Ferreting Bhutan
Perched high in the Himalayas, Bhutan is a dreamy paradise. My little discoveries in the world’s last remaining Buddhist Kingdom with my friends made me fall in love with this place. In our eight day trip in January 2020, we covered the regular but immersive Bhutanese itineraries of Thimpu, Punakha and Paro. By reading this account, you will get to know why you should consider Bhutan as your next travel destination.
We started from Bagdogra in West Bengal with a two hour delayed flight from Mumbai and this delay means we were losing precious travel time because the sun sets early in the North Eastern parts of the sub continent. At Bagdogra, we had hired a comfortable 10 seater Toyota Hi Ace for the whole trip and it was our driver Tandin’s own car and he was familiar with the roads and well versed with almost entire Bhutan.
From Bagdogra its three hours drive to Phuentsholing, the entry town of Bhutan bordering the city of Jaigon in India. The border is separated by a single Bhutanese gate. Tourists from India do not need visa to enter Bhutan but have to show proof of identity such as a passport or voter ID card and apply for a permit at Phuentsholing to enter Bhutan.
Phuentsholing is uniquely more urban than other Bhutanese towns. It has many restaurants and karaoke bars. For people who love shopping should definitely visit the main market. Walking around you will find colourful handmade bags, shawls, hair bands etc. As it is a local market goods are cheap as compared to Bhutanese stores further up. You’ll obviously find all the goods which you’ll find in India. Phuentsholing had many trendier things to fall in love with but unfortunately the town was not in our itinerary, just an entry city. Here at Phuentsholing Socials, I had my best tasting Momos ever.
After a well spent night, we started our main trip and proceeded to Timphu, the capital of Bhutan. Thimphu contains most of the important political buildings in Bhutan. The culture of Bhutan is fully reflected in Thimphu in literature, religion, customs, and national dress code, the monastic practices of the monasteries, music, and dance. It is also the largest city in the country.
Buddha Dordenma is one of the top attractions in Thimpu. Buddhism plays a strong part in the daily life of the Bhutanese. The Buddha Dordenma is the largest sitting statue at top of the hill. With one of the best views in the city, this Buddha point is called Kuensel Phodrang by the locals.
Takin National Preserve is a relaxing and a lovely place to be with your family. Here, on a walk, you will find the Takin which is the national animal of Bhutan along with Gorals, Serows, Musk deer, etc.
The Tashichho Dzong overlooks the Wang Chhu River, just outside of the Thimphu city limits. It is an impressive building, having served as the seat of the government since 1952. Thimphu Chorten; also known as the National Memorial Chorten, was built in the honour of Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, the third king of Bhutan in 1947. Serving as a major landmark, this Tibetan styled stupa is also idolized as one of most visible religious structures in Thimphu. Furthermore, Thimpu has many attractions for tourist interested in arts and literature.
As we continued our journey towards Punakha, we reached Dochula, a beautiful mountain pass, which is about 20 km from Thimphu. It is also known as “Druk Wangyal Chortens.” as was in honour of 108 Bhutanese soldiers who died in a 2003 military operation. It’s not just a place of historical and religious importance, but also a popular tourist attraction that any traveller would want to witness on their journey through Bhutan. Scenery is picturesque with closer views of the snow-laden Himalayas.
We stayed in a modest accommodation at Punakha but had one of the mesmerising scenery besides the Punakha River. We had quite an afternoon over by the river with a tent camp lunch and fun filled and adventurous river rafting for at least two hours with plenty of bird sightings.
The Punakha Dzong is the second oldest and second-largest Dzong in Bhutan and one of its most majestic structures. The Dzong was consecrated in the name of Pungthang Dechen Phodrang. In 1639, a commemorative chapel was erected to house the arms seized from the Tibetans who were defeated by the Bhutanese on this spot. Administrative offices of the Dzong, a very large, white-washed stupa and a bodhi tree are located in the first courtyard. All of Bhutan’s kings have been crowned here.
Besides the Dzong, is the longest suspension bridge in Bhutan. This 160 metres suspension bridge is the longest in Bhutan. The bridge is stable and provides a good view of the river and valley, with the mountain as background.
The real adventure is walking across the bridge. The bridge is an important part of the architectural history of Bhutan as it was built to connect the villages of Shengana, Samdingkha and Wangkha to the Palace of the Wangchuk Kings.
The city of Paro falls in a picturesque region in one of the widest valleys in the kingdom and is covered in fertile rice fields and has a beautiful, crystalline river meandering down the valley. The region contains one of Bhutan’s most iconic landmarks, Taktsang Monastery, the Tiger’s Nest.
This awe-inspiring Taktsang Monastery was constructed upon a sheer cliff face, above forests of oak and rhododendrons. It is a prominent Himalayan Buddhist sacred site and the temple complex is located in the cliffside of the upper Paro valley in Bhutan. The hike to Tiger’s Nest is a moderate to difficult one but you’ll be able to do it if you have at least an average level of fitness. The hike takes between 3 to 5 hours depending on your speed and stamina.
The collection at the National Museum in Paro preserves a snap-shot of the rich cultural traditions of the country. Another site worth visiting in Paro is Drugyel Dzong or The Fortress of the Victorious
Bhutanese. There are over 155 temples and monasteries in the area, some dating as far back as the 14th century. The country’s first and only international airport is also located in the region. Its close proximity to the historical and religious sites in the region has resulted in the development of an array of luxurious, high-end tourist resorts making Paro one of the main international destinations for visitors. There is a vantage point near the airport which gives an excellent view of the airport and the valley.
On the way back to Phuentsholing, we came across the Iron Chain Bridge; the Tachogang Lhakhang Bridge crosses the Paro Chhu to the Dzong. This 600-yearold bridge was built by Thangtong Gyalpo in the late 1300s, which is said to have built 108 bridges all over Tibet and Bhutan. Made of wood and Iron, this is the first bridge to have ever been built in Bhutan. Tachogang Lhakhang Bridge greets its guests with a fantastic view of the surroundings.
Thus, we indeed ended our trip on a happy note with a fantastic value for money tour but I have made a promise to be back soon as there is still a lot to be explored in this land of mystery, history, happiness, peace, spirituality and lots of Dzongs and Chortens.