Entertainment In Nepal

Despite being an old city in terms of historic monuments or prehistoric handicrafts, Kathmandu is now developing gradually on the recreational activities. It is amazingly shocking to know that Nepal has a large number of festivals which are very entertaining especially to foreign travelers. Most of the festivals involve enlivening performances, dances and charades featuring the most popular mask dances which are means of laughter and entertainment. Some of the modes of entertainment in Nepal are as follows:

a) Theater:

Dating back to the Malla period, theater in Nepal, which comprises skits, comedies and adaptations from Sanskrit dramas flourished and became popular. At present there are three venues in Kathmandu namely The Rashtriya Naachghar, The Royal Academy, and The City Hall.

b) Music:

Nepal is a rich treasure house of folk songs depicting the various ethnic features of the country. Religious music is a part of most of the sacred processions. Both religious as well as folk music have been a source of entertainment in towns as well as rural villages. Over the last few decades, western music has influenced much to the modern Nepalese music scenario. You can see live music performances in the restaurants and music bars in the tourist hotspots of Kathmandu and Pokhara. Some of the most hot and happening music hubs in the country are:

House of Music, Kathmandu
Jazz Upstairs, Kathmandu
Moksh Live, Lalitpur
Downtown Pub & Grill, Bhaktapur
Dé Ghurkhas, Bhaktapur
Accoustica, Chitwan National Park
Gig House, Chitwan National Park
Sauraha Tharu Culture House, Chitwan

c) Folk Dances

Lakhey, Devi, and Mahakali Dances are the most popular masked dances of Kathmandu that are classified as classical dances. These traditional dances are related to the ritual worship of holiness of various ethnic groups. Then, there are folk dances depicting joy, sorrow, fear and aspiration of the different ethnicities amalgamated with a variety of expressions. Spots to witness extraordinary dances in Nepal are as follows:

Fewa Paradise Garden Restaurant, Pokhara
Hotel Barahi, Pokhara
Hungry Eye Restaurant, Pokhara
Boomerang Restaurant & German Bakery, Pokhara
Tharu Cultural Program (Stick dance), Chitwan
Festival Restaurant and Bar, Kathmandu (Himalchuli Cultural Group)
Hotel De L’ Annapurna, Kathmandu
Atithi Satkar Restaurant, Kathmandu
Nepali Chulo Authentic Restaurant and Bar, Kathmandu
Bhojan Griha, Kathmandu

d) Cinemas

There are countless cinema houses in Nepal where Nepali, Hindi and English movies are shown. Going out for a movie in Nepal is quite a fun experience. Movie halls are of different standards and the price of a ticket will cost you according to the benchmarks of the hall, which ranges anywhere from US$1 to 5. These are perfect places to sit back, relax and get entertained with the celluloid offerings of some Hollywood, Bollywood or Nepalese movies (even if you do not understand the language). Some of the places where you can entertain yourself for a couple of hours with celluloid delight are:

Movie Garden, Pokhara is a makeshift outdoor cinema
QFX Cinemas at various places
FCube Movies at various places
Cine de Chef, Kathmandu
Big Movies at various places
Q’s Cinemas at various places
BSR Movies, Kathmandu
Other budget cinema houses

e) Discotheques and Nightclubs

You will find several discotheques and nightclubs especially in the tourist hotspots of Kathmandu and Pokhara. Most of the luxurious hotels including 5 star hotels and some 4 star hotels are equipped with discotheques to entertain the in-house as well as walk-in guests. Most of the nightclubs of Kathmandu are located in Thamel. These discotheques and nightclubs are usually open till very late at night. Some of the most prominent places to hangout and experience the nightlife in Nepal are:

Club Déjà vu, Kathmandu
Karma Bar and Lounge, Kathmandu
Busy Bee café, Pokhara
Rum Doodle, Kathmandu
Purple Haze Rock Bar, Kathmandu
Ozone Premium Club, Pokhara
Moon Sun Disco, Kathmandu
LOD – Lord Of The Drinks, Kathmandu
Club Nasha, Pokhara
Studio 54, Kathmandu
The Irish Pub, Pokhara
Moksh Live Bar, Lalitpur
Caffe Concerto, Pokhara
Buddha Bar, Kathmandu
Paradiso Sports Bar and Grill, Pokhara
Tamarind Resto Bar, Kathmandu
All That Jazz, Pokhara
Maya Cocktail Bar, Kathmandu
Old Blues Bar, Pokhara
Tom & Jerry Pub, Kathmandu
Sam’s Bar, Kathmandu

f) Casino:

People travel to Nepal for various reasons and one of the most shocking reasons that tourists come to Nepal is to try their lady luck in Casinos. There are several casinos which serve as an entertainment tool to Nepal visitors in the capital city of Kathmandu. These casinos offer non-stop games including blackjack, poker, flush, pontoon, roulette, and other card games as well as slot machines. There is no doubt that Nepal has become a crowd-favorite for gambling where casinos are filled with the promise of wealth and riches as well as the much desired entertainment. The five prominent casinos in Kathmandu that offer 24-hour unlimited fun are: