Thamel is the most popular tourist hub in Kathmandu City. Thamel’s history as being a tourist hotspot in Kathmandu goes back to the 1960s when tourist activities were starting up in Nepal. It is located at the heart of Kathmandu City. The distance in between Kathmandu’s international airport ‘Tribhuvan International Airport’ is just 5 &half kilometers and 15 minutes drive. But this drive depends upon the time of the day and during rush hour it can reach an hour’s drive at maximum. Tourists arriving at Thamel will surely love it since all tourist necessities are available in Thamel like hotels, lodges, restaurants, pubs, trekking shops, souvenir shops, etc. hotels in Thamel Kathmandu are plenty from tourist-class to luxury hotels in Thamel Kathmandu. Shopping in Thamel Nepal is shoppers paradise since you can get various items at the best prices. Any last-minute shopping if you are heading out to trek like warm jackets, trekking shoes, socks, water bottles, sleeping bags, etc. then Thamel is the right place to shop. One can get these items at the best price or if you are looking for more high-end products like North Face, Timberland, they are available too. There are restaurant in Thamel Kathmandu from cheap restaurants in Thamel to good restaurants in Thamel. You can find many restaurants around Thamel which serve Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Mexican, Continental, Nepali to North American and Southeast Asian; the choices are boundless. Try out pizza in Fire & Ice, Coffee in Java or Chikusa and steaks wherever you feel like. Bars and restaurants in Thamel are must-visit during your stay in Nepal and these joints are popular among the Nepal crowd too especially live music restaurant in Thamel.
The first-time arrival at Thamel will amaze you seeing the winding streets decorated with all sorts of business ads is filled with travel agents, trekking guides, hotels, restaurants, pubs, tattoo parlors, trekking shops etc. Thamel is filled up with traditional buildings, modern skyscrapers and several traditional temples here and there. You can spot people from around the world during the high tourist season. So, the blaring sound of cars, traffic congestion and crowd is part of Thamel. If you are looking into a quieter neighborhood then Lazimpat closer by Thamel and 15 minutes’ walk is the right choice. Lazimpat is an upscale area with five-star hotels and is ideal for luxury travelers. If you are environmentally friendly then go for a rickshaws ride in Thamel which is much fun. Kathmandu Durbar Square, UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located just 15 minutes walk from Thamel. The square has many ancient temples, king’s palaces; though destroyed by Nepal 2015 earthquake, but rebuilding is underway. Another interesting spot and also UNESCO World Heritage Site closer to Thamel is Swayambhunath or ‘Monkey Temple’ located atop a hill providing wonderful view of Kathmandu Valley and the surrounding mountains. It is 30 minutes’ walk from Thamel and 10 minutes drive; the choice is yours. Overall, Thamel attracts travelers from around the world and is the central tourist hub of Nepal.
