It is about 22 Kms. from Nainital and 11 Kms. from Bhowali at an altitude of 1370 mts. The pride of Bhimtal is a beautiful lake which offers magnificent vistas for tourists. The lake is larger than Naini lake. Tourist enjoys here boating in lake. There is an island amid lake a restaurant is located atop it. Tourist visit here by boats. The distance of island from lake shore is 91 mts.

The hills on the western side of the lake are considerably higher than on the east, and are of such formation that it is highly improbable that the lake can ever dry up. The entire bottom of the lake is comparatively even, and is composed of  rock shale and pulverized silicates. Near the swamp end true peat is found which burns fairly when dried. 

Close to the Lake is an old temple Bhimeshwar temple complex along the 40 feet high dam erected by Bahadur Chand, Raja of Kumaon, in the 17th century. This temple is a fair example of the ecclesiastical architecture common throughout the hills, and has a wooden canopy (chhatri) on the top erected here as an ornament and in some places it is said to preserve the building from rain. The vally of Bhimtal presents one of the largest sheets of cultivation to be found in the hills. Area between Bhimtal and Sattal use to be under tea-plantation in the year 1881.