10 Amazing Things to do in Kathmandu, Nepal | Go Local

Nepal sits right at the foothills of the Himalayas, separating India from the rest of Asia. Because of that, the people, food, and culture are an amazing mix of the two. It has the intensity of India, but borrows some of its food and customs from China. I'm going to be taking you through a look at my favorite ways to experience Kathmandu. Pashuputtanath is a sacred Hindu site along the Bhagmati River that hosts dozens of temples, open-air cremations, and thousands of monkeys that roam the grounds. If you follow the little dirt path at the top left of the temples, it takes you to the spot where all the monkeys sleep. And if you bring crackers, they'll usually eat right out of your hand. I found where all the monkeys are going. Durbar Square is located in the heart of Kathmandu's Tamil district, in the location of the Royal Palace, which used to be the home of the king, until 2008 when Nepal abolished monarchy in favor of democracy. Unfortunately, most of the palace was damaged in the 2015 earthquake. The square itself, though, remained largely untouched, including its famous pigeon temple. I know if I was a pigeon, this is where I would be. Swayampunath, otherwise known as the Monkey Temple, is an ancient religious site built on top of a mountain in Kathmandu Valley. The temple is widely considered to be the most sacred among Buddhist pilgrimage sites. It takes 365 steps to get at the top, and gives you some of the best panoramic views of the entire city. I'm going to say it's required to go at dusk or dawn to get the full effect. I mean, I'm not even remotely religious, and yet I still felt a really strong spiritual connection, almost to the city itself, if that makes sense. Now if you're like me, food is one of the reasons you travel, and Nepal has some amazingly cheap dishes that are to die for. Actually, well, it's pretty close. Because of its location, its food is influenced from all over Asia. Its most popular dish, the momo, is like a Chinese dumpling, but they also have samosas and something called pokora, which is like a fried potato. One of the momo soups blew me away, and it was so good that I asked to see the kitchen, because I wanted to see how they made it. It was pretty minimal, to say the least. I mean, I'd have trouble producing a pancake out of here, let alone a soup as complex and flavorful as that. This ancient stupa is one of the largest in the world, and supposedly houses the remains of one of the original Buddhas. That's pretty cool. It costs about 10 US dollars, but it also gives you access to some small street markets surrounding the stupa. The Thamel district is kind of set up for tourists, even though it remains a popular destination. It wouldn't even be on my list, except for some of the areas around Thamel are really interesting. If you wander away from the heart of the market, and spend about an hour or two, you can find some really cool neighborhoods. Real quick, getting around can be kind of tricky, because you don't have a ton of options. If you're feeling adventurous, locals will generally give you rides if you're going the same direction. You can also just take cabs, but know that if you're not using the meter, you're probably getting ripped off. Meter, yeah? How much you pay for it? Traffic time. My price? 280. 280? Yeah. How possible? Not possible. I'm sorry. Okay, it's okay. The Koh Phan Monastery sits in the outskirts of Kathmandu, and is one of the most peaceful places in the entire city. It's famous for teaching Buddhism to foreigners, and they hold yearly month-long courses that you can participate in. Keep in mind though, if you're just visiting for a day, make sure you go on Saturday, because the Koh Phan Monastery isn't open other days of the week. And don't forget to try and talk to some of the monks. They're friendlier than you might expect. Number eight, nightlife. Despite its appearance, Kathmandu is a pretty lively city, and there's tons of really cool bars and clubs you can check out. Some notable places to try are Jazz Upstairs, Sam's Bar, which is the oldest and probably most popular, located in Temo, and Rumdoodle, where you'll find the stories of almost every person who's tried to summon Everest written on the walls. Didn't really want me to film in Sam's Bar, which is kind of understandable. This is the next day, by the way. It's more like a club, I think, than a bar, but either way, it's a fantastic place. Decently priced drinks, lots of travelers, almost exclusively travelers, so if you're trying to meet people and have a good time, Sam's Bar is definitely the place to go. The Asim Bazaar is famous in Kathmandu because six streets converge onto one square, giving it a perpetual sense of bustle. That's straight off the Wikipedia page, by the way. But seriously, the Asim Bazaar is a pretty amazing market, with an insane range of products being sold. Everything from stone fish to leather jackets. That comparison should give you a pretty good sense of what it's like. My last tip for Nepal is not being afraid to talk to locals. You'll find that almost all of them have something interesting to say. Nepal ended up being a surprisingly interesting place, with a complex culture that made everything about it seem awesome. It's a must if you're in Southeast Asia.