Kathmandu Shopping

The main tourist shopping areas are in Thamel, Durbar Square and high-end handicrafts shops are on Durbar Marg. Rarely are supposed antique actually real, especially if you purchase them from a street stall.
Many items are made in Nepal and it is cheaper to get them where they are made. You can get metalwork in Patan, pottery and woodcarvings in Bhaktapur, thangkas in Boudha and puppets and papier mach masks in Thimi.
Custom embroidered T-shirts shops are all over the city. Quality varies greatly, so it is best to shop around. They can copy many different designs that give them yourself.
Khukur House, north Kathmandu Guest House in Thamel, has an excellent selection of knives. Cottage Industry Emporium, New Rd, a government handicraft shop that has cheap postcards.

Bookshops
There are many used bookshops where you can get a wide selection of books. Kathmandu has one best selection of bookshops in Asia. There are many interesting books on Nepal that you can find in the bookshops here that can not be found in any other places. Many book shops will buy back books for 50% of the price you paid for them.
Tiwari’s Pilgrims Book House, a few shops north of Kathmandu Guest House has one of the best selections of maps, travel, philosophical, yoga, Nepal, the Himalayas, and eastern medicine books any where. It is the best bookshop in town. Kailash Bookshop, by the Hotel Yak & Yeti, also has an excellent selection of books.
In Thamel is Barnes & Noble bookshop and Walden Book House at Chhetrapati are good bookshops. Mandala Book Point on Kantipath has a first-class assortment of maps and books, including ones in German and French. Bookland, on Tridevi Marg in Thamel is a good place.

Copyright ©2001 John Howley and Spiritual Guides