The village stretches for a couple kilometers along the shore of a bay formed by promontories at Kosh Kol (to the west) and Choktal (to the east).

Along much of its course, the creek is artificially rerouted (and thus locally known as an aryk) to run not along the bottom of ravines and gulches, but on a high ground, so that it is possible to divert water from it for irrigation.

Much less developed than Cholpon Ata, it is popular with both the Bishkek middle class and budget travellers from as far away as central Russia and Siberia.

Unlike its western neighbor, Kosh Kol, Tamchy was spared the large-scale resort development during the Soviet era, and its hospitality industry consists mostly of smaller, family-run guesthouses.

Tamchy is located on the highway that runs along the north shore of Issyk Kul, and is served by passenger vans and buses operating on Bishkek-Balykchy-Cholpon Ata-Karakol route.