Kathmandu, Central Development Region

restaurants

Third Eye Restaurant

Something we found very enjoyable in Thamel was starting our day with coffee and tea. Although most of our accommodations offered it for free we wanted to experience as much in the city as we could. Nepal is quite chilly during this time of the year but if you can find a good spot in the sun it makes all the difference! We spotted this roof top restaurant one morning and decided to give it a go. It was very beautiful, great service, free WiFi and a wonderful menu! I enjoyed a black Tea and Mal ordered an Americano and some garlic nan bread. We really had a nice time at Third Eye and would have liked to try more on the menu of time had allowed!

काठमाडौँ, मध्यमाञ्चल

cafe • restaurants

Roadhouse Cafe, Thamel

Our first night we decided to splurge a little and go to Roadhouse Cafe in Thamel. This was a short was from our accommodation and on a very lit and safe street. First of all Roadhouse is beautiful, it’s dimly lit but the lights and candles make it very elegant. We chose to sit outside and they even turned on the heaters for us to give us a little extra warmth on the chilly night. We each had a glass of wine, the house red for me and the house white for Mal. Both were surprisingly delicious and on the sweeter side. We started with cheesy bread which was good but nothing overly special. We ordered a pepperoni pizza and were expecting the usual subpar Nepali pizza, however to our surprise it was delicious! It was a wood fired oven thin crust Italian style pizza. We devoured the incredibly tasteful Za quite fast! They even had olive oil and crushed red peppers which made it even better! We met two sweet women from Australia who sat next to us and they gave us great travel advice and we all shared many stories. The prices at Roadhouse Cafè are more then we could normally afford on a backpackers budget but they are very reasonable for any other kind of trip! It was a wonderful first night of our big adventure and can’t wait to see what else is in store.

Kathmandu, Central Development Region

cafe • shopping

Himalayan Java

When visiting Boudhanath Stupa in Kathmandu Nepal we visited Himalayan Java House for lunch. The restaurant has a close up view of the stupa with windows opening to it, great decor and a back patio that has plenty of seating! Really a great lunch spot when visiting Kathmandu! We enjoyed many sandwiches and salads along with delicious coffees. My favorite was the Italian Club sandwich and a mocha. The sandwich also came with fries and a salad. It was so tasty and only 6 dollars for everything! For vegans out there as well the restaurant also has soy milk and great vegan options! There’s also a fresh water dispenser, free WiFi and very clean bathrooms! *

Kathmandu, Central Development Region

bar • experience

Buddha Bar

For our last night in Thamel we decided to celebrate with a few happy hours. We headed to one bar called Shisha which was really fun looking but empty. We saw a Johnny walker sign that caught our attention in one alley. As we walked towards it we looked below it and found a small entrance to a place called Buddha Bar. The bar had amazing vibes, was darker with fun lights and great music. We entered and also noticed that there are no chairs but actually you take your shoes off and sit on comfy pillow areas with small tables in the middle. Mal ordered a hot rum punch and I had a blue horizon. Both were so refreshing and very strong! We also ordered a watermelon (or as spelled in the menu, water Milon) hookah. We stayed quite a while and our coal was even switched out when it was dying out. We had a wonderful night of fun stories and many laughs. We felt very safe at this bar and the staff was very friendly! I would say this ended up being one of our favorites in Nepal!

Kathmandu, Central Development Region

lodging

kathmandu mantra home

For our last days in Nepal we chose to stay at Kathmandu Mantra Home in Thamel. WiFi: There was perfect WiFi in both the lobby and in the rooms! Location: It was a little hidden away down an alley but a safe location! Well lit at night and very close walking to plenty of shops, restaurants, and bars! Bed: The bed was so very comfortable! The most comfortable we have experienced thus far! 8/10 Showers: Very easy to use and always had hot water! Cleanliness: it was so very clean! 10/10 Food: Breakfast is included with your stay which we found was a huge save! They had a buffet with potatoes, vegetable porridge, and cereal along with eggs and toast on request! Very simple breakfast but everything was wonderful! Drink: They has coffee and tea out at all times in the lobby along with some of the best and freshest juice I have ever had! Clean water dispenser: We did not see a dispenser during our time however our rooms had two large clean water bottles for us. Extras: The hotel helps you with getting a shuttle to the airport which we really appreciated. Also this was our first accommodation throughout our entire trip that had heat in the room which was a life saver!! The absolute only complaint we had about this trip would be that outside can be quite noisy at night but we had no problem sleeping through it!

Bandipur, Western Development Region

lodging

Siddha Cave Bamboo Cottage & Lodge

While In Bandipur,Nepal we had the awesome opportunity to explore Siddha Cave which is said to be one of the biggest caves in Asia! The cave was very wide but very dark so I would recommend a headlight for-sure so your hands are free! Also it can be a little wet, and during the summer there are ponds so I would 100% recommend bringing nonslip hiking shoes! The scariest part of the cave would be the ladders. There’s one point through the cave that you need to scale down two very long ladders. They are very sturdy, just very long! Also my biggest recommendation is to go very early so that when you leave the cave you are above the clouds and mist! It was truly a beautiful sight to see! Quite a few stairs to get up to the cave as well so bring plenty of water! After exploring the cave we ate at the Siddha Cave Bamboo Cottage! It’s beautiful and very calming. The view of the village is so picturesque and all of our food and tea was delicious! Also has WiFi for those of you who enjoy that throughout your travels! Dm me for more information! *