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“Nepalis treat tourists as dummy rich people?”
Nov 03, 2011, 11:18 PM
Nikolaosk, Greece, 165 forum posts
Hi there
Just finished a 30 day trip around various parts of Nepal and wanted to share some thoughts with anybody interested.
Nepal is totally a very interesting country, from many aspects, but the way that locals treat tourists is not equally appealing (the gentlest way to put it).
Starting with government which charges overpriced tariffs for permits, flights etc, then locals do the same, although no law says that (I think). And this goes the same way no matter from what country you are coming from, or how easy it is or not, for each traveler to pay this trip.
You never learn the actual cost of the services and items you pay, you just pay inflated prices and get questionable services .
They tell you it’s a direct non-stop tourist bus but they pick up passengers from anywhere on the way.
They give you the worst seats and keep the best to pick up Nepali passengers, unless you decide to ruin your day and fight for a normal place, too.
They promise you higher services in package trips with good personnel, food etc, and you prepay for these, but you find yourself eating just dal bat and having a useless guide. Then the guide expects an extra tip, equal to a few months’ salary of a teacher or a doctor.
Even some local people come out of their houses to ask money from you, because you took photo of goats!!!!!! My god…
There are endless examples like these.
Most Nepalis, who have any kind of relationship with tourism (work or just see it passing by), have developed a sick attitude to travelers, and the others just don’t bother with you or you cannot meet them.
If anybody speaks or smiles to you, most times he/she wants sth from you.
You are not treated like a human being but like a walking dollar/ euro…
And even worse, some treat you as if you had the intelligence of a monkey carrying money, and they keep telling you childish lies and excuses.
I had bad experiences even from a Nepali person I was sent to meet, through a friend of mine in my home country who has adopted his nephew! My god! And again my god! Speechless… No human values here…
It’s a pity and very contradictory this to happen in a country which visitors, including me, regard(ed) with a lot of warm feelings.
I guess that other travelers disagree with the above, or had different experiences.
And of course, not all Nepalis are the same and many must be very genuine, but maybe they are in inaccessible sides of life for visitors (place/time-wise…). The few exceptions to this rule are so few, that they make the rule more obvious.
The bottom line and my suggestion:
We should stop mentioning the terms ‘welcoming’ and ‘warm’ people of Nepal, because it’s not easy/possible for visitors to meet such people now days. Maybe, once upon a time, it was – not anymore. It’s better to speak about beautiful nature etc, which is really there for everybody.
Anyway, I wish things can change some when…or that other visitors are more lucky…
Happy trips to all!
Nik
“Nepalis treat tourists as dummy rich people?”
Nov 03, 2011, 11:18 PM
Nikolaosk, Greece, 165 forum posts
Hi there
Just finished a 30 day trip around various parts of Nepal and wanted to share some thoughts with anybody interested.
Nepal is totally a very interesting country, from many aspects, but the way that locals treat tourists is not equally appealing (the gentlest way to put it).
Starting with government which charges overpriced tariffs for permits, flights etc, then locals do the same, although no law says that (I think). And this goes the same way no matter from what country you are coming from, or how easy it is or not, for each traveler to pay this trip.
You never learn the actual cost of the services and items you pay, you just pay inflated prices and get questionable services .
They tell you it’s a direct non-stop tourist bus but they pick up passengers from anywhere on the way.
They give you the worst seats and keep the best to pick up Nepali passengers, unless you decide to ruin your day and fight for a normal place, too.
They promise you higher services in package trips with good personnel, food etc, and you prepay for these, but you find yourself eating just dal bat and having a useless guide. Then the guide expects an extra tip, equal to a few months’ salary of a teacher or a doctor.
Even some local people come out of their houses to ask money from you, because you took photo of goats!!!!!! My god…
There are endless examples like these.
Most Nepalis, who have any kind of relationship with tourism (work or just see it passing by), have developed a sick attitude to travelers, and the others just don’t bother with you or you cannot meet them.
If anybody speaks or smiles to you, most times he/she wants sth from you.
You are not treated like a human being but like a walking dollar/ euro…
And even worse, some treat you as if you had the intelligence of a monkey carrying money, and they keep telling you childish lies and excuses.
I had bad experiences even from a Nepali person I was sent to meet, through a friend of mine in my home country who has adopted his nephew! My god! And again my god! Speechless… No human values here…
It’s a pity and very contradictory this to happen in a country which visitors, including me, regard(ed) with a lot of warm feelings.
I guess that other travelers disagree with the above, or had different experiences.
And of course, not all Nepalis are the same and many must be very genuine, but maybe they are in inaccessible sides of life for visitors (place/time-wise…). The few exceptions to this rule are so few, that they make the rule more obvious.
The bottom line and my suggestion:
We should stop mentioning the terms ‘welcoming’ and ‘warm’ people of Nepal, because it’s not easy/possible for visitors to meet such people now days. Maybe, once upon a time, it was – not anymore. It’s better to speak about beautiful nature etc, which is really there for everybody.
Anyway, I wish things can change some when…or that other visitors are more lucky…
Happy trips to all!
Nik