Things to do in Kathmandu
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Baithak
At Babar Mahal Revisited, southeast of the centre, this restaurant has a dramatic and regal, almost Victorian, setting, with crystal and linens, and where diners are attended by waiters dressed in royal costume and watched over by looming portraits of various disapproving Ranas. The menu features ‘Rana cuisine’, a courtly cuisine created by Nepali Brahmin chefs and heavily influenced by north Indian Mughal cuisine. The setting is probably the most memorable part of the restaurant. Vegetarians will find plenty to eat here. The attached K2 Bar has a delightful terrace for a pre-dinner drink. A baithak is a royal suite or state room.
reviewed
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Kala (Black) Bhairab
Behind the Jagannath Temple is the large figure of Kala (Black) Bhairab. Bhairab is Shiva in his most fearsome aspect, and this huge stone image of the terrifying Kala Bhairab has six arms, wears a garland of skulls and tramples a corpse, which is symbolic of human ignorance. The figure is said to have been brought here by Pratap Malla, having been found in a field to the north of the city. The image was originally cut from a single stone, but the upper left-hand corner has since been repaired.
It is said that telling a lie while standing before Kala Bhairab will bring instant death and it was once used as a form of trial by ordeal.
reviewed
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Hanuman Dhoka
The inner palace complex of the Hanuman Dhoka was originally founded during the Licchavi period (4th to 8th centuries AD) but, as it stands today, most of it was constructed by King Pratap Malla in the 17th century. The royal palace has been renovated many times over the years. The oldest parts are the smaller Sundari Chowk and Mohan Chowk at the northern part of the palace (both closed). The complex originally housed 35 courtyards and spread as far as New Rd, but the 1934 earthquake reduced the palace to today’s 10 chowks (courtyards). Cameras are allowed only in the courtyards, not inside the buildings of the complex.
reviewed
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Seto Bhairab
Seto (White) Bhairab's horrible face is hidden away behind a grille opposite King Pratap Malla's column. The huge mask dates from 1794, during the reign of Rana Bahadur Shah, the third Shah dynasty king. Each September during the Indra Jatra festival the gates open to reveal the mask for a few days. At that time the face is covered in flowers and rice and at the start of the festivities beer is poured through the horrific mouth, as crowds of men fight to get a drink of the blessed brew.
At other times of the year you can peek through the lattice to see the mask, which is used as the symbol of Royal Nepal Airlines.
reviewed
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Ram Chandra Temple
Southwest of Jaisi Deval Temple, enter the courtyard of the Ram Chandra Temple, named after Ram, incarnation of Vishnu and the hero of the Hindu epic the Ramayana. This small temple is notable for the tiny erotic scenes on its roof struts; it looks as if the carver set out to illustrate 16 different positions, starting with the missionary position, and just about made it before running out of ideas (there's one particularly ambitious, back-bending position).
The north side of the courtyard is used as a cow stable, highlighting the wonderful mix of the sacred and profane in Nepal.
reviewed
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Trailokya Mohan Narayan
Standing in the open area of the square is the smaller five-roofed Trailokya Mohan Narayan. It is easily identified as a temple to Narayan/Vishnu by the fine Garuda kneeling before it. This huge Garuda figure was a later addition, erected by King Prithvibendra Malla's widow soon after his death. Look for the Vaishnavite images on the carved roof struts and the window screens with their decoratively carved side medallions.
Dances depicting the 10 incarnations of Vishnu are performed on the platform to the east of the temple during the Indra Jatra festival.
reviewed
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Indrapur Temple
This puzzling temple may be of great antiquity but has been renovated recently and little is known of its history. Even the god to which it is dedicated is controversial - the lingam inside indicates that it is a Shiva temple but the Garuda image half-buried on the southern side indicates that it is dedicated to Vishnu. However, the temple's name clearly indicates it is dedicated to Indra!
The temple's unadorned design and plain roof struts together with the lack of an identifying torana (pediment above the temple doors) offer no further clues.
reviewed
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1905
You can dine with ambassadors and ministers in this classy top-end restaurant set in a charming former Rana summer palace. The tables on a bridge over a wonderful lily pond add a definite colonial Burmese feel, so it’s fitting that there are several Southeast Asian dishes on offer. Lunch is light and casual, with sandwiches and salads. Dinner is a more serious affair, so dress up for dishes such as beef Wellington or salmon mousse layered in rainbow trout ratatouille and tomato hollandaise sauce. If nothing else, it’s a very romantic place for drinks.
reviewed
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Hankook Sarang
Currently our favourite Asian food fix, the Hankook is that rare combination of authentic taste and good value. Korean staples like bibambap and bulgogi (barbecued beef cooked at your table and eaten with lettuce) come with crunchy kimchi, salad, soup, dried fish, sweet beans and green tea. Bibambap is rice and vegetables in a stone pot, to which you add the egg and sweet chilli sauce and mix it all together. The service is excellent and there’s a pleasant alfresco garden. It’s down a courtyard near Tamas Lounge.
reviewed
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Himalatte Café
A North-American coffeehouse feel here, right down to the comfy sofas and Friday night music jams (courtesy of the owner's band). The impressive array of coffees are some of the best in Thamel, as are the cheeseburgers. The menu ranges from Caesar wraps to fruit crêpes and the Tuesday and Thursday set meal specials are good value. We recommend the excellent chicken saltimbocca - cheese, sage and bacon inside a chicken breast.
If you are feeling a little fragile, try the hangover helper - carrot juice with ginger and parsley.
reviewed
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Krishna Temple
The history of the octagonal Krishna Temple is well documented. It was built in 1648 by Pratap Malla, perhaps as a response to Siddhinarsingh's magnificent Krishna Temple in Patan. Inside there are images of Krishna and two goddesses, which, according to a Sanskrit inscription, are modelled on the king and his two wives. The temple also has a Newari inscription, but this neglects to mention the king's little act of vanity.
The temple is a favourite of sadhus (itinerant holy men) who pose (and expect to be paid) for photos here.
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Everest Steakhouse
If steakhouse restaurant K-Too represents the new breed of slickly-run Thamel eateries, then the Everest Steakhouse is very much old-school. The red curtains haven't changed in 20 years and the waiters can be fascinatingly rude - it's hard to know if they're taking the piss or not. The menu spreads to 30 types of steak, all imported from Kolkata (Calcutta) and served up rare unless you request well done.
It's very popular with European trekking groups but, then, after three weeks' of daal bhaat, anything tastes good.
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Lazimpat Gallery Cafe
This friendly place occupies a unique niche, somewhere between a greasy spoon and an art cafe, with a menu boasting both beans on toast and fresh carrot and coriander soup. Everything from the cakes to the juices is made fresh on the spot. It’s great for a cheap, light lunch, especially if you’re out in Lazimpat and suddenly need a cheese-and-ham toastie. It’s run by a British former VSO worker so it’s a popular hideaway for local volunteers. Friday night is film night and there’s free wi-fi all the time.
reviewed
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Bhanchha Ghar
You’ll find Bhanchha Ghar in a traditional three-storey Newari house in Kamaladi, just east of Durbar Marg, next to a Ganesh Temple. There is an upstairs loft bar where you can stretch out on handmade carpets and cushions for a drink, snacks and the obligatory cultural show (try to arrive before 7pm). You can then move downstairs to take advantage of an excellent set menu of traditional Nepali dishes and delicacies. Musicians stroll between the tables playing traditional Nepali folk songs.
reviewed
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Casino Royale
Kathmandu’s casinos are all attached to upmarket hotels and open 24 hours. Pull your tuxedo out of your backpack, polish up your best Sean Connery impersonation (‘ Aaah, Mish Moneypenny …’) and make a beeline for the Casino Royale, set in a former Rana palace at the Yak & Yeti Hotel. Hang around the tables (not the slots) long enough and staff will ply you with free drinks and a dinner buffet, though sadly the Russian dancing girls have gone back to Moscow.
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Shiva-Parvati Temple
From the steps of the Maju Deval you can look across the square to the Shiva-Parvati Temple, where the much-photographed images of Shiva and his consort look out from the upstairs window on the comings and goings below them. The temple was built in the late 1700s by Bahadur Shah, the son of Prithvi Narayan Shah. Although the temple is not very old by Kathmandu standards, it stands on a two-stage platform, which may have been an open dancing stage hundreds of years earlier.
reviewed
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Tibet Adventure
15 days (Beijing to Kathmandu)
by G Adventures
Take part in rituals and haggle for a bargain in the markets. From modern Beijing, travel back in time across scenic countryside to Tibet on this well-packed…Not LP reviewed
from USD$2,999 -
Delhi to Kathmandu Adventure
15 days (Delhi to Kathmandu)
by G Adventures
If you’re looking to experience the diversity of India and Nepal, this 15-day trip contrasts the kaleidoscope of culture and colour that is India with the…Not LP reviewed
from USD$1,399 -
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Tamas Lounge
Sex and the City fans will enjoy this glam lounge bar, decked out with plush, velvety sofas and a lush palette of cool creams. Take a seat in the courtyard or the old Rana house and indulge your inner princess with a sparkling Bellini or espresso martini. Live music livens things up on Saturday and Wednesday and a basement spa is on the way. The entrance is suitably low-key, hidden down an alleyway just south of Yin Yang Restaurant.
reviewed
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Chez Caroline
In the Babar Mahal Revisited complex, Caroline’s is a swanky outdoor cafe/restaurant popular with expat foodies. It offers French-influenced main courses such as wild mushroom tart with walnut sauce, quiche, salads and crêpes, plus imported cheese, daily specials and a wide range of desserts, teas and wines. Try a swift glass of pastis (liquorice-flavoured liqueur) with mint syrup: it’s the perfect aperitif to an afternoon’s shopping.
reviewed
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K-Too Beer & Steakhouse
Run by the same people who run Kilroy’s, the decor and furnishings here are deliberately rough-and-ready pub style, and the food and atmosphere are excellent. Dishes range from Irish stew to spinach and potato salad with honey mustard dressing, and the excellent pepper steak (Rs 420) followed by fried apple momos is already a post-trekking classic. Live European football is broadcast on the TV. For a quieter vibe head for the garden.
reviewed
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Kakeshwar Temple
Kakeshwar Temple was originally built in 1681 but, like so many other structures, was rebuilt after it was badly damaged in the 1934 earthquake. It may have been considerably altered at that time as the temple is a strange combination of styles. It starts with a Newari style floor, above which is an Indian shikhara-style upper storey, topped by a spire shaped like a kalasa (water vase), indicative of a female deity.
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Kilroy’s
Named after the Irish founder and chef, this place is a definite cut above the average Thamel restaurant. The menu ranges from Balti chicken (Rs 345) to Irish stew (Rs 355) and interesting hybrids such as seafood thukpa with lemongrass (Rs 400), plus great desserts, especially the bread-and-butter pudding (Rs 195). The menu is posted online. You can sit inside, or outside in the shady garden, complete with waterfall.
reviewed
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Koketsu
If your focus is more on eating than soaking, then Koketsu is probably the best Japanese place in town. It takes a brave person to order sushi in the Himalaya but the seafood here is flown in fresh from Thailand, as are the takosu (marinated octopus), squid and roe. The focal point of the restaurant is definitely the central teppanyaki grill. It’s no coincidence that the Japanese embassy is across the road.
reviewed
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Kathmandu To Kolkata
67 days (Kathmandu)
by Intrepid
Mix it up in Mumbai, Sleep under the stars in the Thar Desert, Laze on the beaches of Goa, Be impressed by the temples of Puri, Cruise the backwaters of Kerala,…Not LP reviewed
from USD$5,935