I am on my last day of a four week stint in Kathmandu. I think Nepal is a great place to visit for many reasons (a new culture, outdoor activities, spirituality, etc) but to get work done it’s far from ideal. There are much better places for that. I wrote up my thoughts on Kathmandu as a place for nomads here: http://smartmoneysmartliving.com/2016/05/27/digital-nomad-guide-kathmandu/

Hey !

I just stayed in Kathmandu for 8-9 days to work. I am now in Pokhara, Nepal. You can definitely work from Kathmandu and Nepal.

Platform in Katmandu is a good co-working space if you want to work during the day. Its open 10AM to 17PM. Wifi is good (25 mbps according to owner). Wi-fi from hotel are really basic and not so good. So when you want to work during the evening, use 3G from your phone. Also if you stay in a hotel in Thamel you will barely notice the power cuts as they all have generators.

But the air quality in Katmandu is really really bad. That for me was the real shock. Pokhara so far is much better.

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As much as I absolutely adore Kathmandu, I would say steer clear as a digital nomad. The wifi is finicky at best (with scheduled power outages all over the city every single day).

But, it’s one of the richest, most interesting cities I’ve visited.

Has anyone been to any of the co-working spaces, like Platform, in Kathmandu? I am considering doing a month in Nepal, working during the week and exploring the country on weekends. Power outages and wonky internet don’t sound very appealing though

Besides the internet issue, the daily 8 hour “load shedding” can be a problem.

Dude, I wouldn’t say the biggest problem would be reliable internet. But if you can get over that hurdle (say with a powerful unlimited data plan you can tether with), then Kathmandu would be awesome! It’s a very laid back place where creative energy flows. There’s just a vibe there that is so pleasant, and lots of travelers lounging around in the cool coffee shops. Also, you’re a hop skip away from the Himalayas, India and Buddha’s birthplace. Would be a rad place to get a business going.

Hope that helps. Also would love to know more about your online business. What you getting into?!

Hi, I’ve been there. I wouldn’t recommend working there, but I can ask a friend (local) there if there are any opportunities at all. Nepal is known for a lot of power outage and there were times when I was having a VOIP call with my friend and then it took another 5 hours for her to get back to me.

It’s awesome for traveling, exploring and discovering this beautiful culture.

It depends on the type of nomad you are and if you can deal with unstable and slow internet. It’s not recommended, your networking opportunities are low however if none of that is an issue, the cost of living would be great for bootstrapping a business. In most cases I’d recommend Chiang Mail if you want a cheap place with decent internet and ability to network.

I’ve met a lot of travelers who have been but none of them would recommend the region for online work.

Not if you need a fast and reliable internet connection.

Hey @Alejandrow

So there are two main telecom providers in Kathmandu (in terms of reach). Ncell and NTC, my experience with NTC has been below average but Ncell used to be fairly reliable. Last year I could do Skype video calls. Although, when I was last in Kathmandu in September I felt Ncell wasn’t as fast (locals tell me that they have lowered the prices and mass adoption has lowered speeds). Saying that you are still better off with Ncell. If you do buy it, make sure to get one of the 3G packages this will certainly make it more affordable.

There are quiet a few cafés you can visit in Kathmandu too. Many spread across Thamel or Jhamsikhel (Jhamel). Although, my favourite cafe to work out is Lakuri Cafe (opposite Russian Embassy) or Imago Dei Cafe Gallery.

All the best mate!