Hotels

Food & Drink

There is a fair selection of restaurants in N’Djaména serving mainly French and African food. Chad’s excellent beer, Gala, is brewed in Moundou and is widely available in the non-Muslim parts of the capital. Standard European-style service is normal.

Outside the capital, restaurants tend to be cheap and cheerful. But at times there is an acute shortage of some foodstuffs. Visitors should exercise caution with street market food.

Nightlife: Lively dancing and music is found in the capital and nightclubs are on the increase. Pari-matches take place on most Saturdays and Sundays in the non-Muslim areas of N’Djaména: groups of women hire bars and sell drinks all day.

Outside N’Djaména, nightlife is limited, although bars and open-air dancing can generally be found.

Shopping: Chad is famous for its excellent crafts industry. Items available include camel-hair carpets, all kinds of leather ware, embroidered cotton cloths, decorated calabashes, knives, weapons, and pottery and brass animals.

Shopping hours: Tues-Sat 0900-1230 and 1600-1930. Food shops open Sunday morning. The market in the capital is open from 0730 until dusk.

Special Events: Celebrations in Chad are largely confined to Muslim feasts and festivals, tribe-specific and private, ceremonies.