Bhadrapur, Nepal

Capital City

This small Nepali town on the Indian border has lost much of its former glory. The population has dwindled to just 70,913 since the construction of the major highway diverted economic activity. Bhadrapur's once-booming rice business has given way to a new role as a tea hub, with new plantations and factories sprouting up each year. However, the city's infrastructure has not kept pace - bureaucracy is a persistent headache, and the airport offers limited connections, with the first flight to the capital leaving at 6:30am. For those seeking a slice of multicultural Nepal far from the Himalayas, Bhadrapur may offer an authentic, if sleepy, experience. But its best days appear to be behind it.