IN PICTURES: why Patan is the perfect starting point for your next Nepal adventure
More authentic and laid back than Kathmandu’s touristy Thamel, and with a beautiful historical old town that’s easy to negotiate on foot, Patan is a great alternative base in Nepal
The third largest city of Nepal after Kathmandu and Pokhara, Patan is located in the south-central part of Kathmandu Valley, just half an hour from Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport. And while Thamel is the most popular base for backpackers and tourists, Patan is an underrated gem for its rich cultural heritage, beautiful architecture and tradition of arts and crafts.
“I believe Patan reflects the true nature of what Nepal and Nepalis are all about,” says Patan-based sustainable development consultant Aradhana Gurung. “It’s very relaxed, peaceful and with lots of stories and history to be discovered.”
Gurung, who worked with the United Nations for over a decade, is an aid worker who raised money to build 50 transitional homes in Halchowk and Nuwakot after the April 2015 earthquake. From the historical Patan Durbar Square and renovated boutique heritage hotels to trendy local food joints and coffee shops, she shares her insider’s picks for a stay in Patan in the following photos.
A woman prepares samya baji, bara (lentil pancake) and aloo mama (potato and bamboo shoots soup) at Nandini Food Court in Swotha Chowk, Patan. “Traditional street food joints like these are becoming more trendy among the local youth here,” says Gurung.
