Nepal information
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 Posted: Sat Apr 09, 2005 1:08 am Post subject: NEPAL TRAVEL & TOURISM TIPS |
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The essential about Nepal
Official Name: Kingdom of Nepal.
Passport/Visa Requirements: Citizens of Canada and the U.S. need passports and visas (available on arrival). Reconfirm travel document requirements with your carrier before departure.
Capital: Kathmandu.
Population: 23,314,681.
Languages: Nepali, dialects.
Predominant Religions: Hindu, Buddhist.
Time Zone: 5.8 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (+5.8 GMT). Daylight Saving Time is not observed.
Voltage Requirements: 220 volts.
Telephone Codes: 977, country code for Nepal; 1, city code for Kathmandu.
Dining in Nepal
There is a surprisingly wide variety of restaurants in Kathmandu, serving everything from bratwurst to pizza to sushi. Most are found in the Thamel district, while a few more upscale eateries are located in the shopping plaza known as Baba Mahal (which few people can afford to visit and which is therefore rarely crowded). Pie shops abound - most were started by cooks who formerly served in British colonial households. They used to be concentrated on a rather dirty lane called Pie Alley, but they're now found almost anywhere.
For a true Nepali meal, order dal bhat - spiced lentils and rice - often served with curried potatoes. The Tibetan momo dumpling is available in areas where many refugees have settled, notably in Bodhnath. "Buff" on a menu indicates water buffalo meat. Cows are seen as sacred to Hindus, so don't expect to find a true hamburger anywhere. A handful of restaurants, however, import beef from nearby non-Hindu countries, such as Bangladesh. The cooking of the Newari people (who are found in the Kathmandu Valley) is also popular with visitors. Try the Newari-style duck or wild boar. Outside Kathmandu, Pokhara, jungle lodges and organized treks, there is a very limited choice of food. Try chang at your own risk: The home-brewed alcoholic beverage has been known to upset the stomach of many a trekker.
Be aware that because of sanitation standards, it's very easy to get very sick on very appealing food. We urge you to do your experimenting after your trek, or you may not get to go.
Tipping
In Kathmandu and Pokhara restaurants only, tip 10% (if a service charge is not already on the bill). If you go trekking, tip porters and guides (consult with the trek organizer for the proper amount).
Do's and Don'ts in Nepal
Do dress conservatively. Women should not wear shorts or halter tops, and men should always wear shirts.
Do be aware that taking electronic goods into the country will attract attention from customs officials. If you have a laptop computer or video camera, you may be asked by officials to note the details in your passport.
Do get advice from fellow travelers in Nepal before you select a trekking or rafting company.
Do take along a flashlight, even if you're not planning to trek. Power outages are quite frequent in the Kathmandu Valley.
Do get a receipt of "inauthenticity" when purchasing an antique replica - otherwise, you will not be allowed to take it out of the country. And don't buy ivory or fur from endangered species - your purchases encourage the trade in such illegal goods, and you won't be allowed to bring them back home anyway.
Do ask permission before taking photos in temples, and don't wear anything made of leather into a Hindu temple. And do take off your shoes before entering a temple or someone's house.
Don't give in to children who ask for "just one rupee." Although a rupee is a small amount that anyone can spare, successful begging leads young children to drop out of school and take up panhandling as their trade.
Do walk around stupas clockwise, so that the outer walls are always on your right. If you encounter a stone wall covered with Tibetan inscriptions, do the same: Walk past with the wall on your right (and don't take any of the stones!).
Don't step over other people's feet (or any other part of their body). By the same token, don't pat children on the head and don't sit with your feet pointing at someone (especially toward a monk or lama) - both practices are considered insulting.
Don't offer food to a Nepalese after tasting it. Although the left-hand taboo exists in Nepal (the left hand is never used for eating or handling food, shaking hands, etc.), always present or accept items with both hands.
Do be aware that cows are sacred in Nepal, as they are in India, and they're allowed to wander about freely.
Shopping in Nepal
Shop for tanka (religious) paintings and Tibetan articles, such as prayer wheels or tea bowls and jewelry. It's officially forbidden to export precious stones, gold or silver, but customs officials may not care about small pieces of silver jewelry, especially if you are wearing them. (Items in your luggage tend to get closer scrutiny, though wearing purchased items is not 100% foolproof.)
Other goods include bronze and copper items, shoulder bags, knives, wooden masks and statues, silk handbags, colorful sweaters and jackets, used camping gear, bamboo flutes, carpets (test to see if they are colorfast), papier-mache masks, Nepalese caps, block prints on rice paper, Nepalese violins and woven cloth. For Western-style clothes, cameras and other electronic equipment head for New Road, the busy street leading up to Kathmandu's Durbar Square. And remember, bargaining never hurts. You can get cheap custom-made shirts, skirts, etc., but the material is usually of very poor quality and the colors will soon fade. Most stores are closed on Saturday, not Sunday. In general, it's wise to carry, rather than mail, packages home.
Shopping Hours: Sunday-Friday 10 am-7 pm.
Banking Hours: Monday-Friday 9:30 am-3:30 pm.
Weather & climate in Nepal
If you're going to Nepal for trekking, there are only two seasons - October-November and March-April. The former is best, when the air has been washed clean by summer monsoons and the passes haven't yet been snowed in. The weather is brisk but not too cold. In spring, the passes are open again, but the air is hazy, and the views, while good, aren't the same as in autumn. (If spring is the only time available, it's still worth going.) Because it's so far south, Kathmandu freezes only during the winter. Pokhara is warmer. The higher-altitude areas are quite cold, however. If you're going only to Royal Chitwan Park, be aware that it can be very hot and humid anytime during its season, October-May. The monsoons, which occur June-September, affect the entire country, and flooding is a possibility in the Chitwan region. |
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