Guns & Butter: Pokhara, Nepal Travel Guide (Cautionary Edition)

Pokhara Nepal Travel Guide is part of the ANA, Take Me ‘Round the World Trip Report.

TPOL’s Guns & Butter Travel Guide is the best way to see as much as you can in as little time as possible. Here’s how it works – A trip is composed of two factors: Labor And Lazy. The opportunity cost (what is given up) for relaxing and being Lazy is gained by being adventurous in the form of Labor and vice versa. The guide includes inefficient activities i.e., tourist traps that should be avoided and aspirational activities that are worth doing but may be impossible to see given the constraints of time and resources.

Pokhara is by far better than Kathmandu (see Guns & Butter: Kathmandu Travel Guide (Bargaining Edition)). But I didn’t do or see all that I could while I was there. Thus, this guide is more of a warning than a play-by-play.

Warning #1: Monsoon Season 

Pokhara is only a short flight from Kathmandu if your plane gets off the ground (see Nepal Domestic Flight Misery). Some suggest taking a bus or hiring a driver to get there. That comes with its own set of problems (see OMAAT: The Hell Journey from Chitwan to Kathmandu). In general, I would advise traveling during the rainy season (see TPOL’s Travel Lessons), but sometimes it is unavoidable. Fortunately, the flight eventually took off (Yeti Airlines: Finally Taking Off from Kathmandu to Pokhara).

Warning #2: Don’t Play Golf 

I was mesmerized by this advertisement for golfing in the Himalayas. Don’t fall for it. Here’s what it really looks like (see Rip-off Alert: Golfing in the Himalayas).

Warning #3: Paragliding (during Monsoon Season)

Weather really can interfere with plans. Initially, my paragliding trip was cancelled because of the rain. Then the rain stopped and I was able to have a great time (see Paragliding Pokhara: Born to Be Alive).

This is just another chapter in my book of thrill-seeking activities (TPOL’s Biggest Fears: Some Conquered, Some Endure).

Warning #4: Bargaining 

I only put this as a warning if you don’t read the Souvenir Pricing Guide: Pokhara, Nepal and, more importantly, Master Bargainer: TPOL’s TIPS for Shopping Abroad.

Warning #5: Accommodations 

I stayed at Big Pillow, a nice play for $40 a night. Could I have found a cheaper place? Absolutely. This warning comes from spending too much when there are cheaper options (see Frontier Hotel Darwin: My Case for Hostels) and for settling for a room for a few dollars thinking it will be the Chungking Mansions.

Warning #6: Doing No Research 

TPOL doesn’t plan ahead (see How to Book Trinidad’s Carnival Last Second for Free*). Usually, this works out. In Pokhara, not doing research was a mistake (see My Fault vs. This Place Sucks: How TPOL Grades Destinations). Had I spent even five minutes looking at why people go to Pokhara, I probably would have booked a 5-day Annapurna trekking trip to get a taste of the Himalayas. The full trek takes weeks, but this would have been sufficient and a better use of my time than playing golf.

Warning #7: Watch Your Weight 

Pokhara had some great food. Ordering double entrees and double appetizers and triple drinks for myself caught up to me quickly. But since I was not trekking, why would I pass up on momo, curry, and biryani?

I even ordered momo when I went for pizza.

Overall

Food and paragliding made Pokhara worth visiting. Trekking would have made it more special. Maybe next time when the Pokhara International Airport opens.