107 Insider Guides: North Asia - International Traveller

From Taiwan, Macau and China to Japan, Mongolia and more – here, insider guides to all the places in North Asia you can’t wait to get back to or visit next year.

Read all 107 Insider Guides from around the world here.

12. Taipei, Taiwan

Insider: John Chen, owner of Gloria Manor and Hotel Proverbs Taipei, both part of the Design Hotels roster

Shop for traditional goods at Dihua Street Markets.

What do you consider the five things people should see and do in Taipei?

Dihua Jie: A street located in Dadaocheng neighbourhood where you can find many shops carrying traditional goods such as spices, fabrics, kitchenware and anything you can imagine.
Temples: There are lots of temples scattered around town. I particularly love visiting the in Datong District.
Taipei 101: With its 101 floors, this used to be the tallest building in the world. The elevator to the top floor observation deck is lightning fast!
Food markets: I recommend looking for a food-only night market like to explore the food and drinks.
Mountains: Taipei is surrounded by mountains. There are many easy trails; that’s also the best way to get a view of Taipei. Check out Jinmian Mountain and Jun Jian Yan.

Can you describe your perfect day in Taipei from morning until evening?

Taipei has a great coffee culture, with lots of character-filled cafes, so find a nice cafe to kickstart the day. After that, I’d take a stroll in the alleys of Taipei. It’s a great city to explore on foot. For lunch, I’d find a noodle stand before checking out the exhibit at MOCA Taipei. Explore the neighbourhood nearby before dinner at one of the nice restaurants in the Xinyi District. Pop in for a nightcap at Hotel Proverbs’ East End Bar before calling it a night.

Hotel Proverb East End Bar — Pop in to Hotel Proverbs for a drink at East End Bar.

Both Gloria Manor and Hotel Proverbs Taipei have an eco focus; how can people be better travellers when visiting the country?

Taiwan is big on recycling and trying to cut down on plastic waste. Most businesses encourage patrons to use reusable containers or bags. Have a carry bag handy if you want to buy some souvenirs to take home. In an effort to cut down on waste, people in Taiwan like to bring their own reusable utensils to the local restaurants that only offer disposal ones. Carry a water bottle as many businesses either have a water fountain for you to refill your bottle or would be more than happy to refill it for free.

Inside the rooms at Gloria Manor in Taipei.

13. Hong Kong

Insider: Geoffrey Wu, director of The Forks & Spoons, based in Hong Kong’s buzzing Wan Chai area

Hong Kong Wan Chai area — Hong Kong is the city that never sleeps.

What is the one thing people should know about Hong Kong when they arrive?

Hong Kong is a city that never sleeps or never stops, it is filled with energy and there is always something to do, to see, to eat and drink in this city.

Hong Kong has one of the best food scenes in the world; if you had to narrow it down, where would you suggest people eat out when visiting?

As a traveller to Hong Kong or to anywhere in the world, I will always recommend visitors to eat their local cuisine, so for Hong Kong, local Cantonese and modern Cantonese food should not be missed. For Traditional Chinese try The Chairman, West Villa, and Flower Drum; for Modern Chinese try Ho Lee Fook; for French x Chinese try TATE Dining Room.

Inside TATE Dining Room — Dine at TATE Dining Room to try French x Chinese cuisine.

The bar scene rivals the food scene in Hong Kong – which are you favourite bars and why?

Hong Kong’s bar scene has certainly evolved. Below are some of my highly recommended bars in Hong Kong: The Diplomat, COA, Penicillin, DarkSide, Quinary and The Chinnery. These are some of my favourite bars in Hong Kong because they make a terrific drink and they are hospitable individuals.

The Quinary cocktails Hong Kong — The Quinary… The bar scene rivals the food scene in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong is famous for being a hyper-lit cityscape, but how easy is it to experience nature there?

There’s plenty of outdoor nature which you can experience just footsteps away. One of the most popular activities throughout all four seasons is to explore the outdoors via hiking or trail walking, which is also one of my favourite activities. If you venture into the New Territories you can also rent bikes to cycle around to explore the nature.

14. Macau

Insider: Palmira Pena, chef at Manuel (Cozinha Portuguesa)

What is the No. 1 food you would encourage someone visiting Macau to try?

I am first-generation Macanese: my dad is Portuguese and my mum is Chinese. Bacalhau (cod fish cakes) are a must-try Macau snack and my dad’s bacalhau are the best. Dad’s restaurant, Manuel (Cozinha Portuguesa), has been going strong in the old Taipa village for 30 years. There is a lot of heritage here. Dad serves his bacalhau charcoal-grilled with baked potatoes and finished with garlic olive oil. My dad learned to cook this dish from his grandmother. It’s a must-try dish in Macau.

Is there something about the Macau food scene that only locals know about?

If a traveller wanted to challenge themselves in Macau it would be to try very traditional Macanese dishes. There’s a restaurant in Taipa called Litoral, near the A-Ma Temple, which still serves Macanese food like African chicken and minchi (minced beef stir-fried with potatoes, soy sauce and wine). There is another restaurant named Riquexo on the peninsula side of Macau, which is a real find. You go down a little lane and there are these two very old Macao ladies who cook with their hearts and keep recipes like curry chicken and feijoada alive. Only Macanese people go to Riquexo. They serve home-cooked dishes that have been passed down for generations.

Where is the best place for street food?

Rua do Cunha in the old Taipa village. Here, you will find a lot of souvenir snacks to take away. We have the famous almond cookies, the dried pork and beef meats, mochi (a chewy Japanese-inspired dessert) filled with mango and durian, egg rolls, the famous Macanese egg tarts. People eat while they walk along this street. One of my favourite things to eat here is the marinated and fried pork chop buns from Tai Lei Loi Kei Pork Chop Buns. There are some old streets near the San Ma Lou that I go to because they are hidden and the tourists don’t go there. I go to support the old people. I order a clay pot rice made in charcoal and a lamb hot pot that is very tasty.

Taipa village, a traditional Portuguese quarter of Macau, is great for street food.

Interview: Carla Grossetti

15. Beijing, China

Insider: On the street of Beijing’s Nanluoguxiang neighbourhood with Rebecca Wang, director of marketing and communications at Hotel Éclat Beijing

During the last few years, Nanluoguxiang has undergone a fusion of East and West. The main street is a cornucopia of food stalls and small thrift shops ideal for souvenir shopping; bars, cafes and live music venues fill the gaps.

An unhurried afternoon rewards visitors with local delicacies like stewed sweet pear with white fungus, or yoghurt from various vendors, the aromas filling the street. Food nostalgia makes it a trip down memory lane for many of the Chinese tourists wandering the alleyways.

16. Shanghai, China

Insider: Ms. Elaine Xu, guest experience manager at The Sukhothai Shanghai in the central district of Jing’An takes us on an arts tour of the neighbourhood

The best art spaces in Shanghai — An art tour of Shanghai’s central district of Jing’An.

Lisson Gallery

Lisson Gallery Shanghai is based in an old warehouse known as the ‘Amber Building’ on Huqiu Road, which was historically referred to as ‘Museum Road’. Today some of the city’s major museums and cultural institutions are still nestled within this area.

Address: 27 Huqiu Road, Huangpu District

Design Republic

Design Republic is a platform for design that hosts exhibitions, talks, workshops and film screenings. The building itself can be traced back to 1909, formerly a police station. It was converted into a unique retail and events space by Neri&Hu. The world-acclaimed Neri&Hu is also the mastermind behind The Sukhothai Shanghai. For those who are keen about architecture and design, it is worthwhile to drop by and take a look at this century-old building.

Address: 511 Jiangning Road, Jing’an District

The Sukhothai Shanghai hotel houses two teamLab masterpieces.

teamLab Borderless Shanghai

To complete your Shanghai art journey, we recommend you to visit teamLab Borderless Shanghai to immerse your body and soul in a vast, complex and three-dimensional world of digital art. Artworks move out of rooms, communicate with each other as well as the audience. The Sukhothai Shanghai houses two teamLab masterpieces.

Address: C2, 100 Huayuangang Road, Huangpu District

17. Busan, South Korea

Insider: Doyeon Lee, manager of Busan Mate Travel

Many people, when travelling in Korea, choose the capital city Seoul for travel. But in Busan, there are many unique things to see and do – Buddhist temples, the beaches, marine sports, colourful neighbourhoods and Korean War history. Here, Doyeon Lee’s top five.

1. Do a Stamp Tour of Gamcheon Culture Village

Gamcheon Culture Village is also called the ‘Santorini of Busan’. The village sits on a mountain and consists of small colourful houses. The Stamp Tour (collecting stamps on a map, available from the village information centre) provides an excellent route for getting around and seeing the many art installations, ensuring visitors see the whole village, get great pictures and understand the modern history of Korea.

2.168 Steps and monorail

This place is located in 10 minutes’ walking distance from Busan Station. At 168 Steps (literally a 168-step staircase through a neighbourhood) visitors can look back on the life of Korean War refugees. It is also visited by many people because it provides a beautiful view over the city. Walk the steps or take the monorail next to the top and enjoy the view of Busan.

3. Haedong Yonggungsa Temple

This is one of the only temples along the shoreline; most temples in Korea are located in the mountains. After going down the 108 steps, past stone lanterns lining the rocky path you will be rewarded with the beauty of the temple facing the sea.

4. Night yacht tour

Sail on a luxury yacht around Busan and enjoy an up-close night view of the city’s waterfront landmarks, such as the Gwangan Bridge and the luxurious skyscrapers of Haeundae Marine City. This night yacht tour is a very special experience that can be done only in Busan.

5. Take a Busan eomuk-making class

Busan eomuk (fish cake) is one of the culinary specialities of Busan. Fish cake-making classes are available at Samjin Eomuk Company in Youngdo. You will learn the history of how eomuk became famous in Busan and how to make them and then you will have a chance to eat them freshly made.

18. Seoul, South Korea

Insider: Zain Kim, artist, on the delights of Seoul and South Korea

Being an artist, can you tell us the best galleries and museums to visit in South Korea?

National Museum of Korea, located in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, houses a vast collection of over 220,000 artefacts from ancient times to the modern era in a wide range of topics, including art and culture. Nogo Gallery, located in Hongcheon, Gangwon-do, is one of the representative galleries of contemporary ceramic arts. The gallery, situated in the forest, houses about 500 small and large black potteries and pieces.

Where are the best places to enjoy nature in South Korea?

I recommend Hangang (Han River) Park in Seoul. Visitors can enjoy the beautiful night scenery and light refreshments and snacks. Korea’s delivery service is world-best and food deliveries are available to the park; I highly recommend Chimaek (chicken and beer).

What is your favourite season in Korea and why do you love it?

My favourite season is autumn (from September to November in Korea). The autumn leaves are best enjoyed from the end of September in the Seoraksan National Park in Gangwon-do (in the north-east of the country) and in the south in Hallasan National Park on Jeju Island.

What is the one thing that you suggest people see or do when visiting Seoul?

I would suggest visiting Jongmyo, a beautiful royal shrine hidden inside the city. Designated as a UNESCO Cultural Heritage site, this royal shrine is dedicated to the performance of ancestral rites for the deceased kings and queens of the Joseon Dynasty.

Visit Jongmyo Shrine — Jongmyo is a beautiful royal shrine hidden inside the city.

What’s the best neighbourhood in Seoul to spend time in?

I would recommend Seongsu-dong; the shoe district has become a hot spot to hang out in. The warehouses have been converted into art spaces, cafes and boutiques, and there is something new around every corner.

What is the one thing, from a souvenir to a memory, that people should take home with them?

Try wearing a hanbok, the Korean traditional dress. I think it’s a great opportunity to experience culture through your body.

19. Okinawa, Japan

Insider: Sandeep Chhugani from The Terrace Club at Busena on experiencing the unique culture and beautiful nature of the Japanese island prefecture

Learn about its traditional textiles

Located at Ōgimi Village, you can learn about bashō-fu, a beautiful textile made from banana fibre, originating from Okinawa and recognised as an important intangible folk cultural property by the Japanese government. You can visit the Bashō-fu Hall to observe the precious skills of people who inherit the tradition.

Visit the Bashō-fu Hall to observe the precious skills of people who inherit the tradition.

Immerse yourself in its beautiful nature

In Ginoza Village you can see the lush nature and red-tiled roofs reminiscent of the original scenery of Okinawa. We recommend a Nordic walk through the sanctuary, called a utaki, and the limestone Matsuda Mēgā Gama Cave while listening to the guide’s guidance.

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Sample its local tipple

Awamori is Okinawa’s distilled alcoholic beverage made from rice, and a drink which is enjoyed among the locals. Take a tour of an awamori factory at the Helios Distillery located in Nago city. You can experience the production process and also taste the fresh awamori.

20. Yakushima Island, Japan

Insider: Ryoko Ado of Sankara Hotel & Spa Yakushima on the natural wonders of this subtropical island in Kagoshima Prefecture

Yakushima is a lush, mountainous rainforest island with many rivers flowing out from its centre. It is a nature lover’s paradise and an escape from crowded cities. Giant, hundreds-of-years-old trees can be found in the dense, wet rainforests of the interior of the island.

There are several hot springs on the island and one ultimate thing to do is bathe in the secluded onsen at Hirauchi Kaichu. It is formed from ocean rocks and what you will see at night while you are bathing is millions of stars and shooting stars when it is close to a new moon. Or aim for a bright full moon: a special, healing time to be moon bathing.

Hirauchi Kaichu onsen — Bathe in the secluded onsen at Hirauchi Kaichu.

Other highlights include trekking to Jomon Sugi, a cedar tree that is 7200 years old; hiking to the moss forest of Shiratani Unsuikyo; snorkelling and swimming with sea turtles, and Yakushima pottery workshop.

21. Kyoto, Japan

Insider: Akinori Kanao, producer at Node Hotel

Stay at Node Hotel in Kyoto — Node Hotel in Kyoto is part of the Design Hotels roster.

While Kyoto is steeped in history, where can visitors go to see the modern face of the city?

Kyoto is a treasure of modern architecture and design. I would recommend a commercial complex called Shin Puh Kan and Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art.

Visit the Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art.

Where are the best galleries/museums to sample Japanese modern art?

Kyoto has a lesser number of primary modern art galleries compared to Tokyo; instead we have small-scale modern art galleries where we plan and produce high-quality exhibitions, such as at eN arts and Sokyo Gallery. For a museum, I recommend Higashiyama Cube, located within Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art.

As a local, what is your absolute favourite thing to do in Kyoto on a sunny Sunday?

My absolute favourite thing to do in Kyoto on a sunny Sunday is go to the Ohara Morning Market (farmers’ market on Sundays).

yukata - Japanese traditional dress — Kyoto is a blend of ancient and modern. Here, tourists dress in the traditional Japanese Yukata.

22. Tokyo, Japan

Insider: see the artistic side of Tokyo with illustrator Yoshifumi Takeda

Kanda Jimbocho old bookstore street — The streets of Tokyo’s Jimbocho are full of bookstores.

What makes Tokyo one of the best cities in the world?

Tokyo has its own role at each station. For example, Jimbocho is a city of books, Ginza is a city of rich people, Harajuku is a city of young people, and Sugamo is a city of old people. I’m sure travellers will find their favourite Tokyo.

Ginza District of Tokyo — Ginza is a district of rich people.

Where are your favourite museums and galleries in the city?

The Japan Folk Crafts Museum – My heart calms down there; it’s very traditional and beautiful.
NTT InterCommunication Center [ICC] (ntticc.or.jp) – I can enjoy a lot of interactive art.
Ginza Graphic Gallery (ggg) – It’s a graphic arts gallery; I can learn so much.

Are there any favourite art book shops that people should visit?

Your illustrations often involve people: where do you like to go in Tokyo to get inspiration from the local Tokyoites?

I often go to a shop called Information which is owned by a friend. You can always discover new and wonderful things there.

Lolita girl in Takeshita Street — Illustrator Yoshifumi Takeda finds inspiration for his work from local Tokyoites.

23. Gobi Desert, Mongolia

Insider: Baatar Navaan of Drive Mongolia, a tour operator specialising in organising tailor-made self-drive tours

Mongolia is one of few places in the world where you can drive for days and not see mega cities, electricity poles and paved roads. This is a perfect place to challenge yourself in different terrains such as mud, washboard and sand dunes. It is not that hard to navigate if you have satellite GPS devices but an experienced support crew is essential. A journey into the legendary Gobi Desert is an excellent choice for overlanders. Here are some of the highlights you will experience.

Visit a local camel herding family in the Gobi Desert.

Yol Valley National Park

Deep in the Gobi Desert, the Yol Valley is a green U-shaped valley in the foothills of the Altai Mountains. Here, you can go hiking in narrow canyons to look for various birds and mammals including bearded vultures (yol in Mongolian), ibex, yaks and mountain sheep. Only five to six per cent of the Gobi Desert is covered by sand dunes; the rest has mountains and fertile green valleys like this one.

Flaming Cliffs

From here you can drive to the Flaming Cliffs, which glow red at sunset and are a dramatic sight to see. This is an important archaeological site where the first dinosaur eggs were discovered and you can explore it with a researcher from the Mongolian Academy of Science. Stay in a deluxe ger at nearby Gobi Nomad Lodge.

Khongoryn Els Sand Dunes

Also known as the Singing Dunes because of the sound they make when the wind blows, these are some of Mongolia’s largest and most impressive sand dunes. You can drive along them for hours and camp at a ger camp next to the dunes. You can also explore the area on foot and visit a local camel herding family. Don’t miss the opportunity to ride a Bactrian camel.

Ride a Bactrian camel through the sand dunes.

This article is part of our 107 Insider Guides series. Visit the hub to read them all.

After youth-led protests in 2025, this year Nepal elected a 35-year-old former rapper as Prime Minister. In a country where tourism is its biggest industry, what’s next for travellers?

In 1986, Nepal changed its clock. It had used India Standard Time since 1920 so, to differentiate, it wound its clock 15 minutes ahead of, not behind, its big-brother neighbour. Boss move. “Nepal is strongly opposed to the idea that our identity is connected to India,” says Community Homestay Network (CHN) guide Bikal Khanal.

Tharu dance is traditionally set to hand drums. (Credit: Kate Lewis)

Today, Nepal is the only independent country with a 45-minute deviation to universal time; an oddity that’s become a symbol of national pride. The quirk is nearly as endearing as Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan airport where carved varnished wood and shiny red bricks rule. One sign points to a ‘Travelator’ and another to a ‘Grievance Handling Desk’ while visas are noisily stamped at customs for US dollars, cash only. When am I?

Spot the endemic Nepal gray langur. (Credit: Simon Urwin)

The 15 or 45 minute anomaly sees me tap out completely on timezone calculations. Why bend my brain calculating if it’s quarter to or quarter past elsewhere when I’m in the honking here and now of Kathmandu where the air is high-altitude crisp, the prayer flags flutter and the street dogs howl?

How tourism is changing in Nepal

Bardiya National Park is rich with wildlife. (Credit: Simon Urwin)

India is not the only association many Nepalis would like to shake. With eight of the world’s 10 tallest mountains, including Mount Everest and Annapurna, Nepal has long attracted mountaineers and trekkers, and expedition numbers are continuing to rise.

Tourism is one of the country’s biggest sources of foreign currency, so this growth is not negative, per se. But according to Ang Tshering Lama, who co-founded Phaplu Mountain Bike Club, being reduced to a mere trekking destination is limiting.

“Trekking is just one layer of our identity,” says Ang. “When it becomes the dominant narrative, it limits how we’re seen and how we see ourselves.” Nepal’s recent success, however, in diverting trekkers to less-trafficked areas such as Manaslu mofuntain, where visitor numbers rose by 117 per cent last year, offers hope that tourism can diversify even more radically.

Local men in Bhada village. (Credit: Simon Urwin)

The founder of CHN, Shiva Dhakal, wants that change. “The whole idea of the Community Homestay Network is to promote experiences outside of trekking,” he says. “Community tourism changes lives and helps kids stay home instead of coming to the city or migrating to the Middle East.”

Ang grew up seeing people leave, “not because they wanted to but because there weren’t enough opportunities to stay”, he states. Yet from remote villages to living traditions; food, art, music and emerging subcultures, “there’s so much that’s not being seen.”

CHN is opening some of those doors. It doesn’t own, or fund, any homes. Rather, it promotes homestays to travellers on a single, slick platform, while fostering entrepreneurship in places where women, marginalised castes, Indigenous people and the youth stand to benefit the most.

A new generation demanding more

Dalla Town Hall, where volunteers discuss anti-poaching tactics. (Credit: Bheem Thapa)

The future prospects of next-gen Nepalis can no longer be ignored. On a Kathmandu tour with 33-year-old guide Monica K.C, we pass buildings torched in the September 2025 ‘Gen Z protests’, including the Supreme Court and Parliament House. Seventy-two people died. “They were anti-corruption protests,” says Monica. “Politicians’ children are living a lavish life but the airports are crowded with youngsters leaving to find work.”

We stop in ‘little Tibet’ at the wondrous sixth-century Boudha Stupa. “The wheel of life is Buddhism in a nutshell,” says Monica. “Things such as hate, ignorance and anger keep you rotating around the wheel, so you must follow the principles of Buddhism to detach. If you can’t, there’s no nirvana for you.”

Boudha Stupa's prayer wheels — Boudha Stupa’s prayer wheels are used to recite Buddhist prayers. (Credit: Kate Lewis)

In a sun-drenched twist to the usual temple visit, we ascend the stupa’s sloping plinth and roam its whitewashed dome. Tendrils of diaphanous prayer flags stream from a steeple-like structure where the Buddha’s unblinking eyes stare out. No nirvana for you…

bouda stupa prayer flags — Tibetan-style prayer flags embellish the whitewashed dome of Bouda Stupa, a Buddhist temple. (Credit: Kate Hennessy)

The dome is delightfully free of guard rails or chiding from security. There is, however, a stern ‘No TikTok’ sign, perhaps in response to the youth’s newly flexed power. The booted-out Prime Minister, K.P. Sharma Oli, was replaced in a resounding election victory in March by 35-year-old Balendra Shah of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) – a former rapper and mayor of Kathmandu. The RSP’s manifesto indicates tourism is a priority, and that Nepal’s cultural identity in areas such as gastronomy will be strengthened.

Boudha Stupa vendors — Vibrant souvenir shops and cafes around Boudha Stupa. (Credit: Kate Hennessy)

A more confronting stop awaits at Pashupatinath Temple. Today is Bala Chaturdashi, a Hindu festival where thousands of devotees gather to honour their dead ancestors. Vendors hauling foam mattresses do a lucrative trade as people set up for a night of vigil. This includes burning the bodies of recently deceased relatives on bamboo pyres in the Bagmati River, which flows into the sacred Ganges.

A woman at annual Hindu festival Bala Chaturdashi, in Kathmandu. (Credit: Kate Hennessy)

Wrapped in a shroud, the bodies are positioned with their heads facing north to the Himalayas where Lord Shiva resides. They’re covered with flowers and straw and set alight by male family members.

Hours later, the ashes are swept into the river where devotees will take a holy dip the next day. As much as Monica assures us it’s not voyeuristic to watch, I struggle to do so. “Here you see the reality of life because everyone ends up there,” she says, gesturing to the river.

Life unfiltered in the Terai region

tharu woman — Tharu woman and master weaver Parbati Chaudhary in Bhada Village. (Credit: Bheem Thapa)

The reality of life needs processing time, which the western Terai region delivers in spades. The Terai is largely separated from India by the Karnali River and Bardiya National Park, where elephants, rhinos and the elusive Bengal tiger roam.

Once a nomadic tribe, the Indigenous Tharu people are now the largest ethnic group here. “They didn’t know their daily life was interesting for international travellers but they’re starting to understand now,” says CHN founder Shiva.

Take a Jeep safari through Bardiya National Park. (Credit: Bheem Thapa)

We fly Buddha Air to Dhangadhi airport and drive five hours to stay in Tharu homes. The journey to Bhada village is a blur of roadside fruit stalls, traffic-stopping sacred cows and fields sown with wheat, rice, mustard, spinach, cauliflower and potatoes. Nepal’s agriculture feeds only Nepal.

Marigolds are an important part of Hindu rituals. (Credit: Simon Urwin)

“The only thing we export is young people,” says our guide Bikal. As the light dims and we plunge evermore rural, mysterious mounds of compacted hay – some house-sized – loom like the creatures from Where The Wild Things Are. Even our trusty driver gets flummoxed by a dirt road that abruptly ends and we find ourselves hurtling across a paddock.

On arrival, some are ferried to mud-walled cottages greened by gourd creepers, with thatched roofs and rustic-chic mosquito nets. Myself and two others are ushered to the home of corner store owner, mechanic and mushroom farmer Man Kumar Chilaruwa and his wife Rajkumari.

community homestay entrance — A warm welcome at a community homestay. (Credit: Simon Urwin)

They escort us to a bunker-esque back building with steel doors and a folding security gate, behind which is gleaming linoleum, dolphin-printed tiles and a shower cavity that must be gingerly stepped through to reach the toilet.

The ceiling lights emit a rainbow of colours (the bathroom light gets stuck in, frankly, a quite frightening red). We’re nevertheless touched that our hosts invested in all this bling when the average salary is around $275 a month.

In the coming days, we participate in Tharu traditions such as making moonshine, dancing, weaving straw handicrafts and gold-panning. We’re fed well with staples of rice, mustard greens, lentil pancakes, daal, curried chicken and tomato chutney served on antibacterial saal leaves.

food at community homestay — Dig in. (Credit: Kate Hennessy)

Sonara community homestay president Indradevi Tharu tells us river snails are often served, and the boiled and pickled flesh of rats hunted in the rice fields. “Perhaps next time?” we say and all have a laugh.

The power of community homestays

community homestay owners in Nepal — Barda community homestay owners Parbati Chaudhary and Ram Krishni Devi Chaudhary. (Credit: Simon Urwin)

Immersing Western visitors in foreign cultural practices is not new. But with the Tharu, I never get that uneasy sensation that I’m being performed for. Despite being the only tourists, there’s no ‘othering’; just warm, composed and ultra-dignified welcomes. Like we’ve always been here.

“I love to have travellers in my village so I can see the world,” says local woman Parbati Chaudhary. “Why would I travel the world when the world comes to me?”

The graceful acceptance the Tharu offer, as well as the slow pace, works miracles on my frazzled nervous system. One day I even take a nap on a vacant homestay bed.

Sonara community room — An authentic stay in the Sonara community. (Credit: Kate Hennessy)

Roosters strut and goats bray as we sit on the ground in al fresco kitchens, rolling rice flour into cylinders steamed to make dhikri (dumplings). When water is needed, we fetch it using a hand-operated pump as a family of ducks strolls by, side-eying us like curious neighbours.

Animal lovers will delight in Tharu villages. Kind and resourceful inventions are everywhere, such as snacking stations where two posts lean together, with leafy boughs dangling on rope for baby goats to forage from.

CHN’s CEO, Aayusha Prasain, nods knowingly when one in our group says she cried when she left her host, Shayam Chaudhary, in Bhada. Shayam’s 17-year-old son, Prashant, had translated, which deepened the connection.

“Community tourism turns travel into a relationship, not a transaction,” says Aayusha. “It places decision-making power in the hands of local communities, especially women and youth.” Since 2018, CHN has hosted more than 4000 travellers from 52 countries in 408 households, and estimates women’s participation has increased by 381 per cent.

In the Bardiya community, where vexing human-animal conflict has been a balancing act for decades due to elephants raiding crops, long-time homestay operator Salik Ram Chaudhary says young people keep the older ones on their toes.

“We can’t keep homestays stagnant,” he says. “We have to upgrade our service and redefine our product or young people won’t see it as an attractive business. If we can keep evolving with this travelling trend we’re confident the youths will stay and continue it.”

Back in Kathmandu, Monica explains that after the deaths of young protestors in September, a determination had spread to not let their sacrifice be in vain. “We want to keep holding the government accountable,” she says. “We don’t know what situation we’re facing, but we’re ready to face it.”

Interested in Nepal but prefer to experience it in total comfort? Read our guide to luxury travel in Nepal.