Nepal: Venture Fearlessly

• You can apply for Visa on arrival upon arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), but to reduce waiting time, I advise you to obtain Online Visa in advance at https://online.nepalimmigration.gov.np/tourist-visa. Simply upload your photo, fill in some personal information, and provide the hotel address where you will stay in Nepal. The system will issue you a receipt and payment notice at the airport within 15 days. Just print the colorful receipt (for aesthetics,^^), queue to pay the fee in advance at the airport, then proceed to the immigration counter, where the friendly Customs officer will greet you with Namaste and enthusiastically affix the beautifully designed Nepal Visa onto your passport.
• A useful tip for you is that hotels in Thamel are located in Ward No. 29. Ward is a mandatory field when filling out the hotel address in the Online Visa application, however, this information is almost impossible to find on Booking, Agoda, or Google Maps. Even when contacting the hotel directly, clear assistance is scarce. 

• I usually check the weather information at the destinations to prepare clothing at: https://www.accuweather.com/en/np/nepal-weather. The forecast information is quite accurate.
• Because Nepal is dusty and experiences high temperature fluctuations with and without sunlight, prepare warm clothing in layers. Warm hat, gloves, sunglasses, sunscreen, moisturizing Vaseline, antifungal cream (for water allergies, dust, weather, etc.), and a mask (preferably Ninja Lead type) are also necessary.

Day 1: Explore Thamel – Enjoy sunset from Swoyambhu Stupa

1. If you arrive or depart Nepal while the sun is still shining, ask the staff to assign you a window seat on the right side for the flight to Kathmandu and on the left side for the return journey to not miss the breathtaking scenery of mountains and clouds merging.
2. Google Maps works efficiently in Nepal and is particularly essential if you intend to rent a motorbike to roam around, so don't hesitate to invest in a 3G/4G SIM or a portable Wi-Fi device.
3. The taxi fare from Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) to Thamel is fixed at 1000 NPR (100 NPR is approximately equal to 1 USD), while the quoted fare from the domestic airport to Thamel is only 500 NPR, surprisingly cheap despite the two airports being adjacent.
4. You can easily walk between Swoyambhu Stupa, Suryabinayak Temple, and Kathmandu Durbar Square as they are within a radius of about 2.5km. Swayambhunath Stupa (also known as Swoyambhu Stupa or Monkey Temple) is a wonderful place to admire the sunset, watch playful monkey families, and enjoy panoramic views of the Kathmandu Valley.
5. Lemon, honey, hot ginger, and Masala tea are my secret recipe to warm the heart amidst chilly Nepal. Don't forget to try them!

Day 2: Nagarkot Day Hike – New Year's Eve in Thamel

1. 1. The sunrise at Nagarkot is breathtaking, totally worth standing in the dark and chilly weather on the watchtower for nearly an hour to wait, and the two-hour hike covering about 6 km uphill, under the warm sun with a view towards the misty small village, is also worth trying. Due to unfamiliarity, distance (Nagarkot is about 30 km from Thamel), and the need to start early, we booked the Nagarkot Day Hike tour via Klook. The service wasn't bad with a simple buffet breakfast, and the tour guide was punctual. If you're also taking this route, don't forget to dress in layers for warmth and bring water.
   2. Garden of Dreams with many beautiful photo spots and Narayanhiti Palace Museum, the former palace of the Nepalese monarchy, are adjacent to each other and close to the western district (Thamel), very convenient for walking. Note the opening hours for visiting.
   3. New Year's Eve is perhaps one of the few nights when Thamel lights up until dawn. We had a memorable and peaceful New Year's Eve, blending in with the crowded streets amidst the loud music in Thamel. The late night seemed to be not so cold anymore.

Day 3: Everest Mountain Flight and Sacred Temples

1. Everest Mountain Flight is a must-try experience in a lifetime despite its non-cheap price tag, $200 for a one-hour flight in a tiny propeller plane. The beautiful flight attendant will narrate to you vividly the towering mountain peaks of the majestic Himalayas gliding past the window frame, including Everest – the world's rooftop, and you'll even be invited to the cockpit by the captain for a panoramic view ahead. However, Everest Mountain Flight may or may not happen depending on the weather conditions. The flight we booked for this day was canceled at the last minute, and we were rescheduled for another day (or refunded if desired). A gentle reminder is not to be surprised when the domestic airport here resembles our local bus station and also lacks heating systems! Dress warmly if you book an early flight.
2. Kopan Monastery, Boudhha, and Pashupatinath Temple are all located in the same direction about 8 km from Thamel. Initially, we planned to rent a motorbike to visit these places, but due to Kathmandu's dusty environment and chaotic traffic conditions, we decided to take a taxi from Thamel to Kopan for 500 Rps and planned to move on to Boudhha and Pashupatinath Temple either by taxi or on foot (these sites are about 3 km apart according to Google Maps). However, in reality, Kopan was the only destination for us that afternoon because Kopan was too serene, too pure, because the little monks were too peaceful, because the sight of birds flying back to the mountains in the evening glow was too beautiful, and because the Masala tea was too delicious, we couldn't bear to leave.

Day 4: Pokhara City Tour by Scooter and Unforgettable Encounter with Traffic Police Officer

1. We booked airport transfer services from a local travel company for 800 Rps/way. We received a 200 Rps discount and tipped the driver. If you know that the average income of Nepalese people is $2/day and if you also have the opportunity to meet kind-hearted, friendly Nepalese people like we did, I believe you will be like us, not hesitating to tip.
2. To save travel time, we flew from Kathmandu to Pokhara by plane for $88/way booked through Air Viva. It's still a tiny propeller plane, passengers can choose their seats, and beautiful flight attendants distribute candies and cotton earplugs, after about 25 minutes flying over a distance of more than 200km, we arrived in Pokhara on a beautiful sunny morning. Although it's a small propeller plane, the flight was very smooth, much better than traveling on ATR planes in Vietnam.
3. We took a taxi back to the hotel near Phewa Lake for 400 Rps. It was still too early to check in at ten in the morning, so we left our luggage at the hotel and rented a scooter for 800 Rps per day, excluding fuel (the hotel provides this service). The roads in Pokhara are beautiful, less dusty than Kathmandu, so riding a scooter is convenient, similar to in Vietnam except that you drive on the left side of the road, and if you're a bit unlucky (like us), you'll be approached by traffic police. I'll gently remind you again that Google Maps accurately marks the route, so don't encounter problems with a 3G SIM or a Wi-Fi hotspot at times like this!
4. According to the itinerary, we will visit the places commonly mentioned in Pokhara City Tours, starting from the farthest point, World Peace Temple (about 10km from Phewa Lake). World Peace Temple (also known as Japanese Peace Pagoda) is located on Ananda Hill, and in my opinion, it is one of the most worth-visiting places in Pokhara. From World Peace Temple, you have a panoramic view of the Himalayas, Phewa Lake, and the city of Pokhara. Here, there are also many small cafes with stunning views at very affordable prices for you to take a break.
5. We went to World Peace Temple following the Green route that 'Gò-Mép' recommended. The turning point to the hill is a gently sloping dirt road, deserted and dusty, making us feel like we're off-roading on a scooter, but in return, the roadside scenery is as beautiful as a painting. On the way back, because we noticed that most vehicles to World Peace Temple came from the Red route, we decided to try this route. The asphalt road is beautiful, lined with lush green trees but steep and sharp curves, very dangerous. I advise you not to try this route if you also choose to rent a scooter like us. Going downhill, after a while, we encountered a traffic control checkpoint and were asked to stop. The traffic police officer here requested us to present an international driver's license (we presented a driver's license issued in Vietnam), telling us that the owner is not allowed to rent to us because it's easy to cause accidents, only showing us where the owner usually stores vehicle documents (in the scooter trunk), then he gently confiscated those documents and handed us a note paper with a request for the owner to come to the police station to meet him to resolve the issue! Oh, my goodness!!! A feeling of terror surrounded my weak heart. Fortunately, the police officer was also kind, after enduring a series of pleas in English that even I couldn't understand, he returned the documents to us and let us go. I nervously asked to take a picture with him to preserve this unforgettable memory.
6. The remaining points are also convenient to visit when returning from World Peace Temple to Phewa Lake, if you have time, you should stop by.

Day 5: A Skyward Adventure with Ultralight Aircraft and Visiting the Tibetan Village

1. The plan to soar the skies with Ultralight Aircraft was removed from our original itinerary to save costs. However, after the plan to rent scooters to visit Rupa and Begnas lakes in the southern part of the Pokhara valley, about 20 km from Phewa Lake, failed due to the incident with the traffic police officer the previous day and continuously seeing Ultralight Aircraft circling the sky during our visit to the World Peace Temple on Ananda Hill, we were completely fascinated and decided to book an Ultralight Aircraft flight (including hotel pick-up and drop-off). And so, on the morning of the fifth day of the journey, one of us plunged into the sky with a high-end 'bird-shooting gun' (meaning the Canon5D), while the other put on flip-flops to chill and travel through the camera screen... There is a slight regret that we did not research carefully beforehand about this type of flight tour. We were convinced that there was only one 15-minute flight tour, but in fact, we could choose 30-minute, 60-minute, and even 90-minute tours. Different flight durations mean different flying ranges, sights, and prices. For things we believe can only be done once in a lifetime, I wish we had researched more carefully to make the most appropriate choice.
2. At noon on the same day, we rented scooters again to roam around and visit the Jangchub Choeling Monastery, a monastery named after the 14th Dalai Lama in 1967, located in the northern part of the Pokhara valley about 10 km from Phewa Lake. This is a beautiful route. We had the opportunity to accompany the flow of the Seti Gandaki River, a highlight of Pokhara, with the majestic FishTail peak always in sight. If you have the chance to visit Pokhara and if you also embrace the dream of Tibet, take the time to visit Jangchub Choeling Monastery, at 3:30 in the afternoon, to participate in the deeply Tibetan prayer ceremony and don't forget to buy some handmade souvenirs from the roadside stalls of the friendly, gentle-hearted Tibetan people and wholeheartedly devoted to Buddhism.

1. Sarangkot offers a panoramic view of the Pokhara valley, serene Phewa Lake, and the Himalayan range stretching with the silver-headed peaks of Dhaulagiri (the 7th highest mountain in the world), Annapurna (a mountain range with one peak over 8,000m, 13 peaks over 7,000m, and 16 peaks over 6,000m), and Manaslu (the 7th highest mountain in the world) always shining in vibrant golden-orange hues under the sun. It's no exaggeration to say that if you haven't been to Sarangkot, you haven't truly been to Pokhara!
2. Booking a luxury hotel room and spending a whole day and night in Sarangkot is the most expensive yet most satisfying decision throughout the Nepal journey. However, there are still some guesthouses, small hotels highly rated by many travelers with super-friendly prices and stunning views for you to choose from depending on your financial ability.
3. Sunrise and sunset at Sarangkot, you must experience it! Absolutely! You can go to Sarangkot View Tower, Sunrise Point, or even at any hotel you book in Sarangkot if the manager advises that you can watch the sunset or sunrise there. You will experience the most wonderful moments of your life.
4. Paragliding takes off from Sarangkot hill and lands by Phewa Lake shore is an outdoor entertainment activity not to be missed in Pokhara. I booked Paragliding in advance through Klook, including hotel pick-up but drop-off at the tour office, Phewa Lake area. It's advisable to bring a face mask and gloves to keep warm if you also go paragliding because flying in the mid-air can be quite chilly. Mobile phones and DSLR cameras are also safe to bring and use when paragliding.
5. Weekend flight tickets from Pokhara to Kathmandu are quite expensive. To save costs, we agreed to return to Kathmandu by road. The price of a Tourist Bus is quite cheap, only about $11, with a travel time of about 6 to 8 hours, departing from the bus station around 7:00 – 7:30 a.m. every day. Because we had booked Paragliding in the morning, we couldn't leave early, so we booked a Private Car with a promotional price of $100 on Klook, picking us up at the hotel at noon. Everything was fine until the car left the relatively smooth asphalt roads of Pokhara city. The remaining 200 km journey, for me, was truly a nightmare, and I never want to experience it again in my life. The cracked, narrow road nestled between a mountain wall and a valley, sitting in the car felt like riding a stubborn horse! When we reached the sign indicating the Kathmandu city limits, the nightmare reached its peak as the road was full of... potholes and the traffic jammed. The young driver, a gentle Nepali, after nearly 8 hours of continuous driving without rest, also showed signs of losing his temper by starting to honk the horn. Some sections of the road connecting Kathmandu and Pokhara are under repair and upgrading but being carried out by a few local workers and some rudimentary vehicles, I don't think the roads here can be improved in the near future. So, if you always keep in mind 'going is to return', I sincerely advise you to prioritize buying KTM – PKR flight tickets in your spending list when traveling to Nepal.