Recommended Bars in Lhasa
Lhasa doesn’t have as many bars as a big Chinese city, but the ones it has are full of character. Many are in old Tibetan houses, with live Tibetan, Nepali or folk music and a crowd of locals, pilgrims, traders and travellers.
Altitude Warning
Don’t drink alcohol in your first two or three days in Tibet. Alcohol makes altitude sickness more likely and more severe. Go for the music and a pot of sweet tea first, and save the barley beer for later in your trip.
Ganglamedo
Part bar, part restaurant, with Tibetan, Nepali, Western and Chinese food, coffee, books and paintings. It is known for its evening Tibetan folk shows of songs, dances and opera. Order a glass of chang (barley beer) and enjoy one of the most atmospheric evenings in Lhasa.
Backpacker Bar
On Beijing Middle Road. A relaxed bar popular with travellers, with Tibetan snacks such as yoghurt and yak meat pies. It is a good place to swap stories with other visitors.
National Music Country
A quiet bar run by a musician, with Tibetan and folk music at its heart. It is calm and soulful rather than loud, a nice place to rest after a long day of sightseeing.
Low House Music Bar
A music bar in an old Tibetan building with dark wooden beams and pillars. The music changes through the week: Tibetan, Nepali and Indian. Local legend says the house was once a residence of the 11th Dalai Lama, Khedrup Gyatso.
A unique atmosphere: the bars of Lhasa reflect the city itself: Tibetan locals, pilgrims from the countryside, traders from Nepal and other parts of China, and travellers from all over the world. A glass of barley beer with Tibetan folk music feels like nowhere else on earth.
Please note: bars in Lhasa open and close often. Your guide can tell you which places are good right now.
We answer within 12 hours, Monday to Saturday.