Bandipur, Nepal
Bandipur is a rare gem: an architecturally, culturally, and geographically fascinating place which has maintained its sense of ‘other’ whilst being developed to cope with the tourist interest that such a place inevitably attracts.
Originally an important stop on the trade route from India to Tibet, Bandipur is a showcase of Newari culture; yet with a distinctly European café-culture feel about it. There are no motorised vehicles in the town; meandering along the winding lanes is a true pleasure, stopping to admire the views out over the Marsyangdi River Valley.