Kathmandu – What To Do & See

Thamel is the well-known ‘tourist’ district of Kathmandu. The streets are lined with shops, restaurants and bars of all sorts. You can spend hours wandering the streets, and then again, and again. You will always see something you missed before. If you know your prices (and quality), you can pick up some real bargains here.

There are a good number of reputable spa treatment establishments in Thamel.  They offer a wide range of beauty and massage treatments at inexpensive rates. If this is something you might consider, it is worth popping in at an early stage as advanced bookings may be required.

In Thamel, you are spoilt for choice when it comes to restaurants, cafes and bars. One stroll along the streets and you will see why. You can eat relatively cheaply if you pick the right foods!
The famous Nepalese Dal Bhat, which is an endless plate of food is undoubtedly the bargain of the day. If the mountain guides and porters eat nothing else (which they do) then it tells you something!

The 4 restaurants listed below will give you a flavour of what is on offer, but there are dozens more offering Thai, Chinese, traditional Nepalese food, pizzas and so on. If you see one you may like, it might be worthwhile booking a table if you plan to eat in the evening, as it can get busy.

Roadhouse – an Italian place, inevitably offering pasta and pizza. A great feel to the place. You can get excellent oven-baked pizzas.
Third Eye Restaurant – serves Indian and Nepalese food.
Yin Yang Restaurant – serves excellent Thai food.
Fire and Ice Pizza – another pizza place, but also very good. Sits on the edge of Thamel.

One of my ‘must-see’ sights. Any view from on high in Kathmandu and you will see Monkey Temple sticking out like a sore thumb. This ancient religious complex has developed over the years. The Buddhist stupa is its focal point (and also its highest). The nickname ’monkey temple’ derives from the group of monkeys that reside in the trees that surround the complex.
The main entrance is at the base of the steep stairway that leads directly up to the Stupa. It is better in my view to walk (anti-clockwise), enter the complex using the alternative entrance, and climb slowly to reach the stupa at the end. On the way, there are numerous temples, shrines, and shops. The exit will be down the stairway to where you began.
If you’re staying in Thamel, this is walkable (30 – 40 mins). Grab a map, get your bearings and keep asking for directions as you go. It’s a nice little morning’s adventure.

This sprawling Hindu temple site is the largest in Nepal. It is one of the four most religious sites in Asia. But it is perhaps more well known for performing open cremations on its numerous ghats. The Bagmati river flows through the site and is therefore considered holy by both the Hindus and Buddhists. There is the main entrance to the site, which leads down to the river, on the opposite side of the ghats. The cremations take place fairly frequently and you are free to witness them but please be respectful. You are after all witnessing a funeral. There will be no shortage of offers of assistance from locals in terms of information about what’s happening. They will expect a small fee for doing so. You are likely to pass this site a few minutes after you leave the airport en route to your hotel. It is also not far from Boudhanath, so a good idea to consider mixing these two together.

Be careful when talking about Durbar Square(s), there are a few of them! The name (Durbar Square) is generally referring to the area opposite an old royal palace. They tend to consist of temples, idols, open courts, water fountains, and so on. There are 3 in the Kathmandu area: Kathmandu, Patan Durbar Square, and Bhaktapur Durbar Square. All are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is questionable if you need to visit all 3 Durbar Squares given their similarity. Kathmandu’s Durbar Square is walkable from Thamel.

As far as architecture goes (Newar style), this site is perhaps the most impressive. Even the floor, over a wide area, is tiled with red brick. Patan is considered a city (the oldest) within Kathmandu, but this is more historical than anything else. It has over 136 courtyards, and 55 temples in and around the main square, with numerous interesting nooks and crannies.

Bhaktapur is another ‘city’ in the Kathmandu Valley, and one of the most popular in terms of visitors. It’s like a little town. It is located about 8 miles from the center of Kathmandu and takes about 45 min to drive there. You will drive out past the airport. There is an entry fee, and once inside, you can wander the streets. It is classic Nepal. It is heavily built in the Newar style and has 4 ‘squares’ including a Durbar Square. There are plenty of places to eat, some cafes and if you wish to see the place when it’s quiet, you can stay the night. It is a nice place to see once the tourists have left!