Travel

Visiting Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Buddha

Published

1 day ago

January 21, 2025

Honestly, the title says it all. On our Nepal trip, Emmett and I managed to spend just one evening in Lumbini, on the border with India. Lumbini’s main draw is the fact that it is the location of the birthplace of the Buddha. Yes, that’s right: the Buddha. The town itself is dusty and somewhat unappealing, but the park around Buddha’s birthplace is a beautiful, walkable testament to the Lord Buddha himself.

How to Get to Lumbini

Within Nepal: Like most domestic destinations in Nepal, the best way to get to Lumbini is by bus. It’s ten hours from Kathmandu, four hours from Chitwan, and about nine from Pokhara.

From India: You can travel via bus or hired car for 14 hours from New Delhi or 7 hours from Lucknow.

What to Expect in Lumbini

The Southbound buses to Lumbini will all have their last stop at the entrance to the park that encompasses the UNESCO World Heritage Site that is Buddha’s birthplace.

A few items to note:

Entrance into the park is free.
Entrance to the Maya Devi Temple (ruins of the site where Buddha was born) are 200 rupees per non-SAARC country nationals. (SAARC countries are South Asian countries such as Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, & Sri Lanka).
The park is massive! We didn’t have enough time to explore the whole thing. I recommend a half a day starting either around 8 AM or at noon. That would be the perfect way to explore Lumbini.
You don’t have to rent/hire a vehicle, bicycle, or pedi-cab to see the park. (Unless that’s your preferred method of transportation). If, like us, you prefer to walk, it is easy to do so. Just politely decline any offers.
There is wildlife that lives within the parks confines! We saw signs warning about the presence of Nilgai (Asian Antelope) within the park.

Highlights of Things to Do & See in Lumbini

There’s a ton to be seen and done within the park’s confines and Emmett & I only barely scratched the surface. Here are some photo highlights from our wander:

Maya Devi Temple

Maya Devi Temple.

Maya Devi is the real main attraction. The temple sits right next to the actual spot where Buddha was born. The large white building houses ruins of an ancient shrine to the Buddha, which you can walk above and view – but be sure to respect the no photos rule inside. The Sacred Garden area outside of Maya Devi Temple is definitely one of the most serene places in the entire park. When we visited, there were many monks gathered beneath the trees and prayer flags, silently reciting mantras.

Near the Sacred Garden, a plethora of prayer flags flutters in the warm breeze.

Emmett walks along the brick path outside the Maya Devi Temple complex.

This shiny, happy statue was a gift to Lumbini from Thailand in order to commemorate Siddhartha’s early years spent in Lumbini.

The Eternal Peace Flame

Young tourists take a photo of the Eternal Peace Flame in Lumbini

The Eternal Peace Flame was ignited in November 1986 by a flame brought all the way from the United Nations in New York City. The flames was lit to commemorate 1986 as the International Year of Peace.

The Central Canal

A motorboat takes tourists down the Central Canal towards the World Peace Pagoda.

The Central Canal stretches from one end of the park to the other and is 1.4 kilometers (.08 miles) long. There is a small covered motorboat that will take visitors along the canal’s length for a small fee. One end is the Eternal Peace Flame and the other is the World Peace Pagoda.

International Monasteries

The German-donated Buddhist monastery.

Many countries from all over the world have set up monasteries on the grounds of Lumbini. These nations are nearly all Buddhist nations from Asia, with the one exception being the European/German monastery (see above photo).

Beautiful Surrounding Wetlands

Sunset at Lumbini, across the local wetlands

Perhaps one of the most surprising things to me about Lumbini was the fact that it is located among some truly beautiful wetlands. We ended up watching the sunset from the park and it was really lovely. As it turns out, Lumbini’s second most famous claim to fame is it’s wetlands-based Crane Sanctuary.

Waterfowl on a marsh in Lumbini.

Water hyacinths in Lumbini.

Where to Stay

We stayed in a hotel just off of the bus stop that was pretty mediocre. We were just hoping for a place that didn’t have bedbugs – it didn’t – but it did have a moldy bathroom. In short: I wouldn’t recommend it. . I would recommend that you shop around the guesthouses and hotels. Go into guesthouses to ask to take a look in a few rooms / ask the price / then compare prices before staying anywhere. Either that, or ask your guesthouse or hotel in Pokhara or whichever city you stay in beforehand for recommendations.

Travel

Why I Travel Journal And You Should Too

Published

3 hours ago

January 22, 2025

Mark Rober

I like to journal. In fact, I’ve been writing about my life with regularity since I was nine years old. And I make no exception when I travel. In fact, I journal even more while I’m on a trip than I do at home. Even though it can take up a lot of my time, I feel compelled to journal about my experiences on the road. Here are five reasons why:

See Also :A Few Days In Asheville, NC

You Are Writing for Your Future Self.

As with any journal I’ve kept, I love being able to read about something I did and see it through the eyes of my past self. It not only brings me joy to relive a tip but re-reading old journals also helps me recall details I never would remember otherwise. It’s been three years since my trip to Costa Rica and I don’t think I could have remembered the names of all of the village tiendas if I hadn’t been journalling about it.

While I tend to generally write about the details of the day, I also jot down other things that I’d like to remember. Things like pronunciation guides, songs I heard in specific places, the history of a site I visited, a little map of the area I walked in, or some interesting facts I read in a book. I’m always learning a lot of information about the new places I visit that I know would normally just disappear from my memory. Once it’s on the page, the information won’t get lost.

Emmett caught me tired and about to start journalling at a helpx stay in New Zealand

2. Writing is Cathartic.

When I’m having a crappy time somewhere, I will feel a lot better about it if I can write down every little thing that’s bothering me. A drunk guy peed on the floor of the dorm room? The airline lost my luggage? I’m covered in ultra-itchy bed bug bites? You can bet I wrote some angry words about all of those things in my journals. It was much easier to let go of my frustrations once they were all written on the page.

3. It’s a Scrapbook.

My journaling supplies: the journal itself, a glue stick, scissors, souvenirs to paste, a few pens.

I don’t know about you, but I like to hold onto every little ticket stub, brochure, map, paper with traveler contact info, business card, or flier that finds it’s way into my hands. I always seem to end up with a pile of travel memorabilia in the bottom of my backpack – even after only a few days. Instead of just periodically throwing all of that nostalgia in the bin or keeping it in a messy pile somewhere, I long ago decided that the best thing to do with it is put it all in one accessible place. So: I glue them into that day’s journal entry. Now my journals are like little diary-scrapbook hybrids. I like that pasting papers and tickets into my journal visually breaks up the pages upon pages of my sloppy handwriting. Not only that, but the scraps I paste in can further jog my memory back to a specific time or place.

4. Waste Waiting Time.

Waiting is an inevitable part of traveling. Waiting for a flight/bus/train

to leave? You can catch up on journaling. Not only that but I’ll write once I get on that train, plane, or bus I’d waited for. Sometimes I’ve even found myself sitting & waiting for a hostel to open or a dorm room to be ready. That’s journal time. I can always find the time to to write at least a little bit.

Stepping away from my open journal on the patio of our hostel in Nadi, Fiji while we waited for reception to officially open.

5. Your Journal Becomes a Reference.

The more I’ve traveled, the more I’ve had relatives and friends ask me for information on places I’ve visited. All I have to do is flip through my journal from that trip to find names, locations, or directions. Oftentimes I’ll also write down advice given to me by other travelers about places I haven’t even been to yet. For example, when I was planning the New Zealand trip I remembered that I’d met a guy in Prague who’d done aWorking Holiday. I then looked through my journals from Europe and found his recommendations.

All in all, I highly recommend journaling while you travel. Even if you’ve never journaled before, traveling is honestly the best time to do it. A travel journal is a unique and personal souvenir that will preserve your trip forever.

An entry in my first journal of the New Zealand trip featuring a map of the top half of the South Island with a drawn line noting our hitch-hiking route for that day.

Travel

A Few Days In Kathmandu

Published

4 hours ago

January 22, 2025

Mark Rober

Kathmandu is a dusty, chaotic, and incredibly fascinating capital city. From the ancient architecture of Bhaktapur to the cafes & shops of Thamel to the religious sites that the Buddha himself visited, there is so much to do and see in Kathmandu. Emmett and I spent a month in Nepal, with Kathmandu being both the first and last place we visited. There is so much to see in the city and I know that we only scratched the surface. Check out our five favorite places in Kathmandu below.

Heading to Kathmandu for just a few days? Try this for an itinerary (details on each activity to follow):

+ Shopping & Dining in Thamel – 1 Day
+ Swayambunath, Boudhanath, & Pashupatinath – 1 Day
+ Bhaktapur – 1 Day
If you have more than 3 days, you could always add an extra day to exploring Thamel or Bhaktapur and throw in a side trip to the town of Nagarkot to see a view of the Everest range. (Just check the weather forecast before going to Nagarkot because it was very cloudy when we made our attempt).

1. Thamel

Thamel is the primary tourist district in Kathmandu. It has the widest variety and most affordable choices for accommodation in the city. I love Thamel. It’s very much a touristic place but there’s something so endearing about all the alleyways and shops. The best thing to do in Thamel is Shop for Souvenirs. A lot of the shops will sell the same sorts of items, so make sure you ask the price of the product you want at each shop first to compare deals. And don’t forget to barter a little because that’s the expectation most vendors will have of you as a tourist.

On each of our visits to Kathmandu, we stayed at the dorm in the top of the cozy and very friendly Hotel Silver Home for 1,000 NPR ($10 USD) per person per night.

Swayambhunath

Also known as the Monkey Temple due to it’s population of rhesus macaques, Swayambhunath is one of the oldest religious sites in all of Nepal. The whole site is comprised of a set of very steep steps leading up to a hilltop complex of Buddhist temples and shrines surrounding a large stupa. In addition to it’s historical and spiritual significance, Swayambhunath is a great place to do people-watching. There are souvenir touts, locals in prayer, women feeding the monkeys and stray dogs, and plenty of other tourists.

Entry for tourists is 200 NPR per person (about $1.80 USD) and Swayambhunath is about a 30 minute walk from Thamel.

Boudhanath

Along with Swayambhunath, Boudhanath is one of the most significant sites for Buddhists in Nepal. The huge stupa is said to be built around the remains of Kassapa Buddha and is surrounded by a circular courtyard which must be walked in a counter-clockwise fashion as one circles the stupa. It may be difficult to see in photos, but Boudhanath is a maginificent sight to behold. The top of the stupa is estimated to be 118 feet (36 meters) high – if that gives you any indication of the scale. We walked both of the lower rungs of the stupa, taking our time and listening to the tinny sounds of a stereo playing the Buddhist chant “Om Mani Padme Hum.” The stupa is, like most historic sights in Kathmandu, surrounded by a series of shops selling souvenirs and religious artwork.

Entrance to walk the lower level of the stupa is 400 NPR per person (about $3.60 USD).

Pashupatinath

If you’re anything like me, you may be under the assumption that Nepal is a Buddhist nation. Maybe it’s the plethora of Buddhist prayer flags to be found in every souvenir shop in Nepal? Or maybe it’s the fact that the Buddha himself was born in the country? Either way, you maybe be surprised to learn that the majority of Nepali people (a whopping 81.3%!!) follow Hinduism!

Pashupatinath is the oldest Hindu temple in Nepal and is located on the outskirts of Kathmandu. I have a confession to make: Emmett and I were running low on Nepalese rupees and did not purchase passes to enter the complex. Instead, we wandered around the outskirts and watched a Hindu funereal procession from a respectful distance. We spent a while just watching some stray cows eat from a garbage pile as monkeys played in the dirty river that ran through Pashupatinath’s center. The shops surrounding the temple were full of Hindu souvenirs and piles of very photogenic powdered dyes.

Entrance to the Pashupatinath temple complex is 1,000 NPR (about $9 USD) per person.

Bhaktapur

Bhaktapur is an incredible ancient city about 8 miles (13 kilometers) outside of Khatmandu proper. In fact, Bhaktapur is the most well-preserved ancient town in all of Nepal and is full of beautiful and ornate architecture. However, even after three years, the whole of the city is definitely still reeling from the effects of the 2015 earthquake. . In fact, I have so many good things to say about it that I plan to make a post solely about Bhaktapur very soon.

Entrance to Bhaktapur’s Durbar Square is 1,500 NPR (approx. $15 USD) per person.

Travel

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

Published

5 hours ago

January 22, 2025

Mark Rober

1. What countries have you visited?

On a QANTAS flight to Melbourne, Australia.

Other than my home country of the United States, I’ve been to Costa Rica, Panama, China, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Vanuatu, Singapore, Malaysia, & Nepal. (Also see the Google Map at the bottom of this page).

2. What are your favorite countries?

Me in 2014 in Norway, one of my favorite countries I’ve visited.

3. how old are you?

Me at 28, feeling great!

I just turned 30 in Summer 2021! Wow, that sounds old to me. Most of my international traveling was done at 21 (Central America), 23 (China & Europe), & 25/26 (Everything Else).

4. How do you afford to travel?

When you alternate between backpacking on a budget and working, it’s easier to afford travel.

I work and save money. I’ve been a teacher, a kitchen hand, a sales associate, a social media manager, a receptionist, and a tutor in the US; a fruit-packing factory worker in New Zealand; and a painter, receptionist, and assistant manager in Australia.

5. How much do you spend when you travel?

Emmett & me in New Zealand (a very expensive country), where we spent an average of only $50 a day per person over 10 months.

When my partner Emmett and I spent ten months living and working in New Zealand, our expenses amounted to 31, 000 USD for TWO people. That basically breaks down to $50 per day per person. But that’s in one of the most expensive countries to visit in the world. Some days we spent $0 and on others, we did something extravagant like drop $900 for both of us to heli-hike a glacier.