Sacred Pashupatinath

Had an eerie feeling when I went to Pashupatinath. I was not prepared to be welcomed by a row of dead bodies being cremated along the Bagmati river. The smoke emanating from the on going cremations blankets the riverside giving the place a solemn and sad atmosphere.

Nevertheless Pashupatinath is rich with exotic temples and shrines, and inspiring stairways and walkways making a visit to the place truly worthwhile.

Swayambhunath Soars

Swayambhunath is a Buddhist temple soaring above Kathmandu City on a hilltop. The long walk up the stairway is rewarded with scenic views of Kathmandu valley, a glittering stupa, and a very atmospheric small town. On the way to the top, you will see monkeys roaming freely which is why Swayambhunath is also known as the Monkey Temple.

This place defines the common scene in Buddhist temples in Nepal... a small community surrounds a stupa which is topped by gilded spire and painted with the eyes of Buddha.

Kathmandu's Pride: Durbar Square

Kathmandu's main tourist attraction is the impressive Durbar Square. In the square are a number of truly awesome wood and brick temples done in traditional Nepali architecture.

Durbar means Palace in English and this was therefore where Nepali kings were crowned, lived and ruled.

The square attracts both the locals and foreign tourists. I spent some time at the top of one of the taller temples to enjoy the truly inspiring scenery of beautiful temples and the colorful world of Kathmandu go by.

Kathmandu: Charmingly Chaotic

Nepal has the reputation in the tourism industry as a dangerous country to visit because of the volatile political situation. However, just like the Philippines, this reputation is undeserved. Although there is strong visibility of the military in Kathmandu, the country is relatively peaceful. I never felt unsafe during my 2 weeks stay in Nepal.

Arriving at Kathmandu airport immediately gives you the impression that you are in a poor country. The airport is old and dimly lit. Most cars on the streets are vintage 70s and the city roads are in poor condition and dusty. The major city streets are narrow, crowded, and chaotic. However, the natural warmth and friendliness of the Nepalese in addition to the truly awesome ancient sites make Kathmandu, a charming city to visit. A bonus also is the fact that most Nepalese speak English since this is a required subject in their schools.

Flying to Nepal

Nepal has always been on my mind as one of the countries that I must visit in Asia. Finally had the opportunity to go there last month. I almost did not go because flights to Nepal from the Philippines are expensive considering that it is only 6 hours away from Manila.

There are no direct flights from Manila to Kathmandu, capital of Nepal. So one has to fly to either Bangkok, Singapore or Hongkong to go to Kathmandu. Cheapest option is to fly via Bangkok, either by Thai Airways or Nepali Airlines. The former charges around US$580 for a round trip ticket Bangkok-Kathmandu-Bangkok. The latter charges US$100 less but the schedules are erratic.

Other options include flying to Delhi in India, and then taking the budget flights from there to Kathmandu. But flying to Delhi from Manila is expensive and there are no direct flights. Philippine Airlines can also bring you to Bangkok and then transfer you to Kathmandu via Nepali Airlines. Cost is about US$540.

I opted to take Thai Airways to Kathmandu, and flew promo fare on Cebu Pacific to Bangkok. Total cost of my ticket from Manila is US$680 which is almost the cost of the ticket to fly to the US and more expensive than airline ticket to Australia.

So I was not quite sure if the high cost of airline ticket is worth the trip to Nepal. But I was glad I did it. Nepal is charmingly exotic and the people are lovely and sincerely nice.