Homestays in Baglung's Bhakunde Attract Tourists with Traditional Hospitality and Rhododendron Greetings

Baglung. Homestay operators stood at their doorsteps in the evening, holding garlands of marigold flowers after finishing their household chores. The operators of the guest house homestay in Bhakunde, Baglung, are busy welcoming guests in the evening after completing farming and household tasks in the village.

Anushiya Shrestha, who was born in Baglung Bazaar and made the US her workplace, was delighted by the welcome and hospitality when she visited the homestay for the first time. Shrestha, who visited Baglung's first community homestay, was welcomed with a marigold garland in the evening and was captivated by the moment she was bid farewell with a rhododendron flower the next day.

"The joy of the village, organic food items, welcome with flowers and garlands, and farewell with rhododendrons, the sunrise from the Mulabari Viewpoint in the morning captivated my heart," Shrestha said, "I lived in America for 33 years; there is no joy like in Nepal. The road leading to the homestay needs improvement. The organic food items along with Gundruk, millet liquor, and millet Dhido made me forget America." As tourists are highly drawn to rhododendrons, homestays here have started using rhododendron flowers in welcoming guests, which has charmed visitors.

The welcome and hospitality at the guest house homestay in Bhakunde, a tourist village in Baglung Municipality-10, which is developing as a tourist area, are very attractive to the guests visiting. The locals in Bhakunde pick the rhododendron flowers blooming profusely in the forest and welcome the guests visiting the homestay. Homestay operators say that since tourists who have not seen rhododendrons in the city are further charmed by the national flower, they welcome guests with rhododendrons in Chaitra and Baishakh (mid-March to mid-May).

Apsara Thapa, an operator of the guest house homestay, says that the locals of Bhakunde village, who established the first homestay in the district in 2068 BS, are now busy pleasing the guests visiting the homestay. Tourists, both domestic and foreign, visit Bhakunde to see the culture of the Magar community, various tourist spots, the Mulabari View Tower, Baraha Lake, and Hira Lake in Bhakunde, which is a Magar community settlement. Currently, the homestay program is operating in nine houses in Bhakunde.

"Initially, we did not have knowledge on how to welcome and entertain guests," Thapa said, "Now that we have received training on homestay management, we have gained a lot of knowledge." Thapa mentioned that since guests prefer rhododendrons the most among the flowers blooming according to the season, they go to the forest to bring rhododendrons for the welcome.

To attract guests visiting the homestay, the community here has also established the Bhakunde Tribal Museum. Ward Chairman Prem Thapa stated that the number of tourists coming to watch the sunrise early in the morning after staying at the homestay has increased with the construction of a four-story concrete view tower, located three hours on foot from Baglung Bazaar, the district headquarters of Baglung, and at an altitude of 2,150 meters above sea level.

Tourist Karishma Chhetri, who visited the homestay, said that the local food, including radish, potato, sinki, local millet liquor, corn, millet, and soybean, along with the welcome here, was very tempting. Homestay operator Yam Bahadur Thapa said that guests are presented with a marigold flower garland upon arrival and a rhododendron flower as a gift upon departure.

Recently, tourists from countries including Italy, New Zealand, Japan, Australia, and Korea have also started visiting Bhakunde. The unique topography, the view of more than a dozen snow peaks from Bhakunde, and Magar art and culture have become the identity of Bhakunde. Raju Khadka, Deputy Mayor of the city and coordinator of the City Tourism Development Committee, informed that the Baglung City Tourism Development Committee recently took journalists and the private sector to the Bhakunde homestay to highlight the tourist areas of Baglung city.