Information Nepal Tourist: A Guardian Guide to Nepal Visitors.
Travelling to Nepal does not just require packing of your bags. It is worth learning some local practical’s so that when visiting the location, you make the most of it. Here is a critical guide containing all important information on the money, time, and business-hours to assist you in planning.
Money Matters and Foreign Exchange.
When by chance you have landed in Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), Kathmandu, you can easily change your foreign currency at the official counters. The remaining part of your journey should be spent by changing money only in licensed banks or licensed foreign exchange dealers. It is advisable to carry and save your receipts of transactions which may come in handy in case you would want to exchange back some of the Nepalese Rupees (NPR) to your own currency upon leaving. The payment is made using credit cards in major areas of tourism by large hotels, restaurants, and shops; nevertheless, there are plenty of ATMs in cities and other larger towns to draw out local currency. When taking far-off treks, make sure you spare sufficient cash in Nepalese Rupees.
Knowledge of Local Time and Business Hours.
Nepal has its different clock. Nepal Standard Time (NPT) is 5:45 hours, which is 5hours and 45 minutes in advance of the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). An interesting fact to the Indian traveller: Nepal is 15 minutes faster than Indian Standard Time.
The business and government time is quite different. Bank hours are usually 10: 00 am -3: 00 pm on Sundays to Fridays, closed on Saturdays and on public holidays. Nevertheless, certain banks within the significant tourist centres can be open during Saturdays and only within specified times. The government offices usually act between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM during the summer and 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM during winter. Although Saturday day is the formal weekend of the government offices, many of the privative enterprises, stores, and tour agencies work normally.
Airport Tax and Authorized Holidays.
In case of domestic travel in Nepal do not forget to pay a small airport tax of NPR 500 on departure. This is an extra charge not incorporated in your airline ticket that you typically pay at the local airport at the counter before you can even check in to board a plane.
Nepal has several formal national holidays in place all the year round which are usually related to religious holidays such as Dashain, Tihar and Buddha Jayanti. Not all businesses, government offices and banks will be open during these big holidays so before visiting on such a day, it is better to consult the calendar to ensure you do not happen on one of those big festivals. Now that you have this practical knowledge, you are now in a good position to maneuver your way in the day-to-day life in Nepal and instead concentrate on its amazing nature and culture.
