The lake is the main event in Nkhata Bay. You can snorkel or scuba dive among the endemic cichlids straight off the rocks at most of the cove-side lodges, kayak between the headlands, or take a dugout canoe trip with a local fisherman to one of the nearby beaches. On land the walking is good — the forested hills above the bay reward an hour or two of climbing with views down the lake — and the daily life around the port and market is worth time on its own.