Getting an upset stomach can spoil a few days of any trip. In Kathmandu, a little care goes a long way. Here are the habits experienced travellers and locals rely on.
Water first
- Do not drink tap water. Use filtered, boiled or sealed bottled water.
- Many hotels and cafés offer refill stations with filtered water, which saves plastic.
- Be careful with ice and drinks diluted with water in places you do not know.
- Brush your teeth with safe water too.
Choosing where to eat
Busy is good
A restaurant with plenty of customers turns over its food quickly. Ingredients do not sit around.
Hot food, freshly cooked
Dishes cooked to order and served hot are the safest choice. Dal bhat is a good example: it is made fresh every day and served steaming.
Clean basics
Look for clean tables, a hand-washing station and staff who handle food with care.
Street food
Kathmandu's street food is part of the fun. Choose stalls where the food is cooked in front of you and served hot. Skip anything that has been sitting out.
Raw food and salads
Raw salads and cut fruit are the riskiest items if they have been washed in unsafe water. Fruit you peel yourself, like bananas and oranges, is fine.
If your stomach complains
- Rest and drink plenty of safe water with oral rehydration salts.
- Eat plain food: rice, dal, plain bread, bananas.
- See a doctor if symptoms are severe or last more than a couple of days.
How we handle hygiene at Thulo Thakali
Many of our guests are travellers, so we take this seriously. All our cooking and drinking water is filtered, our vegetables, meat and spices are bought fresh from trusted vendors every day, and our team follows strict hygiene routines. There is a hand-wash station in the dining room. Read more in our story.
When you are ready for a safe, freshly cooked meal, see the menu or reserve a table.
