Mall Road, Manali

Mall Road is where every Manali trip begins. The car-free main street has shops, cafes and a Himachal handicrafts emporium, with monasteries and temples a short walk away.

Mall Road is the main street of Manali town and the hub around which most visitors plan their stay. Automobiles other than emergency vehicles are not allowed on it, so it works as a long pedestrian promenade. The offices of the municipal council, the fire service and the police are located along it, together with showrooms, department stores, restaurants and cafes.

A Himachal emporium sells state handicrafts such as locally designed woollens, shawls, caps, pottery, wooden items and jewellery, and smaller shops and stalls sell woollens and souvenirs. Himachal Tourism recommends the Mall and the market around it for snacks and street food, and trout appears on many restaurant menus.

The Durga Mata temple and the HPTDC bus terminus are at the Mall, and the Tibetan monasteries, the Manali Club House and Old Manali are within walking distance; Hadimba Devi Temple is about 2.5 km away. Cars can be left at the parking near the main market, a short walk from the Mall. The street is liveliest in the evening, especially in the summer peak from April to July and again from October to December, and during the Winter Carnival held in the first week of January.

Crowds can be heavy on holiday weekends.