Pokhara – The Hippies Hideout

The Place

Pokhara is a beautiful, tranquil lakeside town in Nepal. If you’re adventurous, you can experience a taste of the old hippie lifestyle, even if only for a few fleeting moments.

“Pokhara is so beautiful that you will experience a myriad of unforgettable moments. You will never be able to get enough of Pokhara.” –  Avijeet Das

The town is the starting point for trekking in the Annapurna Mountains. I flew from Kathmandu to Pokhara on a small Yeti Airlines plane, and the view of Pokhara, Phewa Lake, and the Annapurna range from the air was striking.

The Photos

Pokhara aerial view

Phewa Lake, Pokhara

Walking along Phewa Lake in Pokhara, the streets are bustling with shops, restaurants for tourists, hostels, and internet cafés. However, venturing further onto the country roads reveals a quiet landscape with just nature and the occasional farmer passing by.

Women carrying harvest in woven baskets

Bracelets vendor

Barber shop

I had my hair cut at a barbershop where the barber used only scissors. Through hundreds of quick ‘chop-chop’ movements, the job was done!”

School girls in a bus trip

Tractor

Local bus and cotton candy

Cotton candy seller

Renting a paddle boat on Phewa Lake in the morning is a must. Enjoy the serene scenery and tranquility of the area. In the middle of the lake, there’s a small two-story pagoda temple, Tal Barahi. You’ll encounter fishermen in colorful boats and pilgrims heading to the temple. The lake is surrounded by lush forests and majestic mountains.

Phewa Lake

Water hyacinth flower

Visitors returning from the temple island

Paddling towards the temple island

Girl carrying water barrels from the lake

The Adventure

If you travel alone, you might encounter some shady characters. It’s not necessarily a bad thing if you’re curious about life in Nepal or looking to try something new. There are even marijuana bars in Pokhara! I enjoyed the homemade drink called raksi, and a street vendor directed me to where I could find it. After a few drinks, we ended up becoming friends!

Lailas Bar, Pokhara

Teens playing pool and smoking marijuana

“Looking back, there is nothing wrong with that peace, love and equality that the hippies espoused. In many ways, we have regressed because they were into organic food, back to nature, make love not war, be good to all men, share and share alike – which is what many are talking about now.” – Imelda Staunton

The Alien with Red Eyes

One morning, while strolling along a country road by the lake, I encountered what I initially thought was an “alien” – a man with very, very red eyes! He stopped, and I stopped too. He didn’t speak but smiled and pointed to a nearby house. I followed him.

Inside the house were six men and one woman. ‘These are my brothers,’ he said. Quite a lot of brothers, I thought. The woman was cooking and served me some grilled meat, which was quite good. Then I was invited to the flat roof of the house, where I met the ‘dealer.’

The ‘dealer’ introduced me to some of the purest marijuana herbs, straight from the Himalayas. I tried a joint out of curiosity and to not disappoint our host. I was pleased with it, but not enough to buy a whole bag of ‘herbs,’ despite the dealer’s insistence.

Now I understand where the red-eyed ‘alien’ came from!

• Read more: “Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind“

House in the mountains, Annapurna

“If you are not willing to risk the unusual, you will have to settle for the ordinary.” –  Jim Rohn

Pokhara Map

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• Lonely Planet’s top experiences in Pokhara
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