After years of violence, tourists return to a more peaceful Nepal

As a decade of bloody political turmoil dies down, tourists are returning to Nepal. Visitors who canceled or delayed trips because of the violence are now coming back to marvel at the country's intricate Hindu shrines, soaring mountains, thangka paintings, and colorful royal palaces, says an article in the New York Times.

According to the Nepal Tourism Board, some 360,000 foreign air travelers entered the country in 2007, making it the most successful year for tourism since 2000. Several airlines resumed service or began new routes to Katmandu last year and hotels have seen jumps in occupancy rates.

Around 13,000 people died in the Maoist insurrection and pro-democracy riots of the past years. But now that the Maoist rebels have signed a peace treaty and elections are planned for later this year, the streets of Katmandu are largely safe.

Thanking of going? Qatar Airways has flights from Newark to Katmandu for around $1,600.