Tourists describe the Nepali appeal

Nepal, and Kathmandu in particular, gets its fair share of tourists so CNNGo decided to ask some recent visitors to share their thoughts and suggestions on what not to miss. 

Tourists have their say

Yuya loves Nepali samosas.

Yuya Kadowak

Hometown: Miyagi, Japan
Why Nepal over a tropical beach in Thailand? For trekking. I've already been to Thailand!
Where are you staying? Norling Guest House in Thamel. I feel good here. It's good quality.
Favorite Nepali dish so far? Dal bhat and Nepali samosas.
Best place to find Japanese food in Kathmandu? I don't need it now, so I didn't look for it.
Best trek so far? Everest Base Camp.

Clara likes Nepali English but not the food.

Clara Wang

Hometown: Nanjing, China
Why Nepal? To improve my English! Chinese English is not good. I've been here for one month already.
Where are you staying? Hotel Cheng Du. I like it -- there are many Chinese people here.
Favorite Nepali dish? I don't like Nepali food -- it's not clean to eat by hand! I like Chinese food and sometimes I go to American restaurants here.
Best Chinese food in town? Beijing Restaurant in Thamel.
Most exciting thing you've seen or done so far? One-hour flight in the mountains around Pokhara.

Eishi is a fan of traditional architecture.

Eishi Kaneko

Hometown: Kanagawa, Japan
Why Nepal? For Patan and Bhaktapur. I'm interested in traditional buildings.
Where are you staying? Fuji Hotel in Thamel. There's a friendly staff; one Nepali staff speaks Japanese.
Favorite Nepali dish so far? Buffalo Momos.
Craziest thing you've seen so far? I just saw the photos of the animal sacrifices for the recent festivals.
Favorite activity? Next time I'll go trekking. This time I'm only here to see the traditional buildings and take photographs.

The fresh air is a hit for these two.

Yoo Song Kil (Father) and SuYeon Yu (Daughter)

Hometown: Seoul, South Korea
Why Nepal? For the fresh air and famous mountains.
Where are you staying? Annapurna Hotel
Happy with it? Yes.
Favorite Nepali dish? The bread and the beer.
Going trekking? Yes, to Pokhara. We're only in Nepal for four days -- two days in Kathmandu and two days in Pokhara.

Insider tips on traveling in Nepal

Shopping: Clothing aesthetics are changing in Nepal. In the warmer months, in particular, feel free to put on a tanktop, shirt, or shorts. Sherpa Mall on Durbar Marg has some of the best options. Nepal has come a long way, but it’s not quite on the Gucci or Armani radar yet. 

Sleeping: There's always Thamel, Kathmandu's hippie backpacker district (equivalent of Bangkok's Khao San Road.) But Kathmandu has a larger number of superior places to bed down for a night or a week. Some favorites are Dwarika's and Yak and Yeti where guests have the chance to mingle with Nepal's high society and Everest climbers, as well as enjoy their garden areas, diverse restaurants, and varied entertainment.

Socializing: Tired of temples? Check out Nepal's posh nightclubs and lounges. Casablanca Lounge, The Attic, South Beach Pavilion, Pipalbot, and The Factory are each architectural wonders, combining ultra modern design with hints of traditional Nepal.

Eating: It’s easy to eat like royalty in Nepal. Rather than eating momos (Tibetan & Nepalese dumplings) off the streets, try one of Kathmandu's many excellent restaurants, such as the Rana-style Garden of Dreams, Russian-Newari courtyard restaurant Wunjala Restaurant, and Dwarika's Friday night bbq. The best bet is to go to Baber Mahal Revisited, the restored horse stables from the ruling Rana families, where you will find the city's classiest restaurants, boutiques, and lounges. Some picks there are Shogun for Japanese, Chez Caroline for French, Casablanca Lounge for drinks, and lastly, in true royalty-style, there's Baithak, which feels like eating in an ancient King's hall.