Van Vihar is a green municipal forest-park right next to Manali’s Mall Road and Tibetan market. Tall deodar trees create deep shade, and trails wind through the woods to a small man-made lake where visitors can enjoy boating. Benches, swings and big rocks make it a favourite evening spot for couples, families and photographers. You can hear the Beas River flowing nearby and see mountain silhouettes beyond the trees, so even though it is in the middle of town, it feels like a quiet slice of forest.
About this place
History & highlights
Van Vihar is a modern creation, developed by the local municipal council and forest authorities as Manali expanded into a tourist town. Instead of converting the deodar patch to hotels or shops, the area was preserved as an urban green lung and gradually landscaped with paths, a boating pond and basic facilities. Over the years, tourism websites and state promotion have highlighted Van Vihar as one of Manali’s standard sightseeing points, especially for relaxed half-day itineraries. Its “history” is therefore about urban planning choices – the decision to keep a forest core inside a fast-growing resort town – and today it acts as both a carbon sink and a reminder of the original deodar woods that once covered much of the valley floor.
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