Bhutan

Snow-capped mountain peaks to historical relics

Famous as the last Sanghri La (literally translated as Utopian paradise) on earth, the tiny Bhutan Kingdom offers a lot to the tourists. From snow-capped mountain peaks to historical relics, large number of tourist attractions bedeck the marvelous landscape of Bhutan. With its tourism industry constantly developing, Bhutan is slowly putting itself as a great tourist destination to explore. The fact that Bhutan has mysteries associated to its unexplored landscape makes it more lucrative for the tourists.

Thimpu and Paro valley are two most sought-after tourist attractions in Bhutan. Thimpu is the capital of the country, yet the ambience is not modern. The city retains its old-world charm. Paro is the most developed city of Bhutan. But you can see natural landscape just outside the city. Paro valley also holds many monuments which tell us a lot about the heritage of the country.

Bonism was the main religion in Bhutan before the arrival of Buddhism. It was only in the 8th century that an Indian saint Guru Padmasambhava, popularly know as Guru Rinpoche brought Buddhism to Bhutan.

Attractions

Paro: Paro is the gateway to the last Shangri-La on earth if you come by air because the only international airport in Bhutan stands here.
Located in the north-western part of Bhutan at an altitude of 2,250 m above the sea level, it is one of the districts with a huge Dzongkha speaking community. The district is spread over an area of 1259.5 sq km with 7,118 households.
The main town of Paro is colorful and it is worth taking a stroll from one end to the other. It has many handicraft shops from where Bhutanese souvenirs can be bought. Paro has beautiful fortresses, monuments, religious sites and several astonishing places worth exploring.

Thimphu: Thimphu – the capital city of Bhutan is two hours’ drive (65 kilometers) from Paro. It is the one among two capital cities in Asia without traffic lights. The other is Pyongyang in North Korea.
Thimphu became the capital only in 1961 and today it is the government and monastic headquarters. It was only after Thimphu became the Capital that developmental activities started taking place. The Royal family members also live in Thimphu.
It is the most happening town in Bhutan and is very active during the day. Thimphu has an equally active night life with seven discotheques and some 17 drayangs (bar with entertainers). If you want a taste of night life in Bhutan, Thimphu is just the place for you.

Punakha: Punakha district is a significant place in Bhutanese history and it is still given the importance it deserves. One of the most beautiful valleys in Bhutan it attracts many tourists.
The town which is 77 kilometers away from Thimphu, takes about three hours to reach. It was once the capital of Bhutan from 1637 till 1955 and the first National Assembly Bhutan was held in this district. The whole area is spread over 1,096 square kilometers, with 1,891 households and a population of around 21,674 people.

Wangdue Phodrang: South of Punakha is Wangduephodrang also commonly known as Wangdue, the last western town on the highway before entering central Bhutan. It is a bustling town with a pretty view of the valley and the dzong.
The second largest district in Bhutan has a population of approximately 28,000 and is located at an altitude of 4,300 feet. The little town is popular for the tales of shaman culture, ornamental speeches or Lozeys of Shaa, ancestral home of Pema Tshewang Tashi, the knight whose lozey still remains a favorite amongst the Bhutanese. The higher reaches of the valley provide rich pastureland for cattle. The district is also known for its fine bamboo work and its slate carvings.

Wangdue played a critical role in unifying the western, central and southern districts in the 17th century.

Bumthang: Bumthang is so called because the valley is shaped like a “bumpa” or the vessel containing holy water placed on altars (“bum”) and “thang” implies “field” or “flat place”. The other translation relates to a beautiful girl (“bum”).
Bumthang comprises four major valleys – Chokor, Tang, Ura and Chhumey. It’s known as the most sacred district in the country because Guru Rinpoche healed a local king here and brought about the acceptance of Buddhism in Bumthang and subsequently the whole country. It has famous “nyes” (sacred sites) which pilgrims from all over the country visit. Bumthang is also known for its natural scenic beauty, apples, organic apple juice, cheese and the colorful yathra cloth.

Trongsa: It’s a sleepy but pleasant town, seven hours’ drive from the Capital. You can get a fine view of the Black Mountain Range towards the southwest. A major part of the town’s population comprises Bhutanese of Tibetan descent. Tibetans immigrated to this part of the country in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The Thruepang Palace where the third king was born is located in Trongsa but it’s closed to visitors. The small town has a great historical significance because all the kings of Bhutan were invested with the title of Trongsa Penlop before ascending the throne. The first and second Kings ruled from Trongsa.

Zhemgang: Zhemgang was once called Kheng along with fragments of neighboring town Mongar. The territory was absorbed into Bhutan in the 17th century. Panbang, south of Zhemgang is known for its bamboo works. At Nabji, two days’ walk from Zhemgang, a stone pillar stands as a symbol of the dispute settled between Sindhu Raja and Naochhe by Guru Rinpoche.

Mongar: Mongar is known for lemon grass that produces essential oil and the hydropower project on Kurichhu. In fact, though Mongar has little to offer to tourists, it is the fastest growing district in the east. The new Mongar Dzong was built to replace the old Zhongar dzong, which is now in ruins. However, Mongar is a pleasant countryside and you can enjoy it on the way to Trashigang from Bumthang though it is usually dusk by the time you get there.

Trashigang: Not many tourists make it to Trashigang as it requires a lot of driving around but it is the focal point of eastern Bhutan and used to be a centre of trade with Tibet. At present, the main town is a small parking space surrounded by shops and crammed with cars in the centre of which stands a huge prayer wheel. The prayer wheel serves as a rest place and vegetable stall on most days. The dzong offers an overarching view of the valley below and is unusual for the fact that both administrative and monastic bodies face a single dochey (courtyard).

Trashi Yangtse: Earlier it used to be part of Trashigang (a dungkhag/ sub-district) but Trashiyangtse became a full-fledged dzongkhag in 1993. On the north, it shares its border with the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh and cross-border trade still exists. The new settlement lies three km from the old dzong, near Chorten Kora.

Chhukha: Chukha is one of the most important districts of Bhutan, with the busy border town of Phuentsholing often referred to as the ‘Gateway to the South’.

When to visit
You can visit Bhutan any time of the year. There is no ‘appropriate season’ as such, which is to say that Bhutan’s warm and temperate climate, never-ending festivals and rich and abundant heritage sites provide visitors with a wide array of experiences throughout the year across the country.
Bhutan has all four seasons and the climate varies widely depending on the altitude. However, Spring (March April & May) is thought the most beautiful time of the year, resplendent and ablaze with a spectacular array of bright colors. Also, it is the time to witness the famous Paro Tsechu festival.

Getting to Bhutan

Visitors can enter Bhutan through Paro, the only international airport in the country. Visitors can also enter Bhutan from Phuentsholing via West Bengal, India and Samdrup Jongkhar via Assam, India.