Tambuli

I find Tambuli a bit hit-​and-​miss because the shop is absolutely stuffed with bags, clothing, masks, incense and the likes so that you need a lot of patience to have a look around and pick things that might be worth buying. At the same time, you could end up with some lovely presents for friends and the likes if you just look hard enough. Tambuli is a great place to get lost in because you won’t really mind and the cute things in here will take your mind off it anyways. At the same time it can feel quite claustrophobic because as I’ve mentioned before it is absolutely stuffed full of wares.

Thankfully Tambuli’s owner doesn’t mind you poking around in the corners of his shop for a good while as you literally can get lost here for hours. Can’t see how they would fit one more item into the space. It’s stuffed from floor to ceiling, but I’m sure they’re gonna try.
If you’re looking for an unusual gift, this is a great place to go. Not a fan of the clothes, but a didgeridoo and bongo drums and perhaps an Afrikan mask or two. Yes please! Let’s start a band and start busking on Grafton street!
Going to Tambuli is always a joyous experience.

The goods on offer in this shop have already been articulately outlined in the reviews written here before mine but am nonetheless surprised by the lack of commentary on the reason one of my friends described this unconventional Temple Bar haven as ‘the best shopping experience of my life’. Christine the owner’s small Yorkshire terrier is a tour de force. When you buy something Christine will come out from inside the counter, open her mouth and invite you to place your money either in her mouth (if you are paying by notes) or in the pouch that hangs from around her neck (for coins). Christine then trots inside the counter to give the money to the owner, wait for him to place the change in her mouth or pouch respectively and out she comes again to deliver your change. This really does have to be seen to be believed and is as heart warming as it is hilarious. In fact it’s so good it entices you to buy more things just so you can experience it all over again — this would appear a clever ploy by the owner to boost business but honestly the whole production is so gratifying I wouldn’t want to taint it with any cynicism. The goods on offer in the shop are all ethnic, tribal and intensely cultural odds n’ ends. The shop feels powerfully spiritual if not quite hypnotic, the feeling heightened even more by the pleasurable incense aroma subtly seeping through the atmosphere as you browse. You really are transported back to the hectic stalls of Marrakesh or Kathmandu as you glance through the shelves and clothes rails chocked-​full with many an arbitrary item. Even if you just go in to pick up a packet of incense sticks the sight and sounds of Christine the dog make this one of the most uplifting shopping outings ever.

Tambuli is exactly the kind of shop I love looking around in but never, ever buy anything. I simply do not have any need for a puka shell-​encrusted jewelry box or a Peruvian wool hat (I got the real thing in Huancayo, anyway) but I love to pick these items up, admire them, then set them down and walk away.
I also like Tambuli for the sheer amount of this stuff there is to look at. They have all sorts of gifts, clothes and doo-​dads that make browsing a pleasure. They sell a lot non-​hippie clothes, especially for guys, and at good prices. I saw some really nice shorts for cheap cheap cheap and have been meaning to bring my boyfriend back here to check them out.
Tambuli is also the only shop in Dublin where I’ve seen didgeridoos for sale! The quintessential hippie instrument, this thing is hard to master but lots of fun to learn. Would be an ideal present for a down chick or dude in your life.

Tambuli is a treasure trove of woven bags, tie-​dyed clothing, carved wooden and stone ornaments, handmade jewelery, pungent incense, windchimes, handmade instruments, woolly jumpers, all things «ethnic», and many more bits and bobs besides.
It’s a small and very cramped shop, but a great place for a browse. If you’re in need of a quick present for the bohemian someone in your life and are running short on inspiration, take a gander in here and you should be able to find something to suit.

The shop Tambuli looks like a market in Marrakesh. There are things dangling from everywhere, clothes stuffed in the racks and tiny precious items piled into glass cases. Walking in here, your eyes don’t know where to focus.
Once you get over the initial sensory shock, it’s easy to find things you want. The merchandise is mainly decorative and incorporate some idea of spirituality. There are healing precious stones, chakra bracelets, Buddha figurine and incense galore.
There are also plenty of exotic masks; some look African, others Native American and others Asian. The ones of «The Big Chief» are quite tacky but original.
It’s easy to lose yourself here and overall a fun shopping experience.

Walking into Tambuli is a bit like walking into a stoner version of Alice in Wonderland. Welcomed, not by a bell, but by what sounds akin to the chirping of a cricket, the wonders continue inside, as clothing, jewellery, drums and random bits and bobs abound. Feel like replenishing your incense supply? OK. Want to get your reggae on in a Bob Marley t-​shirt? Pick your style. Feeling a bit chilly? Pick up a comfy jumper that looks like something a Sherpa may have worn on a trek in the Himalayas. Feel like some new accessories? Browse the copious amounts of bracelets and necklaces for one that tickles your fancy.
More a place for a look in than necessarily a shopping experience, Tambuli is charming, if entirely random. Bongos sit beside tie-​dyed dungarees, while the owners’ dog will give you your change (if he’s in the mood!). It’s the sort of place where you could find that elusive Buddha statue that you’ve always craved, or take one look and walk right back out. But stay a while and cast your eye around… you never know what you may find…

Tambuli is the most relaxing and friendly shop i have been in in a long time. the smells and sounds and the friendlyness of the people working there all make it a fantastic experience.
There are many little odd things on sale here and also some clothes and jewellery and mirriors but my favourite are the bags that they sell!
The best thing about the shop is the owners little dog who struts around as though he is working. its adorable!

This store is a breath of fresh air in Temple Bar. The first impression, when entering, is the sweet sound of soothing and hypnotic Tibetan percussion, like a hospitable host welcoming you to come hither, and the pungent and pleasant aromas of incense thick as mountain dew. An Asian/​Buddhist shop, which is a real hook for the spiritual person, the lover of the East or Eastern philosophies. There’s a great seclection of clothes, oil burners, Bongos, incense sticks and even Bob Marley regalia. And the layout is as quaint as any fairgreen attraction. But even if you just wish to browse, it is a great way to chill out for a while.