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Nepal |  |
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Facts about Nepal |
Facts about Nepal
ECOLOGY & ENVIRONMENT
Degradation of the environment is a mounting problem, despite the good efforts of a number of organisations. In March 1999, 56,000 discarded plastic mineral water bottles were brought out of the Everest region!GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
Nepal remains politically volatile, with governments seeming to come and go with alarming frequency. This month's elections will bring in the fifth government in the last three years. A ‘People’s War’ is being waged against the government by the anti-monarchical Nepal Communist Party-Maoist. In the three years since the insurgency started more than 600 people have been killed.Facts for the Visitor
VISAS & DOCUMENTS
The Kathmandu Immigration office, which used to be conveniently located right in the heart of Thamel, has moved. It’s halfway to the airport along the Bhaktapur road, which is a real chore as you have to visit the place twice on the same day to get a trekking permit or visa extension. To get there, take the airport road past the Everest Hotel and turn left (north) by the huge new Convention Centre. The Immigration Office is exactly 1km down the road on the left. Any transaction with the Immigration Office requires two trips or a wait of several hours. There is nothing of interest in the vicinity except the small Friends Restaurant opposite the office. Taxis charge about Rs 100 each way from Thamel. It's open from 10 am to 1 pm Sunday to Thursday and 10 am to noon on Friday for applications, although you have to go back between 4 and 5 pm (2 to 3 pm on Friday) to retrieve your passport. It's wise to start the process early as renewing a visa or obtaining a trekking permit can be time-consuming. See Visas in the Facts for the Visitor chapter for more details.EMBASSIES
Nepalese Embassies & Consulates
Details of the following embassies/consulates abroad have changed:Australia
Suite 1, Level 3
277 Flinders Lane
Melbourne
(Tel/fax 9650-6683)
Postal address: PO Box 6, Melbourne, Vic 3000
Level 7, 127 Creek St
Brisbane, Qld 4000
(Tel 3230 2007)
Belgium
Ave Winston Churchill 68, 1180 Brussels
(Tel 346 2658, fax 344 1361, email rne.bru@skynet.be)
Canada
2 Sheppard Ave, East,
Suite 1700
Toronto
Ontario M2N 5Y7
(Tel 416 226 8722, fax 416 226 8878)
Finland
Kanavaranta 9
00160 Helsinki
(Tel 115 1333, fax 680 1024)
India
1 National Library Ave
Alipore
Calcutta 700027
(Tel 479 1117, fax 479 1410)
Pakistan
House 506, Street 84
Attaturk Ave, Ramna G-6/4
Islamabad
(Tel 828838, fax 828839)
Russia
2nd Neopalimovsky Pereulok 14/7
Moscow
(Tel 244 7356, fax 244 0000)
Singapore
1 North Bridge Rd
#18-05 High St Centre
Singapore 0617
(Tel 336 1677, fax 337 1737)
Switzerland
Bleicherweg 33
Zurich
(Tel 201 4515, fax 201 4435)Embassies & Consulates in Nepal
Details of the following embassies/consulates in Nepal have changed:Australia
Bansbari, just beyond the Ring Rd in Maharajganj.
(Tel 371678, fax 371533)
Bangladesh
Maharajganj
(Tel 372843, fax 373265)
China
Baluwatar
(Tel 411740, fax 414045)
Open Monday to Friday from 9 am to 12 noon and 3 to 5 pm; visa applications Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 to 11.30 am; passports returned the next working day.
Japan
Pani Pokhari
(Tel 426680; fax 414101)
Myanmar
Chakupat, Patan City Gate, Patan
(Tel 521788, fax 523402)
Open Monday to Friday from 9.30 am to 1 pm and 2 to 4.30 pm; visa applications morning only, 14-day visas available, three photos, 24 hours wait.
Pakistan
Ring Road, Maharajganj
(Tel 374024, fax 374012)
Open Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5.30 pm
Russia
Baluwatar
(Tel 412155, fax 416571)
Thailand
Maharajganj
Tel 371410, fax 371408)
Open Monday to Friday from 8.30 am to 12.30 pm and 1.30 to 4.30 pm; visa applications Monday to Friday from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm, about $10, two photos, 24 hours wait.Try this link to work out visa requirements for any nationality in the world:
http://www.travel.com.au/destination/index.htmlMONEY
Currency
The Nepalese rupee has remained fairly constant in relation to the US dollar, and is currently trading at around US$1 = NRs 66. Accommodation prices have remained virtually unchanged; food and transport costs have risen by anything from 5 to 20%.Exchanging Money
It’s always risky to pin down a currency on paper (or on screen), so try this currency converter to give you the current value of the Nepalese rupee:
http://www.oanda.comPOST & COMMUNICATIONS
Email and Internet services (costing Rs 8 to Rs 10 per minute) have proliferated and are offered by dozens of places in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Once away from these two places, however, Internet access is virtually nonexistent.INTERNET RESOURCES
For more up to date information on Nepal, try the following links:
http://www.catmando.com/wwwvlnp.htm
http://www.nepalpages.com
http://www.nepalnews.com
http://www.south-asia.com
http://aleph0.clarku.edu/rajs/homelinks.htmlHEALTH
Despite reports to the contrary, Malaria does exist in the lowland Terai region throughout the year. If you are travelling in endemic areas it is extremely important to avoid mosquito bites and to take tablets to prevent this disease.
Getting There & Away
AIR
The cost of getting to Nepal has changed very little and there has been an large increase in airline capacity for flights into and out of Kathmandu, especially from Europe. This means that there are now a number of alternatives to the notoriously unreliable Royal Nepal Airlines (RNAC).
Austrian Airlines and the Dutch company Transavia now have direct flights between Europe and Nepal, and Aeroflot also connects Nepal with Europe via Moscow. Two Middle Eastern airlines, Gulf Air and Qatar Airways, have connections between Europe and Nepal, although these involve a change of aircraft in the Middle East.
One of the Nepalese domestic airlines, Necon Air, has also spread its wings somewhat and now flies between Kathmandu and Patna. The Kathmandu contact details for these airlines are as follows:Austrian Airlines
Kamaladi
(Tel 241506)
Gulf Air
Hattisar
(Tel 430456)
Necon Air
For reservations, email reservation@necon.mos.com.np
Sina Mangal
(Tel 473860); and Tridevi Marg, Thamel, (Tel 258664)
Qatar Airlines
Hattisar
(Tel 422961)
Transavia
Kamaladi
(Tel 414192)Getting Around
Domestic airfares remain unchanged; but the cost of road transport has increased by around 15%. While a couple of domestic airlines have gone out of business, a number of new ones have entered the market.
AIR
There are a number of private companies operating alongside the long-running, government-owned Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation (RNAC). These are Necon Air, Buddha Air, Lumbini Airways, Cosmic Air and Gorkha Airlines. So far at least, these airlines only operate on the more popular (ie economically viable) routes. The prices are the same as RNAC, but the private companies offer better service, and are more reliable. Necon Air is very efficient and highly recommended, as is Buddha Air.Buddha Air
Hattisar (Tel 417802; email buddha_air@wlink.com.np)
Cosmic Air
Maharajganj (Tel 427150; email soi@wlink.com.np)
Gorkha Airlines
Hattisar (Tel 423137; email gorkha@mos.com.np)
Lumbini Airways
Kamaladi (Tel 483381; email lumbiniair@wlink.com.np)
Necon Air
Sina Mangal (Tel 473860)
Tridevi Marg, Thamel (Tel 258664)
email reservation@necon.mos.com.np
Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation (RNAC)
Computer reservations for flights to Pokhara, Meghauli (for Chitwan), mountain flights, Jomsom, Lukla and Bharatpur only: RNAC Building, corner New Rd and Kantipath (Tel 225347, fax 225348). Open daily 9 am to 4 pm.Kathmandu
INFORMATION
Resources
Two very useful organisations, the Himalayan Rescue Association and KEEP, have both moved. The Himalayan Rescue Association (Tel 262746, email hra@aidpost.mos.com.np) is in Thamel opposite the Shree Guest House; and KEEP (Tel 259275, email tours@keep.wlink.com.np) is in the same street less than 100m away. The people in the information centres are happy to answer general queries, and there are some useful notebooks with up-to-date information from other trekkers. KEEP also has a good collection of reference books. The centres are open 10 am to 5 pm Sunday to Friday. KEEP also provides a mineral water refill service for Rs 10 per litre.Money
Sita World Travel (Tel 418363) up the laneway opposite the Three Goddesses Temple in Thamel is the agent for Western Union money transfers.Internet Resources
One of the most sophisticated places is K@mandu Cybermatha on Kantipath just east of Thamel. It’s air-conditioned and probably has the most reliable network connections. It’s also among the more expensive places.
Also professional is the EasyLink Cybercafe, in Thamel north of the main Thamel Chowk.Travel Agencies
For straightforward travel and ticketing matters, try Wayfarers Travel Service (Tel 417176, fax 245875, email wayfarer@mos.com.np) in Thamel, not far from the Kathmandu Guest House.PLACES TO STAY
Tucked away in a quiet lane in Jyatha, the new Hotel Dynasty (Tel 26 3172, fax 25 0793, email dynasty@mos.com.np) is a good find. It’s a modern, up-market place which even has a lift. The rooms are a good size and have air-con, TV and phone, and cost $45/55; without air-con it’s $35/45.
In the same lane is the Fuji Guest House (Tel 25 0435, fax 22 9234), with straightforward, carpeted rooms with attached bath and balcony at $15/20, or with common bath at $6/10; discounts are available.
PLACES TO EAT
The Restaurant Casa Della Pasta is a flash new place near the Kathmandu Guest House, with excellent Italian food, good service and big movie screen. This place is part of the plush Ultimate Planet Bar, which features leather seating and a sophisticated sound and light system. There's a small dance floor, and dances are held on a regular basis, with entry including a buffet dinner. Beers are reasonably priced at around Rs 150.
One of the best Nepali restaurants is the new Bhojan Griha, in a recently restored 150-year old mansion in Dilli Bazaar, east of the city centre. It's worth eating here just to see the imaginative renovation of this beautiful old building. Dancers and musicians stroll through the various rooms throughout the evening. Although most of the seating is traditional, ie on the floor, there are a couple of rooms with conventional tables if your knees or back can’t hack it. The set menu is Rs 997, plus tax and drinks, but it’s a worthwhile night out.Patan
WALKING TOUR
The Patan Tourist Development Organisation has developed a fascinating walk that traverses some of the most interesting sections of the old city. Unnoticed by many visitors, much of the traditional heart of the city still survives and a complex structure of interlinked courtyards, laneways and squares can be explored.
While exploring at random is quite feasible, the walk which has been developed (and is erratically signposted throughout) takes you through the northern and north-western parts of the city, from Patan Dhoka to Durbar Square. It offers a fascinating insight into the traditional rules, regulations and cultural institutions that lay behind the creation of Newari towns and the way in which modern developments are bringing change.
The walk is described in a small booklet entitled Patan Walkabout, which is available from the bookstore at Patan Dhoka.Bhaktapur
PLACES TO STAY
A really pleasant option out of Bhaktapur itself is the Bhaktapur Guest House (Tel 610670), perched on the edge of the valley with great views back to Kathmandu. The setting is very peaceful and quiet, and it offers an excellent retreat from Kathmandu. The rooms are comfortable, and cost $20/25, although at quiet times this can come down as low as $10/15. There’s also a restaurant and bar. The guest house is signposted off to the south of the Arniko Highway, about 1km before the trolleybus terminus, and is then a steep 10 minute walk (or short drive) up a rocky path.Kathmandu Valley
GODAVARI
Places to Stay
Signposted off the road a few kilometres before Godavari is the excellent Godavari Village Resort (Tel 533675, fax 290777). This new place consists of a number of attractive buildings which sprawl down a hillside, with idyllic views over rice paddies to the valley and mountains beyond. The rooms are large and well furnished, and have TV, heater, fan and phone. There’s also a large restaurant, pool, sauna and jacuzzi. The cost is $150/165, but a discount of 15% is usually possible.NAGARKOT
Getting There & Away
Tourist minibuses from Thamel no longer operate. Public Buses operate to a somewhat unreliable schedule from Bhaktapur, departing every hour or so and costing Rs 10. The bus can be very slow (taking up to two hours) and extremely crowded. The roof is not only less crowded but also offers fine views. A taxi from Bhaktapur costs about Rs 500 one way or Rs 800 return.Essential Lonely Planet Resources
Don't stop here in your search for up to date information on travelling in Nepal. Guidebooks and Upgrades provide a great snapshot of the place as it was when the author was last there, but for the very latest news, travellers' reports and embassy advice, check out the following sections of the Lonely Planet Web site.
Destinations – Lonely Planet's On-line Mini Guide to Nepal
Scoop – Nepal News Archive
The Thorn Tree – Nepal Travellers' Bulletin Board
Postcards – Travellers' Reports From Nepal
Propaganda – Lonely Planet's Latest Guides to NepalThanks for Your Feedback
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