Motithang

Feels:

Quiet hillside with valley views and dark roads

Suits:

Quiet hillside stay, valley views

Best time:

Any time by car

Watch out for:

Walking down after dark.

In short:

Hotels on the slope; 10–15 minutes by car to the centre, no restaurants within walking distance.

Thimphu is a linear town along the river valley. The Clock Tower and Norzin Lam form the centre; the Memorial Chorten is a short walk south; Kawajangsa with the museums sits on the hillside north-west; Trashi Chhoe Dzong stands on the river's east bank to the north; Motithang is the hillside residential district to the north-west; Buddha Dordenma is on a ridge to the south.

This district is highlighted. Shapes follow this guide's walking areas and places, not official boundaries.

How this district's sleep area scores for five kinds of traveler, ranked against the other Thimphu districts that have scores. Scores are this guide's 1–5 judgements.

• First visit

  2nd of 2

  10–15 minutes by car to everything.

  Better for this: Norzin Lam and the Clock Tower

• Families

  2nd of 2

  Fine if you accept the car for every outing.

  Better for this: Norzin Lam and the Clock Tower

• Light sleepers

  best of 2

  The quietest option; birdsong and valley views.

• Night owls

  2nd of 2

  None; dark roads with stray dogs.

  Better for this: Norzin Lam and the Clock Tower

• On a budget

  2nd of 2

  Mostly mid to upper-end hotels.

  Better for this: Norzin Lam and the Clock Tower

How Motithang scores for each kind of traveler, beside the nearby districts that have scores. Same 1–5 guide judgements as above; higher is a better fit.

• First visit

  Norzin Lam and the Clock Tower scores highest

  • Motithang (this district)2/5
  • Norzin Lam and the Clock Tower4/5 · highest

• Families

  Norzin Lam and the Clock Tower scores highest

  • Motithang (this district)3/5
  • Norzin Lam and the Clock Tower4/5 · highest

• Light sleepers

  This district scores highest

  • Motithang (this district)5/5 · highest
  • Norzin Lam and the Clock Tower3/5

• Night owls

  Norzin Lam and the Clock Tower scores highest

  • Motithang (this district)1/5
  • Norzin Lam and the Clock Tower2/5 · highest

• On a budget

  Norzin Lam and the Clock Tower scores highest

  • Motithang (this district)2/5
  • Norzin Lam and the Clock Tower3/5 · highest

• Motithang (hillside)$$$

  Quiet hillside hotels with valley views; the drive down to town is 10–15 minutes, so you rely on the operator car for every evening out.

  Rooms: Nu 15,000–40,000+ (check)

  Skip this if: Dark, steep roads at night; stray dogs.

  30–40 min walk to Clock Tower & Norzin Lam · 25–35 min walk to Kawajangsa museums