Thimphu

In Bhutan, you would be able to mainly find three categories of products - books, hardware and handicrafts. Reflecting Bhutan’s rich culture and arts, Thimphu has an excellent selection of handicraft shops selling high-quality paintings, ready-made and handmade ethnic kiras and khos, textiles, jewellery, masks and carpets. From scaling vibrant bazaars, exploring phenomenal indigenous designs, to collecting priceless antiques, here is how to enjoy shopping in Thimphu -

• Pick up cotton, silk, bura, kushithara fabrics, upscale evening bags, silk pillowcases, pashmina shawls and textiles from Adang Village, Druk Trin Handicrafts and Sephub Gyeltsen Tshongkhang.
• Make a stop at Thimphu’s shopping malls, including Gaa Phel Shopping Centre, Thimphu Plaza and Shearee Square.
• Collect Bhutanese handicrafts, bamboo baskets, masks, paintings and gems from the National Handicrafts Emporium, Street craft stalls, the philatelic shop at Thimphu Post Office, and Lungta Handicrafts.
• Purchase fresh fruit, metal and woodwork, hand-made garments, trinkets and snacks from Thimphu Weekend Market and Centenary Farmers’ Market. The Weekend Market in Thimphu is open on all Saturdays and Sundays selling everything from postal stamps to accessories.

Pro Tips -

• Always carry cash while shopping in Thimpu.
• For items without price tags in local markets, humble bargaining for reasonable 10-30% discounts is common.

Read more about Shopping in Bhutan.

• Being one of the traditional nations located in and across the world, Bhutan has been known to follow a very refined etiquette.
• People here are normally dressed in the traditional Bhutanese dress where men wear a knee-length robe which is called Gho, while the women are known to wear what is known as Kira.
• Also, certain etiquettes are observed while speaking, eating in public, while sending as well as receiving gifts and hence at many such occasions.