location alpe d huez Tawang town is a transport hub and service centre for the valley s villages; its setting is more bea

Tawang town is a transport hub and service centre for the valley s villages; its setting is more beautiful than the town itself. Nonetheless, colourful prayer wheels add interest to the central old market area. These are turned by apple-cheeked Monpa pilgrims, many of whom sport traditional black yak- wool gurdam (skullcaps that look like giant Rastafarian spiders). In the market area is M/S Cyber (per hr 30; h9am-6pm), which has internet sometimes. There s an SBI Bank with an ATM just past the market on the road to the monastery.

oHotel location alpe d huez Gakyi Khang Zhang (%224 647; r from 1320), a couple of kilometres location alpe d huez out of town on the road to the monastery, offers far and away the best rooms in town colourful sky-blue affairs with polished wooden floors. There s a decent restaurant (mains location alpe d huez 80-120) and the staff are great fun. It also has good monastery views, a generator and, most bizarrely, a lounge bar/nightclub complete with throbbing strobe lights!