Bahir Dar

Get around

Bajajs (three-wheel rick-shaws) are the most common form of transportation in the city. There are also blue minibuses, but few still exist as means to get around town. Bajajs are inexpensive and cost no more than two birr per line of road and 30-50 birr for a private charter.

Do

Cycling Bikes can be rented at Ghion Hotel.

Buy

Bahir Dar has a big and colourful market that is open every day. Saturday is the biggest day. Sunday has very few activities.

The local speciality is small footstools covered in goat hide. Find them along the road that runs from Ghion hotel to the main highway. They can apparently be "unstuffed" for travel.

There are many ATMs that accept MasterCard & Visa cards at Dashen Bank and Ethiopia Commercial Bank.

Eat

Tana Restaurant serves fabulous fish dishes cheaply. Al-Hanan Muslim Restaurant, near the Dalot Pension, serves huge and tasty mutton dishes, even during Lent. Also a good place for an Ethiopian coffee ceremony. The owners are exceedingly nice and don't charge tourists extra.

Drink

There are many cultural night clubs throughout the city center. There are a few Western music clubs, with Dream House and a bar above Friendship Cafe the most popular.

Sleep

Prices are changing quickly.

Koriftu Resort is a nice getaway after roughing it around Ethiopia. One of the nicest resorts in Ethiopia with a complimentary massage for every night's stay. Good, but expensive, restaurant and a nice pool. Tana Pension. Rooms from US$2.50, the food is marvelous.

Stay safe

Like many other cities in Ethiopia, Bahir Dar is generally safe and free of violent crimes.

You may encounter some hustlers around the shore of Lake Tana to get you rent a boat they may get a kick-back for. The boats on Lake Tana that take you to visit the monasteries have fixed rates. Make sure the self-appointed "brokers" won't get you charged a jacked up fee for the boats.