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KAKARBHITTA is one of the more laid-back crossings on the Nepal-India border, since it's mainly a gateway for people, not goods. Most of those using it are Indians, hopping over from Darjeeling for some quick shopping or heading to Biratnagar for business; the presence of nearly 90,000 Bhutanese refugees in camps west of here probably contributes to the flow as well. A recently negotiated transit treaty between Nepal and Bangladesh may eventually increase the commercial traffic through here, but for the time being Kakarbhitta feels very much like a back-door entry whose only apparent link with the rest of the world is the fleet of night buses that roars in from Kathmandu every morning and roars out again every afternoon. You won't want to stay in Kakarbhitta any longer than necessary, but if you have some time on your hands you could take a stroll in any direction into the surrounding countryside. The Satighata tea estate is just ten minutes' walk south of town, and a Buddhist monastery run by Tamangs can be visited on the way. A walk along the banks of the Mechi River, just east of town, is nice at sunset or sunrise. All of Kakarbhitta's accommodation is within spitting distance of the bus park, so it's easy to shop around - you can judge these books by their covers. Two better places that have stood the test of time are Hotel Rajat (tel 023/62033; Rs140-200 [US$2-3] / en suite US$8-12) and Hotel Kanchan (tel 023/62015; en suite US$3-8), side by side at the north end of the bus park. The Rajat, which is run by very professional Newars from Kathmandu, has hot water and TVs in its more expensive rooms (some are supposed to get air conditioning as well), a restaurant and a small garden/parking area. The Kanchan is further down the luxury scale, but the owners are friendly and supply hot water by the bucket. At the bottom end, Hotel Kathmandu & Lodge (Rs140-200 [US$2-3] / en suite US$5-8) and Hotel Mount Everest (Rs140-200 [US$2-3] / en suite Rs200-350 [US$3-5]) can't exactly be recommended, but they at least aren't too dire. Most guest houses have their own restaurants , but assuming you're only going to be eating one hot meal in Kakarbhitta, you might as well eat it at Hotel Rajat. Moneychangers and lodges will swap Nepalese and Indian rupees at the market rate, but to change hard currency you'll have to use the bank (Nepal Rastra Bank, the pink building on the south side of the highway signposted only in Nepali; daily 8am-6pm). International and long-distance phone calls are possible from the better guest houses and various ISD shops. Bus tickets for travel within Nepal can be purchased from various desks around the bus park. Roving ticket touts won't save you much effort for their added commission, and can't be entirely trusted. Night buses to Kathmandu and Pokhara leave Kakarbhitta in staggered intervals between 3 and 5pm, but book at least a couple of hours ahead to be sure of a good seat. That said, you'll be much happier sticking to day buses: Dharan and Janakpur make good intermediate destinations from here (see p.349 for a rundown of services). Travel agents in Kakarbhitta can book flights to Kathmandu from Bhadrapur ($99) or Biratnagar ($50). Bhadrapur is much closer, but hard to get to (rent a jeep), and its airstrip can accommodate only very small planes; Biratnagar is three hours away by bus, but has more frequent and reliable flights. The guy at the tourist office (Sun-Thurs 10am-5pm, Fri 10am-2pm) speaks some English and may be able to provide some impartial advice on onward travel. The manager of Hotel Rajat is also a useful source of information.
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