halt directly at the watch tower, we would strongly recommend not doing so. The entire walk to the watch tower is a pleasant one with so much of natural beauty around. You never know what surprise might await you on the way. The best part being the numerous bird calls echoing all around giving you company and tempting you to look around to figure out which bird call it was.

On our path en-route the watch tower, we came across a water way and we hopped on a canoe and ventured into a narrow channel of water experiencing and enjoying the beauty of the floating paradise and occasionally looking out for the shy Sangai deer and aquatic birds.

We had once in a life time experience of setting foot on the phumdis and it was unbelievable to walk on the vegetation. If this was not enough our boatman put his 11 foot long bamboo pole and proved to us that there was no solid ground beneath our feet.

After the amazing canoe ride we headed to the watch tower. It is built high up on a hillock offering excellent panoramic views of the National Park. Some awesome perks of being an early birder is that we had the whole park to ourselves. It is from here that the chances of sighting a sangai deer are bright. The park opens early in the morning at 6 am but during winter the fog hinders visibility so it would be a good idea to reach the park by 8:30 or 9 am.

We were very fortunate to catch a glimpse of 4 sangai deers. It is a challenge to spot them amidst the high grass and the camouflage. This endangered species is the State animal of Manipur and conservation efforts are in full swing to ensure that they don't lose their State emblem. From a dwindling 14 in 1977 the numbers have increased to 204 in 2013. It would be a good idea to park aside at least half a day for this experience.

The National Park is facing many threats and this is hampering the survival of Sangai. Due to the construction of a barrage to aid the Hydro Electricity Power Project, the vegetation and ecology is changing drastically. Earlier the water level of the lake used to depend on the season. During dry season, phumdis would settle on the ground absorb nutrients from the soil and on the onset of monsoons float on water. Now, the phumdis are floating continuously and are therefore thinning over time. The barrage has also stopped the flow of old phumdis from the lake to the rivers.

The other threats being farming in the vicinity, lack of boundaries around the park have led to encroachment, poaching and illegal fishing. The park has already witnessed the disappearance of 16 indigenous species of fish and 20 species of plants. Waterfowls that were regular water migrants are now decreasing in number due to lack of open water surfaces. The state has to action out on the conservation efforts as the survival of phumdis is essential for the survival of Sangai.

Keibul Lamjao National Park is 10 km away from Sendra Resort, the only good option to stay in vicinity. We had a fun and adventurous experience of foot boarding in a packed share auto to the National Park. These are lively and precious moments that one can experience while backpacking rural India.

Entry tickets to the park are priced at Rs.30 per person and camera charges are Rs.50.  The half an hour canoe ride is charged at Rs.50 per person.