Category: Nepal

The Birthplace of Buddha is in dire need of some spirituality I’ve visited Lumbini many times over the years. The first time was because it was the birthplace of Buddha. A place that could surely be matched in importance with Jerusalem or Mecca. What I found was an uninspired town, hidden monks and a less than stellar …

Continue reading “The rise & decline of Lumbini in Nepal”

Is ethical elephant tourism different in Nepal compared to Thailand? Yes, is the honest answer. But that still doesn’t make it right. Then again, without this form of elephant tourism Nepal wouldn’t have any elephants in the wild, or rhinos or tigers or possibly any forest. While Thailand is making world headlines for its long running …

Continue reading “Elephant tourism in Nepal: is it different?”

The most updated and detailed guidebook to Pokhara, anywhere! The latest of my 2025 edition guidebooks for Nepal has just been published. This edition to Pokhara marks the continued success of my guidebook collection which offer more detail, practical advice, reviews and better maps than you’ll find anywhere else. They also include post-pandemic updates. Pokhara …

Continue reading “The Latest Guidebook to Pokhara (updated 2025)”

Discovering great tea was hard until I met the tea connoisseur of Kathmandu I never really understood why so many people liked tea. The whole world seemed to like it and I was always the odd the one out. To me tea always came in a little soggy bag and never quite had the punch of an …

Continue reading “Where to buy tea in Nepal”

Did you know that there are dozens of temples in Pokhara? Very few people explore Pokhara beyond the popular Lakeside area. It’s not hard to imagine why either as very little “old” culture is ever promoted there. An unfortunate result of big resort hotels and adventure activities outshining the past. Back in the mid 17th century …

Continue reading “The disappearing temples of Pokhara”

Digital Archaeology: saving the past for the future in Nepal Digital acquisitions enable us to capture the surface of an object in 3D along with its visual properties. These digital images collectively reform temples, monuments, shrines and artifacts into three-dimensional representations of geometric data. This includes not only structural modules but also textures, tones and in some cases …

Continue reading “Saving the temples of Nepal with Digital Archaeology”

Nepal’s unique cultural history is becoming a distant afterthought Following the 2015 earthquakes in Nepal a huge humanitarian effort took place. Although over 9000 people lost their lives and thousands more were made homeless, a massive international program brought aid to the country. Priorities were in the right place. Amazingly as people looked to help …

Continue reading “Nepal’s temples still lie in ruins”