The Avendi Journal

Travel guides, vendor stories, and the cultural context behind the souvenirs we ship — straight from Kathmandu, Singapore, and Okinawa.

A handwoven Nepali dhaka topi showing the diamond-patterned Dhaka fabric

Kathmandu

Dhaka Topi and Dhaka Fabric: Nepal’s Handwoven National Cloth

The dhaka topi is Nepal’s national cap, cut from handwoven Dhaka fabric. A complete guide to the cloth, its history, the Palpa weaving craft, and how to buy authentic.

Prachet Sharma23rd June 2026

Mithila art, also called Madhubani painting, in vivid natural colour

Kathmandu

Mithila Art: The Complete Guide to Nepal’s Madhubani Painting Tradition

Mithila art, also called Madhubani painting, is Nepal and India’s vivid folk tradition. Explore its history, five styles, symbols, and how to buy it.

Gayathri Ravindran23rd June 2026

Dark sticky resin on rocky surface with snowy mountain peaks and sunrise in background

Kathmandu

Himalayan Shilajit from Nepal: Benefits, Forms, Safety & Where to Buy

Pure Himalayan shilajit from Nepal: what fulvic acid really does, the honest benefits for men and women, how to use it safely, how to spot fakes, and where to buy lab-tested resin.

Prachet Sharma22nd June 2026

Singapore

Singapore Souvenirs: How to Shop Like a Local and Skip the Tourist Traps

The anti-tourist-trap playbook for Singapore souvenirs: where locals really shop, how to spot authentic crafts, when to bargain, and how to claim your GST refund.

Prachet Sharma23rd May 2026

Okinawa

Shopping in Okinawa: How to Skip the Tourist Traps

Shopping in Okinawa the smart way: how to spot the Kokusai-dori tourist traps, tell genuine Ryukyu crafts from factory copies, find where locals really shop, and know which souvenirs clear customs.

Saujanya Acharya23rd May 2026

Kathmandu

Kathmandu Souvenirs: How to Shop Like a Local and Skip the Tourist Traps

Buying Kathmandu souvenirs? Skip the tourist traps: where locals shop, how to spot real pashmina and thangka, bargaining etiquette, and the export rules.

Prachet Sharma23rd May 2026

Singapore

What to Buy in Singapore: 12 Best Souvenirs Worth Bringing Home

The 12 best souvenirs to buy in Singapore — kaya jam, TWG tea, Peranakan crafts, Tiger Balm, Merlion gifts and more — with where to buy each and how to claim your GST refund.

Saujanya Acharya23rd May 2026

Okinawa

Okinawa Souvenirs: The Best Things to Buy in the Ryukyu Islands

Okinawa souvenirs worth buying — bingata, Ryukyu glass, shisa, awamori, chinsuko and sea salt: what is authentic, where locals shop, and how to get it home.

Saujanya Acharya23rd May 2026

Kathmandu

What to Buy in Kathmandu: 15 Best Souvenirs and Handicrafts

What to buy in Kathmandu: 15 best souvenirs and handicrafts — pashmina, Dhaka, thangka, khukuri, lokta paper, mad honey and more, with where to buy each.

Prachet Sharma23rd May 2026

A Gurung honey hunter roped to a Himalayan cliff harvests wild mad honey comb covered in giant Himalayan bees, using a bamboo tool and basket, in Nepal

Kathmandu

Mad Honey Nepal: Origins, Effects, Safety and Where to Buy

What is mad honey? A clear guide to Nepal’s rare reddish Himalayan honey — how Himalayan cliff bees make it, what it really does, how to dose it safely, and where to buy authentic jars.

Prachet Sharma20th May 2026

Okinawa

Butterfly Pea Tea Benefits: What Okinawa’s Blue Tea Can (and Can’t) Do

Butterfly pea tea benefits, brewing and the colour-change trick — what the evidence really shows about Okinawa’s blue Ryukyu tea, and where to buy it.

Saujanya Acharya20th May 2026

Singapore

Singapore Food Souvenirs: 12 Edible Gifts Worth Bringing Home

The best Singapore food souvenirs, from Killiney kaya and kopi-O to laksa paste and dessert teas – plus what is banned at the border and where locals actually buy.

Saujanya Acharya20th May 2026