Old Bazaar (Mahendrapul)

Local market where Nepalis actually shop. Authentic and safe during busy hours but minimal English, constant staring, not tourist-oriented. Daytime visits only.

This is where locals shop - narrow streets crammed with produce vendors, electronics shops, fabric stores, everything. About 4km north of Lakeside and feels completely different. Traditional Newari architecture, small temples between shops, vendors calling prices in Nepali. Almost no English except at main intersections. You'll be the only foreigner around and people will stare - curiosity, not threat, but it gets tiring. Safe during busy market hours when families are out shopping. Streets are crowded and chaotic. Hard to navigate without Nepali. Good if you want to see actual local life and pay real prices instead of tourist markups, but it's not somewhere you'd hang out in the evening. Most visitors come once for the experience then go back to Lakeside.