Local Shopping in Nepal

Posted in 11th Jun, 2020

Local Shopping in Nepal is always interesting and the best part of traveling for anyone in Nepal. Wherever we travel, we buy something as a gift to family and friends, to decorate homes and offices, or something that has archeological value or fashionable garments and groceries. Like many cities in the world, Nepal also has many places for shopping. Kathmandu and Pokhara is a turbulent, consumer-driven marketplace full of hundreds of shops and stalls selling goods, clothes, bags, suitcases, souvenirs, scarves, and everything in between.

Nepal is a good place for Local Shopping for fine handicrafts including intricate jewelry, traditional hand-woven fabrics, carpets, metal, and woodwork items, and of course, the ubiquitous range of quirky kitschy touristy souvenirs peddled at the roadside in tourist destinations the world over.

The best thing about Kathmandu is its sprayed local markets where you can buy anything at a reasonable price. Hand-knotted pashmina shawls, woolen carpets, woolen knitwear, jewelry, embroidery, woodcarvings, ceramics Thanka paintings, metalwork, woodcarvings, stationery, handmade Nepali paper, and pottery sold by marketers. Not only this, but your fetish for traditional antique statues, paintings, and handicrafts will also be fulfilled once you shop in the local markets inside the city.

Where you can shop for Local Shopping in Nepal? 

Colorful Ason / Indrachowk market: Just a few meters before you reach the Kathmandu Durbar Square, Ason / Indrachowk is another famous hub for shopping in Kathmandu. There are huge wholesale and retail shops selling specially imported Garments, textiles, Blankets, Shoes, Tea, and Spices. Indrachowk is famous for POTEE (colorful glass beads, a symbol of married Nepali women). Ason is the oldest market in Kathmandu where you can find many household items at a reasonable price.  If you plan or wish to buy anything as souvenirs to take back home, you can explore this place. You will also find a variety of Nepali-packed snacks for long travel journeys i.e. Titaura, Lakhamari, and Gudpak are the famous Nepali snacks with multiple flavors. Also since it’s a wholesale market, you will get everything at a meager price, and if you are good at bargaining, you can save a lot of your money here. There is no fixed price system in such a market, and the shopkeepers of this market are more than happy to decide the price mutually and sell off things.

Nepali Antique and Handmade Stuff at Thamel: Thamel is the main tourist center of Nepal in terms of attraction of decorated shops. It is also the main shopping center for international tourists. The biggest con of the Thamel shopping experience would be it’s expensive, and shopkeepers generally don’t allow you to bargain. But still, it’s total luck. But for souvenirs, handicrafts, paintings, and for other traditional items Thamel is the place for you. Other kinds of souvenirs include Nepali tea, the famous Gurkha knife or Khukuri, prayer wheels, stone carvings, singing bowls, paper–maché masks, thangkas, pauls, pashmina, carpets, jewelry, etc. Souvenir items are available in Thamel. You can also shop for branded trekking and mountaineering equipment here.

Shopping around Boudhantha Circle: Boudhanath is also a good place for shopping in Kathmandu. You can find the best selection of Tibetan prayer flags, brocade, and embroidered silks at shops around the Boudhanath circle. You can even get a tailor to make you a set of Tibetan or Sherpa traditional clothes here. Due to the Tibetan Buddhist influences, You can shop for Tibetan handicrafts, Paintings, Tibetan beads, Singing healing bowls, etc.

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Newroad for electronic items: Just beside Kathmandu Durbar Square, Newroad is another famous place for shopping especially, Gold and silver jewelry, and electronic items like Mobile sets,s and cameras. Newroad is also popular for international textile and tailoring outfits.

Fairtrade shopping at Patan: Patan is famous for exclusive shopping for metal crafts, handmade Tibetan carpets, Nepali women’s Handicrafts, and handmade boutique Jewelry. It is also a hub of fair trade shopping. Mahguthi, Sana Hastakala, Dukuti, and Dhankuta Sisters are well-known shops in Patan. Items that carry religious significance and artistic works of stone and metal, silver and gold trinkets, and incredible wood carvings are readily available.

Lakeside, Pokhara: Pokhara is the second largest tourist destination in Nepal. The famous Annapurna Basecamp Treks start from here. Pokhara is a hotspot for adventure tourism i.e. Bunjee Jumping, paragliding, Ultralight flight, etc. Beautiful Lakeside Street is another best places for shopping in Nepal. It is like a Thamel market where hundreds of shops are covering approx 2 KM distance of lakeside street. Many colorful shops are selling Nepali tea, the famous Gurkha knife or Khukuri, prayer wheels, paintings carvings, singing bowls, Nepali garments pashmina, and Trekking equipment.

High-end shopping at Durbarmarga: Durbarmarg is another shopping place in Kathmandu for branded items. Exclusive showrooms of international items are available here. Shoes. Western wear, women’s outfits, electronic, and cosmetics shops are available here. You can also find the best restaurants, bakery shops, and Pizza in Durbarmarga.

Malls and Superstores: Nowadays shopping habits have changed from single shops to Malls and Superstores where everything is available under a single roof. There are many Malls and supermarkets that sell Western items at fixed prices, Don’t worry, you don’t need any bargaining skills to shop in malls. You can get a good restaurant for food, a Bar and a lounge cinema hall for your entertainment. Labim Mall, Bhatbhateni Superstore, and Citycenter are some of the malls in Kathmandu.

New Road, Durbar Square (Basantapur) area, Thamel, Freak Street, Makhan Tole, Ason, and Indrachowk are major local markets in K-town. In recent years, Kathmandu has been experiencing the advent of the mall culture, and visitors can now choose from a number of well-stocked malls selling all manner of international brands from Canon showrooms to Levi’s stores.

Local Shopping Tips in Nepal

• Always do research about the thing you want to buy
• Inform us to help in find the right place to buy
• Bargaining is the best policy.
• While you are shopping always opt for the second opinion
• If you buy antics then validate it before leaving the country.
• Be careful while buying goods from a street vendor
• Be sure you are buying legal items only.
• Ask for genuine bills and keep them safe.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT

Golden Nepal Holidays Pvt. Ltd.  Kathmandu, Nepal  Cell: +977-9849 855 872 | +977-980 8595985  WhatsApp No.+977-9849855872 Email: sales.goldennepalholidays@gmail.com