A large reservoir twenty minutes north of Shillong, formed by damming the Umiam river in 1965 to generate hydroelectric power. The lake stretches for several kilometres between pine-covered ridges, and a string of resorts and boating clubs lines the eastern shore.
Most visitors stop on the drive in from Guwahati for the view from the viewpoint above the dam — the lake spread out like a fjord with the East Khasi Hills behind. The Orchid Lake Resort and the State-run Tourist Lodge both have decks over the water; you can hire a kayak or take a fifteen-minute speedboat ride. The water is too cold and too polluted for serious swimming.