What to do in Kathmandu: The top ten list.

By David Reed, author of The Rough Guide to Nepal

For a lot of travelers to the Himalaya, Kathmandu is just a staging post for the big trek. Still, you can't avoid it. And while it's not the mellow destination it once was, there's plenty to do and see.

People often ask me for recommendations, and I usually reply that my recommendations would fill a book (as indeed they do). But for those of you with only a couple of days to spare, here's my Top Ten list of things not to miss in and around Kathmandu:

1. Do Durbar Square. The teeming, touristy heart of KTM is the inevitable place to start any tour of the old city: visit the "living goddess," mingle with the vegetable sellers and hustlers, haggle for handicrafts, or just take it all in from the top of one of the temples' steps.

2. Stroll the ghats of the Bagmati. A decidedly un-touristy destination, this mile-long river frontage is home to all manner of crumbling temples and neglected artifacts, as well as the shanties of Kathmandu's outcastes.

3. Hang out at Pashupatinath. Often likened to Varanasi in India, Nepal's holiest Hindu pilgrimage site is a time-warp enclave of exotic temples, cremation ghats, ritual bathers and charismatic holy men.

4. Circumambulate Boudhanath. The spiritual center of Tibetan exiles in Nepal, the great stupa of Boudhanath attracts the entire spectrum of Buddhist seekers, from prostrating pilgrims to trust-fund dharma bums.

5. Climb up to Swayambhunath. The third of the valley's main "naths" (holy places), this 2000-year-old stupa-set atop a conical hill overlooking the city-is the most profound expression of Buddhist symbolism in Nepal, and the centerpiece of the local creation myth.

6. Visit the Patan Museum. Housed in a wing of the splendid Patan Durbar, Nepal's newest and most tasteful museum does honor to Patan, the city of artisans located just across the river from Kathmandu.

7. Go to Bhaktapur. The "City of Devotees" is Nepal's most perfectly preserved city, with pedestrian-friendly streets, medieval alleys and amazing brick- and woodwork, although it might be too far afield if your time is short.

8. Eat at Mike's. Run by an ex-Peace Corps volunteer, Mike's Breakfast has assumed a mythic reputation among travelers and expats alike for its incongruously authentic American fare served in a serene, music-filled garden. You'll really appreciate it after a trek.

9. Check out a bhojanalaya. At the other end of the scale are Kathmandu's many nameless, green-curtained bhojanalaya, where you can sample unusual (to say the least) local delicacies and cheap spirits.

10. Browse at Pilgrim's or Mandela Book Point. Kathmandu has a great collection of English-language bookshops, and browsing them is one of the city's main forms of nightlife; Pilgrim's and Mandela’s are still the best, especially for anything on Nepal or the Mysterious East. Remember that HEC members get 10% off at Mandela’s!

A final tip: With pollution, construction, traffic and tourist hustle all on the rise in Kathmandu, the smart money these days is on staying outside the capital and making day trips in, not vice versa. If you're staying in the area for more than a couple of nights, you're better off basing yourself in the healthier surroundings of Boudha, Patan or Bhaktapur.