Best Places to Visit in the Kathmandu

Visit Nepal 2020 is coming near and fast. The motto this year is like all other years, promoting the culture , harmony, the cultural attires, and all the various ethnic festivals that our country celebrates in harmony. Every time people travel to Nepal the first place they get off on is Tribhuvan International Airport. From here they are either take a taxi to the city and go into a hotel or they are picked up by other vehicles of the hotel they have pre-booked. Its not only tourists that travel to kathmandu, but there are also Nepalese people who visit kathmandu to go around kathmandu. So, for all the people who want to visit a few places that are a must to visit when in kathmandu that hold historic importance as well as well, have some of the best cultural food and show what the culture in kathmandu is all about. Here are a few places you might want to visit to when in kathmandu. Feel free to tell us a few more places that you would recommend. The following list is highly based on personal preferences where the culture and food bloom of the kathmandu valley. So, the following are a few places you must visit when in kathmandu:

1. Basantapur Durbar Square
2. Patan Durbar Square
3. Bhaktapur Durbar Square
4. Siddha Pokhari
5. Swoyambunath Stupa
6. Boudhanath Stupa

1. Basantapur Durbar Square:

The first in the list is the Basantapur Durbar Square that nearly everyone knows. The place is a huge area and there are multiple pubs, restaurants and local eateries in the place. The place was build by the Ranas and was used for mainly as their entertainment area and place to host various events and also start festivals. The place has been open to the public many years. But the massive earthquake that shook Nepal to the core, while taking many lives didn’t leave the Basantapur Durbar Square either. The entire area was nearly destroyed, and till today the restoration is going on of the area. While visiting the Basantapur Durbar Square , you can also enter the Kumaris’ Courtyard. You wont be allowed to see the Kumari inside the building but you get to be in her courtyard. And if you are lucky enough you may get a glimpse of the living goddess Kumari looking into the courtyard from her window. Basantapur Durbar Square is a place to visit as it holds alot of history and you can learn alot of the old ways of the Newars of the Kathmandu from Basantpur Durbar Square itself.

2. Patan Durbar Square:

Patan Durbar Square was built during the reign of the Mallas in the Lalitpur area. Currently Patan Durbar square is also being rebuilt as the massive earthquake shook almost all the temples and other buildings within the area to the core and a few had even collapsed and are being built from the ground up. The area is expected to be completely built by the mid of 2020. As the main attraction the Krishna Mandir is still being rebuilt as it took one of the largest blow in the area when the earthquake happened. Patan durbar square is the home for the decades long family local Newari restaurant “Honacha”. The place serves some of the best Newari dishes in the area and will give you the authentic taste of years and years of practice of cooking the Newari cuisine. There are also various other eateries and then theres the Patan museum that you can visit by paying a certain amount of money. The main area also has a Kumari ghar that is not open to the public unlike Basantapur durbar square that allows the public to enter the courtyard of the Kumari ghar.

3. Bhaktapur Durbar Square:

Bhaktapur Durbar Square another of the durbars that was made during the Malla era. The place is looks like a stronghold with it huge area coverage and many housings for many people. The place was also hit really heavily by the earthquake a few years. But this is the only durbar square that is nearly completed with only a few buildings not being completed but being worked on. The place is also where the Nyatapol temple is and looks really mesmerizing to look at. The place also has various luxurious cafes for the tourist but for people who would like to enjoy dishes that feel like home but there are many local eateries in the Bhaktapur Durbar square you can try to taste to know what differences among the taste among various Newari dishes among the major areas in the valley is.

4. Siddha Pokhari:

Siddha Pokhari is an oasis for people who like the water body. The place houses many different kind of fishes and the fishes can be fed by buying the feed for them from the vendors near the place. The feed is not expensive and costs like 20-50 rs according to the size of the feed tray. The feed is sold by various people staying in the resting areas all around the area. The place is one of the best places for couples to hang out or for people who just want to enjoy some quite time and be in their own world. Siddha pokhari is just a couple minutes away from the main gate of Bhaktapur Durbar Square and if you get confused where the place is , you can ask the locals they will show you the way perfectly or they will take you to the place.

5. Swoyambunath Stupa:

 

Swoyambunath Stupa is one of the UNESCO world heritage sites similar to the Boudhanath Stupa. The place is a pilgrimage to many Buddhist monks and is in the Ring road area of Kathmandu. There are two ways to get to the stupa. Either from the ring road or through the road of Kalanki. The place is a must visit place as it is serene and makes your mind calm with the atmosphere of the Buddhist music being played. The place looks over the Kathmandu valley as well. And provides a beautiful view of the city. The other side of the Swoyambunath temple has another temple as well, where many tourists dont flock as much as in the stupa. This place is a serene and calm place as well. And is just a five minute walk from the main entrance to the stupa. 

6. Boudhanath Stupa:

Boudhanath stupa is another of the places that you must visit. It has been listed as one of the world heritage sites by the UNESCO and holds a lot of religious and traditional values for all the Buddhists as well as the Nepalese people. The please is a huge area where in the middle stands the Stupa of the buddha and you walk around it. The place is normally flocked with monks and locals who comes to pray there and stay in the serene environment. Recently, alot of youngsters also visit the place as the place has some of the best tibetan cuisines to offer in the kathmandu valley. You can find about in another of our articles.

There are plenty of places where you can visit to when you visit Kathmandu. And many of those places have been left out , but these few places are a must visit as they are places that hold alot of history and tradition. The other places that havent been mentioned will be written about in an even more in depth article of Visit Nepal 2020.