Moti Talao — "Pearl Lake" — is the large tank that fronts the Raj Wada palace and defines the social life of Sawantwadi. The lake and its promenade are busiest in the evenings, when families come out for a walk, children eat snacks from vendors, and paddle boats do slow circuits of the water. Benches along the embankment look back across the lake toward the illuminated palace facade at dusk.
The lake has a small island shrine in its centre and a garden on its northern bank. Early morning walks around the water's edge are a good way to watch the town come to life — dhobis washing clothes on the ghats, vendors setting up their stalls, and a few fishermen casting lines from the embankment. The surrounding streets have chai stalls and morning snack shops that do a brisk trade.