Boudhanath

From MaxTravelz

Boudhanath, a suburb of Kathmandu, is home to one of the largest Buddhist stupas in the world.

Contents 1 Understand 2 Get in 3 Get around 4 See 5 Do 6 Buy 7 Eat 8 Drink 9 Sleep 9.1 Budget 9.2 Mid range 9.3 Splurge 10 Get out 11 Contact

Understand

Get in

Taxis: From airport, pay no more than 150rs (for pre-paid, expect to pay much more, but it saves the hassle of bargaining). From Thamel, pay no more than 120rs. These prices are max. If you bargain, you can get a better deal. If your purpose for visiting Boudhanath is to see the stupa, then tell the taxi driver you wish to go to Boudha Gate. This is the main entrance to the stupa.

Get around

See

• Boudhanath Stupa - the spiritual heart of Vajrayana Buddhism in Nepal. The stupa is especially spectacular at night when adorned with butter lamps. Remember to walk around the stupa in a clockwise direction and also to spin the prayer wheels clockwise.

Do

Buy

There are many handicraft stores located around the stupa. The prices are about the same as in Thamel, but there is a little less variety. However, naturally for Buddhist related items - statues, prayer flags etc - Boudha is the better place.

Eat

• Stupa View Restaurant is a vegeterian restaurant that, as the name implies, offers good views over the stupa. It's a little expensive (think 200 NPR + for a meal), but the quality of the food and service is good.
• Three Sisters also offers views overlooking the stupa and kora. The food is cheaper than at Stupa View (think 120 NPR + for a meal), but the quality of the food and service is also a little lower.
• Regency is located in the back streets about a two minute walk from the stupa (with the stupa on your right, turn left into alley after passing Stupa View Restaurant, and take the next right. The restaurant is few doors down on the right) and is where the locals eat. The food is good and you can easily satisfy your appetite for well under 100Rs.
• The restaurant at Shechen Guest House (see 'sleep' section) offers wholesome vegetarian food in the quiet of an enclosed garden.

Drink

• Saturday Cafe over looking the stupa at Boudha has good ground coffee, which you can enjoy surrounded by books in the second floor book shop or on the roof-top terrace.

Sleep

Budget

• Samdrup Guest House, Tel:+977 1 478568. E-mail:samdrupkhang@unlimit.com, mostly used by Tibetans on pilgrimage or visiting family, and so is a very cheap, but basic hotel. The hotel is conveniently located across from the main gate at Boudha Stupa. There is a gift shop on the 1st floor.

Mid range

• Shechen Guesthouse. Tel:+977 1 4479009 in the grounds of Shechen Monastery in Boudha has clean and good quality rooms with private bathrooms for about 15 USD. The guesthouse also has garden with restaurant/coffee shop facilities, and is within a five minute walk of Bodhnath Stupa.

Splurge

• Hyatt Regency. A lovely building in the traditional Newari style with swimming pool, spa, and several restaurants. 300 USD and up. Pick-up and drop off from airport or downtown.

Get out

Contact

There are many internet cafes on the kora (the walking area that surrounds the stupa) - Dharana Cyberspace, is an especially clean facility with fast computers.

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