Kathmandu Shopping

Kathmandu is shoppers' paradise. If you want to buy quality products without burning holes in the pocket then Kathmandu is the place to be. For starting, shop for clothes. Kathmandu is a great place to shop for clothes. Flowing hippie gauzes, Monk's robes in saffron and maroons, funky neon trance wear and dozens of elegant silks; you ask for it and Kathmandu has it. Hand-woven Nepali fabrics are available in endless patterns and colors. The alleys around Indira Chowk between Thamel and Durbar Square have dozens of fabric shops and tailors.

Apart from clothes, Kathmandu is a great place buying artifacts. You can't buy most real antiques as they are banned. Opt for the replicas in wood and copper. Just keep a keen eye on what you buy, as there are a lot of counterfeits product that are sold by cunning salesmen. Patan, the twin city of Kathmandu, is known for the quality of her bronzes.

Pashmina is another major attraction in Kathmandu. The product has been banned in India and Pakistan but is sold in Kathmandu. Pashmina scarves and shawls can be purchased for a fraction of the price of those in Europe or North America. Of course there are fake Pashmina items. It is better if you opt for government-approved shops. Look for those produced by the Tibetan refugee camp just outside of Patan.

Kathmandu is Harrods for cheap electronic items. Being a tariff free city, Kathmandu waives off sales tax and duty on imported electronic goods from China, Japan and Korea. The motive behind these steps is sales maximization. Therefore Kathmandu is a good place to buy cameras, I-pods, Cellular Phones and other electronic devices. There are electronic shops in Thamel and around New Road.