Bhutan - Lindsay Brown [87]
Chasa Café (Map; Clocktower Sq; 8am-7pm) Tiny Chasa has minuscule tables and cheap Bhutanese dishes (all under Nu 70), such as eye-watering ema datse and soothing fried rice.
Khamsa Coffee House (Map; 333652; Changlam Plaza, Chang Lam; snacks Nu 25-65; 10am-8pm) Upstairs (lots of stairs) is this modern coffee shop where you can get espresso, milkshakes, pancakes and other snacks, as well as a view.
Quick Eats
Jichu Drakey Bakery (Map; 322980; Doebum Lam; from Nu 15; 7am-noon & 1.30-7.30pm) Stroll up the hill for first-rate takeaway (there are no tables) cakes and pastries. Small items include pear cakes, cream rolls and tarts, and you can also order apple pie, strudel and larger cakes.
Mendayla Sweets (Map; Chang Lam; 8am-8pm) For Indian sweets, ice cream, yogurt, chocolate, even samosas and pizza, head to this bright sweets shop.
Self-Catering
For fresh produce, remember the busy weekend market, which kicks off on Thursday, and the semi-concealed stalls in Hong Kong market.
Tashi Supermarket (Map; Clocktower Sq; 8am-7.30pm) Huge supermarket with vast range imported and local groceries, ice creams and refrigerated chocolates.
Sharchhogpa Grocery (Map; 323280; Norzin Lam; 7am-9pm) Friendly grocery shop with cereals, bread and plenty of packaged foodstuffs.
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DRINKING & ENTERTAINMENT
Thimphu has numerous bars, but only a handful could be recommended for outsiders looking for more than a game of snooker and a swig of whisky. Entertainment can also be a bit of a challenge – unless it’s tsechu time. Occasional concerts and video shows at the sports complex will be well advertised by posters and in the newspapers.
Bars
As well as the hotel bars, there are numerous small bars throughout the town. Alcohol won’t be served until after 1pm and most bars are closed on Tuesday, the national dry day. Bars close at 11pm weekdays and midnight on Friday and Saturday.
Om Bar (Map; 326344; www.changkhang.com; Jojo’s Shopping Complex, Chang Lam; from 5pm, closed Tue & Sun) Thimphu’s ‘in’ bar and a quiet gathering spot early in the evening that becomes busy with a diverse collection of locals and expats after 10pm. It’s on the 2nd floor of the shopping complex.
Favourite after-work bars (which double as restaurants) include cosy Benez Restaurant (Map; 325180; Gatoen Lam; 11am-11pm), with its talking points such as coasters and cash from around the globe and designer rums, and the Zone (Map; 331441; Chang Lam; noon-midnight), with its modern décor and great chips, burgers and pizzas for late-night munchies.
Nightclubs & Live Music
For a small town there’s a fair bit of competition in this scene with live music replacing disco and vice versa and places running hot and cold. Ask around for the latest vibe. Don’t expect the discos to kick off much before midnight. Depending on the entertainment and the time you rock up, a cover charge may be applicable. Nightclubs and discos close at midnight weekdays and at 2am Friday and Saturday.
Here are a few on offer:
All Stars Disco (Map; Chang Lam; 10pm-2am Wed, Fri & Sat)
Boomerang (Map; Yarkay Central, Norzin Lam; 9pm-2am Wed, Fri & Sat) A bright venue with big-screen TV, try-out bands and a young crowd.
Buzz Club (Map; Chang Lam; 11pm-2am Wed, Fri & Sat) Big, bold and popular.
Gravity (Map; Zangto Pelri Shopping Complex, Norzin Lam; 10pm-2am Wed, Fri & Sat) Hidden, but follow the signs.
Space 34 (Map; 323497; Jojo’s Shopping Complex, Chang Lam; 10pm-2am Wed, Fri & Sat) Cosy and thumping and right next to the Om Bar.
Cultural Programmes
If you are in a group of more than four, your tour operator can arrange a dance performance at the Royal Academy of Performing Arts (Click here). A more relaxed atmosphere prevails at Tashi Nencha Music Studio (Map; 322804) near the Zangto Pelri Lhakhang. The studio can provide a Bhutanese meal and an evening of classical and folk music around a bonfire.