Thimphu Craft Bazaar
A row of around 80 bamboo stalls selling handmade Bhutanese crafts on Norzin Lam
The Authentic Bhutanese Crafts Bazaar runs for about half a kilometre along Norzin Lam, opposite the Nehru Wangchuk Cultural Centre. Its roughly 80 stalls are built of bamboo and sell handmade work sourced mainly from rural artisans: woven textiles, thangka paintings, handmade paper, wood carvings and masks. Stalls usually open from 10am to 6pm.
The bazaar was set up so that rural craftspeople could sell directly rather than through a shop taking a margin, which is why the same piece is often cheaper here than in the stores on Norzin Lam and why the seller can usually say who made it. Prices are generally fixed rather than haggled. It sits a few minutes' walk from Clock Tower Square, and the work on sale is the same set of crafts taught at the National Institute for Zorig Chusum up the hill.
Highlights
Around 80 bamboo stalls
Handmade crafts from rural artisans
Usually open 10am to 6pm
Practical Info
Address
Norzin Lam, opposite the Nehru Wangchuk Cultural Centre, Thimphu
Opening Hours
Usually 10:00 to 18:00
In This Destination
Thimphu District
Bhutan's capital district and seat of government
On the itinerary