| Thamel | |
| Native Name: | ठमेल |
| Native Name Lang: | Nepali |
| Settlement Type: | Neighborhood in Kathmandu |
| Pushpin Map: | Kathmandu |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Kathmandu |
| Coordinates: | 27.7152°N 85.3102°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  Nepal |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Bagmati Province |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Kathmandu |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal Code |
| Postal Code: | 44600 |
Thamel (ne|ठमेल) is a commercial neighborhood located in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. The name comes from Tha Bahi (थ: बहि), indicating its root origin to have come from the Newa community, the indgenous people of Kathmandu Valley. Tha Bahi has been the centre of the tourist industry in Kathmandu for over four decades, starting from the hippie days, when many artists came to Nepal and spent weeks in Thamel. It is considered the hotspot for tourism inside the Kathmandu valley.[1] [2]
Thamel is known for its narrow alleys crowded with various shops and vendors. Commonly sold goods include food, fresh vegetables/fruits, pastries, trekking gear, walking gear, music, DVDs, handicrafts, souvenirs, woolen items and clothes. Travel agencies, small grocery stores, budget hotels, restaurants, pubs and clubs also line the streets. Cars, cycle rickshaws, two-wheelers and taxis ply these narrow streets alongside hundreds of pedestrians.
Many restaurants in Thamel serve traditional and continental cuisine. Thamel also acts as the pre-base camp for mountaineers. It boasts a wide range of mountaineering gear shops, foreign money exchange booths, mobile phone shops, and numerous travel agents and guest houses.
Thamel is widely regarded as the center of Kathmandu's nightlife and is also popular for its wide range of restaurants and cafés, live music and other attractions frequented by both tourists and locals. [3]
The places near Thamel are Kwabahal, JP Road, Paknajol, Sanchaya Kosh road.[4]