Boudha
Kathmandu, Nepal
The district around the vast Boudhanath stupa, the heart of Tibetan Buddhist life in Nepal, ringed by monasteries and rooftop cafés. Serene and spiritual.
Places in Boudha
- Boudha rooftop restaurants The rooftop restaurants ringing the Boudhanath stupa serve momos and Tibetan thukpa with a mesmerising view of the dome and prayer flags. Setting and soul food combined.
- Boudha stupa-view cafés The cafés on the stupa's ring offer coffee and cake with the great white dome and circling pilgrims in view. Meditative and lovely.
Practical notes for Kathmandu
- Best time to visit
- October and November for clear skies, mountain views and the trekking season; March to May for spring warmth and rhododendrons. The monsoon (June–September) is wet and cloudy; winter is cold but clear.
- Getting around
- Thamel and the old city are walkable, if congested; taxis (agree the fare) and the Pathao/inDrive apps cover the valley. Traffic and dust are heavy — allow time. Patan and Bhaktapur are short, rewarding trips.
- Currency
- Nepalese Rupee (Rs)
- Language
- Nepali. English is widely spoken in tourism.
- Timezone
- NPT (UTC+5:45)
- Current trends
- A rising Newari fine-dining and craft-cocktail scene modernising Nepali tradition; specialty coffee grown in Nepal's own hills; boutique heritage stays in restored courtyards; and Patan cementing itself as the valley's design and dining heart.
Other neighborhoods in Kathmandu
- Thamel — The traveller's hub, a warren of trekking shops, restaurants, bars, bakeries and live-music venues. Loud and touristy, but easy and central.
- Durbar Square & the old city — The medieval royal heart, of pagoda temples, the living-goddess Kumari's house and restored palaces. The historic soul of Kathmandu.
- Patan (Lalitpur) — The valley's finest old city just across the river, of Newari craftsmen, a magnificent Durbar Square and the best cafés, galleries and boutique stays. The connoisseur's Kathmandu.
- Jhamsikhel (Jhamel) — A leafy Patan-side quarter that has become the expat-and-local dining and bar hub, more relaxed than Thamel. Where the valley eats out.
Read the full Kathmandu guide