Saputara Lake sits at the centre of town and functions as its living room. The man-made reservoir is ringed by a broad promenade, busy from late afternoon with walkers, snack vendors, and families renting paddle boats. In the monsoon the surrounding hills reflect green in the water; in winter the air is cold enough that sitting by the bank with chai feels like a genuine pleasure rather than a duty.
Boating is the main activity — pedal boats and row boats are available at the main ghat for modest rates. The gardens around the lake are also pleasant for an early morning walk before the weekend crowds arrive. Come on a weekday if you can; on summer weekends the promenade becomes extremely busy with visitors from Surat and Ahmedabad who have driven up for the comparative cool.