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Capital and largest city of Kyrgyzstan
Photo: Emil.akhmatbekov, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Bishkek (Бишкек), the capital and largest city in Kyrgyzstan, sits at the foothills of the Tien Shan mountain range in the Chui Valley. It is a relatively new city with few historical sites, but it makes a great place to start your trips to the mountains and alpine lakes of the Tien Shan.
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The main city square is a vast expanse of concrete that ceased to be called Lenin square in 1991, and is the site of frequent political demonstrations and regular festivals. A statue of Lenin was the focal point until 2003, before he was banished to a much less conspicuous location behind the museum and replaced by a statue of Erkidik (freedom). At night many vendors set up photograph and karaoke booths, and there's a synchronised sound and light show in time with the fountains, however travellers should avoid visiting the square after dark. There is also a military monument with an hourly changing of guards.
The elegant marching of the soldier can be admired every hour. The ceremony starts about 10 min to the full hour.
Three floors: the bottom floor covers prehistoric times to the beginning of the 20th century, and the second displays events of the Communist era. The top floor showcases the history and culture of the Kyrgyz people.
General Mikhail Frunze (1885-1925) was a World War I and civil war general born in Bishkek, of such renown that the city was named for him until independence. You start on the third floor, which depicts the Red v White communist civil war - Frunze defeated the White leaders Kolchak and Wrangel. The second floor depicts the early Soviet era in Bishkek. Finally on the ground floor you visit the thatched cottage where he spent his early years.
Cathedral of the Resurrection, Воскресенский собор
Exterior of dazzling white and blue, the interior is cluttered by scaffolding as the cupola frescoes are refurbished. The interior is almost too squeaky clean, it hasn't acquired the patina of incense and candle smoke that wraiths traditional Orthodox interiors. With large separate baptistry, and all set in a peaceful compound.
Gallery of local art in three sections: local representational art particularly by Turusbehov, Stakhanovite glories of tractors in the steppes, and modern art.
A large square with monument and eternal flame to commemorate the victory against Nazi Germany in WWII.
A children's theme park. While this park may be in need upkeep and renovation, it's a great look into the past when Kyrgyzstan was a part of the Soviet Union. Beware that few of the rides have any safety mechanisms, and the safety mechanisms they may appear to have are probably not functional. The Ferris wheel offers a great view of the greater city.
Лечебно-Оздоровительный Комплекс Жыргал
You can buy tickets from the ticket office around the side. There's a sauna, ice-cold pool, and for an extra 200 som an attendant will lather you up, scrub you and then hose you down. For those into a little bit of self-flogging, birch branches are available free. Men and women are separate.
If you want to swim, the Karven Club has an outdoor pool which is perfect for a blistering summer's day, and there's also a modern gym and fitness centre. For one hour it's 400 som but it's much better value to pay 500 som for a whole day of use and hang around for as long as you like.
The buffet is an ordinary place for public meals with wide menu of different dishes and desserts. The middle price of lunch about 350 - 400 soms. Buffet is probably the best canteen chain in Bishkek.
Great food, variety of choices. Interesting design. Neat and clean. Friendly staff and comfortable.
Here you get a very tasty shawarma.
Excellent local food frequented by locals. Great samsas and laghman (noodles). Popular so you may have to wait for a free table.
Possibly the best pizza in Bishkek, with thin crust is baked in an open-fire oven; there is also a whole range of other Italian dishes and pastas.
Well known Chinese restaurant near Western Bus Station. The quality is up to most western standards, but tends to be oily. The soups are especially large - better to be shared.
Microbrewery and German beer hall with patchy, but sometimes excellent, German food and beer. Service however is East German, they've not grasped the concept of gemütlich.
Italian fine dining
Excellent coffee and coffee specialist drinks. Breakfasts, sandwiches, wraps, soups, salads. Free Wi-Fi. Counter service by English speaking staff. A place to network and to meet other English speakers. Sierra also roasts their own coffee, offering fresh roasted coffee for sale in a variety of origins and roasts.
All-hours coffee shop and they'll even wrap you in a blanket for cold nights on the terrace.
Not cheap, but good food quality and service. Various coffees, and European and Turkish cuisine.
A hip and alternative bar with a focus on ales and other non-regular beer. The people are nice and the out-door seating is comfortable.
Set atop one of higher buildings this makes a great place for a rooftop drink. A plush place where Bishkek's young and wealthy go to see and be seen, so you might want to gussy up a little. Drinks around US$2-4 a pop.
This is where the city's beau monde come for a drink and a meal. Especially crowded on St Patrick's Day and Halloween.
A trendy Russian rock establishment with a mostly Russian clientèle. It's jazz on Tuesdays with rock and blues at weekends. Check out their extensive drink menu.
You'll find the DJ spinning from inside the front section of a tube train engine (hence the name). The 80s kitsch is a popular spot for really late night partying.
Really modern, clean and nice hostel not so far from city center, a part of the big and developing "ololo" network of coworkings and lodgings. Has a big kitchen, a lot of tables to work remotely. Internet is good.
Basically okay place, but some street noise. Friends Hostel used to share this building but they've gone elsewhere.
Clean friendly place convenient for transport, 3 km from centre.
Inexpensive hostel with several dorms, plenty of communal space.
Some way from centre (take bus along Chuy) but gets great reviews for comfort, service & facilities.
Reasonable hotel with some mountain views. A bit hidden away and a walk to the main streets but close to Steinbrau pub.
God value place with single, double, and triple rooms available with satellite TV and internet ports, a full service cafe, and conference room.
Clean hotel with multilingual staff.
Guest house in quiet residential area, finding it can be tricky. Has 6 double rooms with shower, satellite TV, fridge, Wifi, garden, sauna and pool.
Soviet-style monolith business hotel with conference facilities, friendly & efficient. Separate hotels from time to time operate within this building.
Mid-range hotel, tired decor. With conference center, fitness club, indoor and outdoor pools with bar access, and spa.
Popular central hotel, clean & efficient.
Large 5-star hotel in business district. Showing its age but gets mostly good reviews for comfort, location, service and food.
New hotel on south edge of city. Rooms not as posh as pictures suggest, but most reviewers find it clean and comfy.
Comfy modern hotel in the business district near Ala Too Square.
If you're looking for a fresh sheep's head, locally made Korean picked salad, shashlik or any other type of Kyrgyz snack, this is the city's best known food bazaar. Although it's certainly not Central Asia's most colourful bazaar, there are hundreds of products to choose from, especially in the spring and summer months when produce is fresh from farms in the outskirts of town. There is a separate clothes market south of the main produce bazaar. To get there you can take trolleybus 14 on Chuy, bus 20 or 24 on Kiev or 42 from Soviet. Like any crowded space, be wary of pick-pockets; however visiting the Osh Bazaar is a most and rewarding trip.
Dordoy
Open air market with hundreds of double stack shipping containers. It's divided into multiple sections based on the types and origins of goods. It's the main market for Chinese & Russian goods.
Geoid sells maps for trekking 1:200,000 and overview maps 1:1,000,000.
Mobile phones, clothing, wine, souvenirs, tobacco, make-up, electronics. This shopping mall is located in the centre of town off of Chui street. Complete with Mastercard and Visa ATMs, Zum also displays a great selection of food stands, just outside. Like anywhere in Bishkek, don't be afraid to haggle
By train
There is a train between Bishkek and Balykchy, which lies on the western edge of Issyk Kul lake. The train only runs in summer on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
By bus
By taxi
There are several private taxi firms in Bishkek that you can easily reach through their three digit numbers including: 150, 152, 154, 156, 166, and 188.
By bike
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Bishkek · International · BSZ
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