Bauddhanath Stupa, Kathmandu

• Buddha Stupa is one of the grandest structures in Kathmandu. With a busy marketplace surrounding it and some of the famous eateries nearby, this is a place to be.
• There is no entry fee but the place gets crowded so early morning is the best time to visit.

A Stupa is a Buddhist religious structure that represents the learning and messages of Buddha. It is always white in colour and hemispherical in shape - probably indicating the non-violence doctrine of Buddhism. We visited Buddha Stupa on our way to Bhaktapur Darbar Square and Changunarayan Temple. The three heritage sites can be easily covered over a single day if you start early.

Bauddhanath Stupa, Kathmandu

The Buddha Stupa area is also a buzzing marketplace. There are several alleys leading to the structure all lined with shops of different kind. There are some of the famous eating joints in Kathmandu situated around the Buddha Stupa as well.

Full view of the Great Stupa

The Stupa itself is gigantic. It takes few minutes to walk around and inside the Stupa. We were visiting in the early morning but still the place was buzzing with tourists. While eating at a tibetan restaurant on the first floor overviewing the Great Stupa we were told the structure was severely damaged during the 2015 earthquake and was closed for a year due to repair works.

Market near the Great Stupa

Having eaten, we decided to take a cab for Changunarayan and Darbar Square site visits. The cab driver proved to be one of the few nasty guys in Kathmandu. Upon returning he demanded us the amount to be paid in dollars which would have been exorbitant for half day trip. When our hotel manager intervened, he agreed for 20% more than what we had agreed for.