Birgunj is a city in Parsa district, Nepal.
Understand
[edit]
The city is located on the borders with the Indian state of Bihar, and is a major point of entry for goods coming from India and also the port of Kolkata.
Get in
[edit]Flights to the city are available from Kathmandu to an airport city called Jeetpur-Simara from where it takes around 30 minutes to reach Birgunj. If you have hotels booked then there is possibility of pick up from the airport to the hotel or you can hire some cabs.
If you want to travel by land then there are several buses leaving from Kathmandu and some are really good services. There are also night buses leaving from Kathmandu to Birgunj and these are the best buses running in Nepal.
Travel by Tata Sumo (jeep) from Birgunj to Kathmandu takes 4-5 hours and is a bumpy ride at best—perhaps not for the faint of heart. The ride should cost INR350-400 (NPR 600).
For more details on crossing the border from India to Birgunj, see the information under 'Get Out' on its Indian sister's town page Raxaul.
Get around
[edit]See
[edit]Though it is not a tourist hot spot, you can see Lord Buddha stupa on a tiny hillock called Vishwa. Apart from this, Gadhi Mai is a well known Hindu Goddess temple which holds a mighty fair every five years. Hindus from all over the world come here to sacrifice animals to show thankfulness to the goddess.Animal sacrificed on this occasion is one of the highest amount in the world. To the west of Birgunj, Bindawasni mai is another historical and religious place. Jang Bhandur Rana, the first Rana prime minister held a massacre in which hundreds of people died as a result of royal conspiracy. To the north of the city there is Parsa Wildlife Reserve & Chitwan National Park, two of the biggest national parks having 100s of endangered species. Tigers, elephants, musk deer, Gharials, Red hornedbills Etc. are main attractions.
- 1 Parsa Wildlife Reserve. Once a hunting ground for the royalty, Parsa Wildlife Reserve is now a protected area and national park. Many animal species can be spotted including gaurs, leopards, elephants, sambar chital and a variety of birds.
- 2 Ghadiarwa Pokhari (Via Dryport Bypass Rd). A pretty lake and garden though the water sometimes turns a murky brown. A popular place to hang out among the Nepalese youth.
- 3 Birgunj Clocktower (in Birgunj GhantaGhar marketplace). Central landmark.
- 4 Maisthan Mandir, Street 2 (in Birgunj GhantaGhar marketplace). One of many Hindu temples in the city, this one some 200 years old.
Do
[edit]Eat
[edit]There are a few restaurants in Birgunj that are not part of any hotels. Example : Shri Riddhi Siddhi, Anmol Sweets, Kanchha Sweets, Mangalam Sweets, Paratha House, Biriyani House, Hukka Bar, etc. Apart from these, good Hotels do have attached Restaurants in them. Some of them are : Hotel Makalu Restaurant, Hotel Pujan Restaurant, Hotel Vishwa Restaurant, Hotel Himal Restaurant, Hotel Shah Paradise Restaurant, Hotel Suraj Restaurant, Hotel Ichchha (at airport city in Jeetpur Simara) etc. These restaurants serve a variety of western, Indian and Nepali food in the city.
Birgunj has a nice blend of local and Indian street food available. Most hygienic ones are situated on the Main road, Maisthan and in Adarshnagar area.
- 1 Magic Bells, Geeta Mandir Rd, ☏ +977 51-520888. Fast food and Indian. They makes a delicious black forest cake. The staff are accommodating towards dietary and allergy restrictions.
Drink
[edit]There are many takeaway alcohol stores on side streets, a block either side off the main road. Otherwise hotel restaurants serve alcohol.
Sleep
[edit]Most hotels are located on, or a few meters off, the main road.
- Hotel Suraj, Main Road, Adarshnagar, Birgunj (Opposite the Ncell store on the main road of town), ☏ +977 51 522859, +977 51 522200, +977 51 522800, info@hotelsuraj.com. Check-out: Noon checkout. One of the more upmarket hotels in town. NPR 2000-5000, plus 13% VAT Tax.
- County Inn Hotel (Go 200m south along the main rd from Hotel Suraj, until you reach another hotel on the corner, then go down that side street 20m and it'll be a big building on your left. Ask around, it's quite well known.). Free Wi-Fi in lobby and on the first floor! Turns off about midnight. NPR 800 for a double.
- Hotel Pujan, Adarsh Nagar (Across the road from Country Inn Hotel), ☏ +977 51 533600, +977 51 528100, +977 51 524500, info@hotelpujan.com. Has a restaurant attached that any one can go to (NPR 200-500).
- Hotel Makalu, Alakhiya Math (South of Ghantaghar on the main road), ☏ +977 51 523054. $50 and up.
- Hotel Shah Paradise, New Bus Park, ☏ +977 51 527469. Budget Hotel $5 and up.
- Hotel Vishwa, New Bus Park, Vishwa (North of New Bus Park, on the east from the bye pass Road), ☏ +977 51 527777. $50 and up.
- Hotel Ichchha, Main Road Jeetpur Simara, ☏ +977 53 520591. It's on the outskirts of Birgunj, the place is called Jeetpur Simara. $50 and up.
An abundance of mosquitoes in April, together with heat of 40C, made sleep almost impossible without a good fan in early April.
Connect
[edit]If you're looking for a local Ncell SIM card, Birgunj has an official Ncell store halfway up the main road on the right from the border as you walk towards the large tower in the middle of the road. They speak perfect English! For more information about telecommunications in Nepal, have a look under the 'Contact' section in Nepal.
Go next
[edit]To get to Kathmandhu, your only options are private bus or jeep (sumo). Buses leave 6AM-10AM, then 7PM-10PM, with a 'deluxe' bus leaving daily at 7PM. Sumo's/Jeeps's can usually be taken from 6AM-3PM, and cost Rs 500 NPR per person in a ten-person shared Jeep, or Rs. 6000 NPR for a whole private jeep to yourself or your travelling companions. To get either a bus or jeep, you'll need to go to the bus station, which is located just off the main road. Keep going north (3 km from the border) until you reach a large tower in the middle of a round-a-bout. Take a right hand turn and the bus stop is 50m down that road. While it's little more than a dirt patch in the north of town, you'll know you got there as there are always plenty of buses parked. A cycle rickshaw should be about NPR 80 for the distance. Jeeps leave when full, from near the road (not towards the back of the bus stop) so expect to wait up to an hour.
For information on crossing the border into India, you may find the information under the 'Go Next section of Raxaul useful.