I was only there for almost a week, mostly in Kathmandu. And honestly, I didn’t go to other towns because I wasn’t chasing mountains this time. Nepal is famous for landscapes and history, so for me? I pick history! I enjoy streets, temples, food, people, daily life.

Nepal is fyi one of the oldest continuously independent nations in South Asia, and having never been colonised.

What made Nepal special for me was the feeling of care. People were so friendly, so caring, and somehow… you can feel it in small moments. Like the way they speak to you. The way they help without making you feel silly. The way they smile like you’re already welcome.

One of my favourite parts was meeting my friend’s family. We sat together, ate together, and they introduced me to local food like it was a love language. They explained the dishes in Nepali, we have even compared it to Indonesia food, and I just sat there thinking: wow, this is so special.

  • We both eat with our hands (and somehow, it just feels more “real”, right?).
  • We give and receive things with the right hand.
  • Some words felt familiar too — I even heard something like “rujak”, an
  • They also told me Garuda is popular there, which surprised me. In Indonesia, Garuda is everywhere — it’s our national symbol. So hearing it in Nepal made me feel strangely connected.
Another big thing: I walked alone a lot in Kathmandu. As a woman, that’s not something I say lightly. But I honestly felt safe. I didn’t feel watched. I didn’t feel pressured. I could just… exist. That feeling is rare when you travel.

At the same time, I realised how little I knew. Even though I love culture, I was still confused at first — especially with food. I kept thinking, What should I eat? What is this? Is it spicy? Is it dairy? Is it heavy? Because when you don’t know the food culture, even ordering becomes a small stress.

That’s when I started learning about the Himalayan diet and lifestyle. It’s not just “healthy food” — it’s a whole way of living. Simple meals. Warm foods. Comforting flavours. Eating to stay grounded. It made sense for a country with cooler weather and mountain life.

And spiritually… Nepal felt very alive.

The traditions of praying, the temples, the many gods — it’s all part of daily life, not just “tourist culture”. It reminded me of parts of Indonesia too, where spirituality is woven into normal days. People don’t separate “life” and “faith” so much. It’s just… together.

Also, I need to say this: Kathmandu felt clean and neat to me. Not perfect, but there was order. There was care. And I could feel pride in the way people kept their spaces and traditions.

If I could describe Nepal in one sentence, it would be:

“Nepal didn’t just feel like a place I visited — it felt like a place that held me.”

And maybe that’s why I’m still thinking about it now. Because some countries impress you… but some countries comfort you.

Nepal did both.

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