Chilling him softly: Wyclef Jean’s travel guide to Nepal
Kathmandu in Nepal. Sometimes you’ve got to get away from it all, and in our world it’s hard to get off the grid. And so a friend of mine was like, “Yo, Nepal” and I’m a super big fan of Buddha. I love spirituality. I’m not a Buddhist but I have a lot of friends who are into it. So I thought, let me swing to Nepal for some quietness and energy. I got to Nepal and I had the most amazing time, and then I’ve been back twice since.
When was the last time you were there, and who were you with?
Six months ago. I go for seven days. Seven, the number of completion.
Where do you like to stay there?
Tiger Palace. I like to be in a hotel but it doesn’t feel like a hotel, especially if you’re going for Zen. I stayed there twice. The service is insanity. It’s like you’re walking into Buddha’s home without it being Buddha’s home. The kindness, the energy, service. The service is dope. I think it’s really 10 out of 10.
Wyclef Jean
What has been your favourite meal there?
I’m a heavy foodie — I don’t really play around on the food — and they have a crazy food game. Coming from the Caribbean, everything is about spice is for me. I’m also an Asian fusion guy and the dumplings are insanity; they’re called momos. And there’s a lot of vegetables. One of the meats that I really found insane there was the buffalo chicken.
The way it is served is half the joy
I love the hotel for food, but we definitely go out. There’s a spot that I went to, which had a local vibe, which sells thukpa. It’s a kind of noodle soup, I think it’s pretty amazing. Dal bhat really is the national staple: rice, lentil soup, vegetable curries, pickles. It is so delicious and healthy and keeps you going through your entire day, hence the saying goes “dal bhat power, 24 hour”. The way it is served is half the joy. You can ask for as many extra servings as you like, and they’ll come out with the cooking pots and load it straight onto your plate.
What is something unmissable you would recommend doing?
I went bar hopping in the city, and they have an obsession for rock ’n’ roll. That threw me off because I didn’t know that part of it. There’s a part of the city with these bars that are literally still in the era of Metallica, the White Stripes, AC/DC. There’s a spot called Purple Haze, with mostly a lot of beer and bar food vibes. But what I loved about Purple Haze was how the local musicians are actually celebrating what we’ve stopped celebrating in America. Like they’re stuck in an era.
What struck me in Pokhara was the creativity
If you have the chance, Lake Phewa in Pokhara is stunning. It’s about 200 kilometres from Kathmandu but the drive takes six to eight hours because you are winding through valleys and mountain roads. You pass tiny villages, terraced fields, rivers cutting through the hills. On a clear day the Annapurna mountains are reflected on the lake water. You can take a boat out, watch the sunset, or cross over to the World Peace Pagoda for the views. What struck me in Pokhara was the creativity. Little galleries, shops with handmade jewellery, woven art; people putting their soul into every piece. And at night, lakeside comes alive. You sit down in a café, somebody’s playing the sarangi, someone else on a guitar and the vibe just flows.
The whole idea for me going to Nepal is very spa driven
Is there a hidden gem you are willing to share?
We went out of Kathmandu to a safari hotel called Narayani. This spot has elephants, tigers, everything. We went there for three days and the hotel is part of the safari. Literally, you’re in the middle of the hotel and you and the elephants are one. So you could be chilling and you’re half asleep and you open your eyes, like, “Did a tiger just pass me?” and a tiger passed you. It’s just amazing like that.
Where do you like to let your hair down?
I go to the temple. The temple is one of my favourite things. I meditate with the monks. They do these meditation ceremonies, beating these amazing instruments. Past the temple, there’s amazing safaris with elephants. At 1pm, I go to one temple, come back and chill and then around 5pm or 6pm we go to another temple. The whole idea for me going to Nepal, I would say 70 per cent of it is very temple, very spa driven.
I love Monkey Temple — Swayambhunath. It’s an iconic temple on a hill overlooking Kathmandu. There are monkeys everywhere, and it is a mix of Hindu and Buddhist influences. The monkeys are clever, cheeky and completely unafraid of people — they will snatch your food and drinks, so watch out. The views from up there are just amazing. Because it’s up on a hill you can see the whole of Kathmandu spread out below you. On a clear day you can even spot the mountains way off in the distance.
Monkey Temple — Swayambhunath
The one thing you would bring home as a souvenir?
We went to Thamel marketplace and I picked up some meditation bowls. I even sample them in my music. Thamel is full of little shops that really pull you in. A lot of them have singing bowls which you can hear ringing out into the street. Then there are the cashmere jumpers and scarves, really soft, proper quality, and just what you need when it gets cold as the temperature drops at night. Shopping there does not feel like regular shopping. You are hearing the bowls, feeling the fabrics, chatting with the people who made them. It is a memorable experience.
I don’t go anywhere without my music and usually inside my small bags you will always find my Akai MPK [mini keyboard]. This is one of the things I do music with so I always have it. So depending on if I’m in town, there could be some local singing, I get inspired, blah blah blah blah. That’s the energy.
I’ve had massages all around the world, but if you talk about a real massage, a real one, Kathmandu is the place
Have you ever had an emergency incident there?
There’s always bad situations in bad conditions and all of that, but I’ve never had a problem going to Nepal. You know, honestly, I think some of this stuff is so amplified. When one thing happens, we’re like oh shit, this happens every day and that’s not true.
Do you have a top wellness tip?
I’ve had massages all around the world, but if you talk about a real massage, a real one, Kathmandu is the place, 100 per cent. Kathmandu does have different areas like you could do spas in. One of the best is Heritage Spa; I would definitely recommend it.
A song that reminds you of the place?
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