Bhutan – Land of prayer wheels and prayer flags , at the very heart of the Himalayas.

Bhutan – Land of prayer wheels and prayer flags , at the very heart of the Himalayas.

Though a close neighbor of India, and having heard so much about this beautiful country that is unique in a way that it measures its progress in terms of GNH (Gross National Happiness), I had never until now had a chance to visit. Before I begin , I can say with all certainty that this is among the most beautiful of places I’ve visited … ever ! The culture, the landscapes, the hospitality, the people , its all absolutely an out of world experience ! This is a review of a trip to Bhutan covering specifically Western Bhutan I.e. the cities of the capital Thimphu , and subsequently Punakha and Paro. A trip to Bhutan (Via Air) Starts with an adrenaline pumping landing often making its way to the top 5 most dangerous in the world), and also offers some extremely scenic views of the himalayan mountains and valleys below. The airport is very small and quaint. Do not expect options in terms of duty free, shopping etc. , there is just one Duty free shop, and its mostly understocked. Staff are however courteous and serve with a smile. There is a currency exchange outlet and just one shop where you can buy a local sim. 

Thimphu city:

Our first stop was Thimphu city. While it is a small city , it was larger and busier than I had imagined it to be. Nestled in the hills with ups and downs, inlanes and bye lanes housing small shops , restaurants, tea stalls , and other mini marts. No malls , no shopping arcades but I think thats a good thing as it adds to keeping the place sane and calm if I may say. Thimphu is pretty much the commercial center of the country, and houses most of the HQ of commercial establishments, public sector offices , administrative offices of the monarchy and quite a few private commercial establishments

Located around 60 kms from Paro Airport and takes around 2 hrs to reach thru winding mountain roads (Roads are pretty decent though-it’s the east –west highway). 

FOOD: There are quite a few restaurant options to choose from in Thimphu. Most of them located along the main road (Chorten Lam) which is the only one that has a traffic junction with a copper present. Some eateries serve local cuisine, others Indian and pan Asian which the next two most popular cuisines here. There are a few other options in terms of continental such as Pizza , Burgers and we also saw a Korean and a Japanese food place. For local cuisine, Try Datshi (Chicken , Veg or Pork) , Red rice porridge , and of course do not miss Suja (Butter Tea), not for everyones palate but certainly worth the try. Spice levels vary from mild to high. If you’d like the alcohol binge, there are many restaurants that also serve liquor and mini marts selling alcohol. If you’d like a live music experience, there are two pubs in town namely Jimmy’s and Mojos Park that also have a live music stage and are located near the National Football stadium. There are however, a lot of Karaoke pubs and venues spread out all across the city. You can also simply Take a Walk around town . It’s a small place so everything is within a 2-3 kms radius , walks are pleasant due to the pleasant weather, sparse traffic and decent footpaths in most places. Try a hot piping tea along with fried pakodas or momos (Snacks) at a small tea shop (There are quite a few around town) – exhilarating experience. On a recommendation of our guide, We ate at Zombala and it was an amazing experience in terms of the local cuisine we tasted and the service too was fantastic. Definitely Recommended. Call Taxis are available and are very reasonable and standard pricing.

Shopping – 

Woolens and handicrafts are cheap , lots of options to choose from. Try and promote Made in Bhutan and buy the local produce and manufactured items. Handicrafts include wooden , bronze , artifacts, Yak Wool Shawls , Lots of Buddhism paraphernalia. 

Shop for Souvenirs and Handicrafts at the line of designated stores near the main street (located near the General Post office). It’s recommended to shop for Souveniours and gift items here as rates in Paro are much higher for the same items / quality. Savour local wines , they are simply amazing. Especially a local produce of Peach Wine called ZumZim

Things to do

A typical day tour of Thimphu ,  would take you from the Semthokha Dzong to the giant Buddha Statue at Kuensel Phodrang to the Takin zoo and the Tashiccho Dzong. Dzongs are traditionally fortresses built not so long ago by Namgyal Shabdruk at the time of unification of the country.  Most Dzongs are about 350-400 yrs old. While originally built for protection and fortification , today these Dzongs have become a seat of administration for the Royal government and also house Buddhist temples / shrines within the campus. The trip upto the Semthokha Dzong which is perched on a hill about 500 mts above the thimphu valley is a drive through Pine Forests and overlooks the valley. Once at the top, the exhilarating experience continues with the majesticism and beauty of the Dzong itself, the beauty and the intricateness of the shrine within. Do not miss a trip to the magical Semthokha Dzong. From there do visit the 170 foot tall Buddha statue and shrine located atop Kuensel phodrang hill. Again perched a good 700-800 mts above the Thimpu valley, the views from here are simply magical. On the one side, the Valley of Thimphu and on the other, towering Himalayan mountains in the backdrop. Its usually very windy at this altitude , be sure to carry wind cheaters and warm clothing. Take a walk around the beautiful courtyard and savor the majestic Himalayan beauty coupled with some amazing weather. The Buddha statue itself is regarded to be the tallest in this part of the world. Our next stop after lunch was the Takin zoo (which houses a small reserve where the national animal , the Takin is reserved). There is also a small deer park attached. It’s a small zoo but the drive upto it and the walk inside is a wonderful experience through thick blue pine forests and mountain streams. Our last stop for the day was the Tashiccho Dzong which is open only in the evenings between 5:30 – 6:30 pm. Unfortunately since some in the group were a little tired , and apparently the place was also closed for renovation we didn’t actually go there. Rather our tour guide took us to a view point on a hilltop overlooking the Dzong (and the city) from where we could see it from a height. Apparently , much of the Dzong is closed for Public since its mostly the administrative office of the King , so the parts that are open aren’t so much to see. Somewhere along the way, we also saw the War Memorial Chorten, which is a temple. There is an entry fee though if you’d like to enter inside the temple, else you can take pics from the outside itself. If you do get a bit of extra time to spare, make a visit to the Bhutan General Post office and you would get the unique experience of making a postal stamp with your picture on it and mind you, its actually a valid  / usable one !! Something very unique and I guess not available in too many countries. Also , there’s a postal museum inside the building , which is decent for a quick 15 mins tour. We did this since we had some time post lunch , and we didn’t regret it. I’d think though, the Semathok Dzong, Buddha Point and the Takin Zoo are a must do during a visit to Thimpu !

TIP : Currency exchange shops are sparse in the town. However, there are some fashion / clothes / electronics shops that exchange and give you a decent rate. There are quite a few ATMs in town. If you are an Indian traveler however, Indian Rupees are widely accepted as its of equal strength.

Punakha:

The drive from Thimpu to Punakha takes you through the hills and valleys of the Thimphu and Punakha districts and is a total of around 80 kms & takes about 3-4 hrs in total. It is an absolutely stunning drive going up and down mountain passes and valleys, that at the peak of its altitude, takes you to the famous Dochu-La pass. Located at an altitude of around 3100 mtrs above sea level , this place is almost always covered in fog and cloud. Famous for two things, the 108 chorten (Stupa) memorial and of course the views of the Himalayas far and beyond including the highest peak in Bhutan Gangkar Puensem at a height of 7400 mtrs above sea level (which is possible only on a clear day , we weren’t so lucky , it was quite cloudy and we got only a faint view of the mountains in the distance). There is a café at the top where you can tank up on a nice hot tea / coffee and some eats , plus of course it has decent restroom facilities. Post Dochu La , the drive is mostly a descent and takes you through the valleys of Punakha and through pine and eventually more temperate forests – it’s a blanket of green , green and more green , in fact shades of green splashed across mountain sides and valleys below. Mountain sides that are adorned with Prayer flags , some colorful some plain white. Our tour guide explained the significance of the colors of prayer flags. Punakha is a good 1000 mtrs below the level of Thimphu, so the climate is naturally a little warmer. A little before reaching Punakha itself, you hit the town of Lobesa famous for the Fertility temple Chimhi Lakhang, another stop in the itinery. The temple itself has a interesting history to it as told by the guide to us and would help you appreciate more as you progress through your visit. The temple itself isn’t accessible by road and the trek starts around 1 km ahead through paddy fields and eventually a small incline to reach the temple entrance located atop a small hillock. Whether you visit because of divinity or belief or to simply soak in the amazing views and surroundings , you won’t be disappointed either way. Punakha sightseeing typically includes the famed Punakha Dzong which is considered to be the most spectacular and beautiful dzongs in all of Bhutan. Located by the Pacchu river and surrounded by Mountains and Jacaranda trees, I certainly cannot deny this. Its straight out of one of those castles from a fairy tale ! Today the Dzong is both, a Buddhist shrine and monastery as well as an administrative unit that houses offices of some of the government and royal monarchy departments. The Dzong could take upto an hour to see in full, I’d recommend spending some considerable time in the temple (a guide would also give you more information about each of the deities , paintings and murals inside, each of them have a history to tell). Click some pics in the beautiful courtyards. Last but not least, if you have around an hour and some energy to spare, do try River Rafting in the Pochuu river. It certainly adds the adventure touch to your trip as you take a 60 mins rafting ride that spans around 10 kms down the Paachu River. Bargaining with the vendors at the starting point, may throw you a good 30 % discount depending on your bargaining skills. But they do need a group of min 8 people to ply the raft.

TIP: Punakha is a much much smaller town than Thimphu and Paro , so don’t expect any options in terms of eating / ATMS / WIFI and other amenities. Typically you may be restricted to your hotel and at the mercy of your hotel for all of this, so make sure you book a good hotel or ensure your travel agent books a decent hotel that meets your requirement on these criteria.

TIP: there are a fair amount of restaurants and cafes all the way between Thimphu and Punakha and they have restroom facilities. Roads are also very decent all the way. Budget a quick stop at one of the water driven prayer wheels , and also at some road side fruit stalls for fresh fruits locally produced like apples , peaches and pairs. If you’re up for it , try Yak cheese (usually sold by the same fruit vendors) but caution, it needs Gritty teeth and strong gums.

PARO: 

The journey from Punakha to Paro takes you via Dochu la and Thimphu again. It’s a total of 4 hours again meandering through valleys and mountains alike. The weather at Paro is similar to Thimphu (the altitude is pretty much the same) but it gets a bit more chilly in my opinion, probably because it’s a much smaller town so carbon emission is less and its surrounded by higher mountains. Also, the Pachu river runs right through the town.The town is considerably smaller than Thimphu and also infrastructure like roads , footpaths , shops and commercial establishments are less set up. The whole town is practically located along two main roads and most of the shops on either side. It would remind you of a small wild wild west town ! It however does play home to the only international airport in Bhutan. While there are quite a few options in terms of eating (including some really nice Cafe’s and pizzerias)  there are a host of handicraft and souvenior shops , much much more than what you’d find in Thimphu. I guess it’s because most itinerys and packages have Paro as the last destination before you leave out and hence it’s the perfect time to shop for gifts and souveniours too. However, be aware that while the choice is much more, so are the prices. Hotels may be a little far from the city , especially the resorts as they are located along the hill slopes that surround the paro town. From most parts of Paro , snow / ice capped peaks are visible off the mountain tops in the distance. Sightseeing at Paro would typically include the Paro Dzhong , the National museum and will most definitely include a trip to the world famous Tigers Nest (Tatshang). We didn’t do the Dzong as our guide told us it was similar to Semtokha Dzong (the one at Thimphu) but given a choice I would have certainly checked it out. A visit to the national museum is definitely in order as it gives you a beautiful chronology of events in the history of Bhutan as well as lots of information / displays about Flora , Fauna , Geography and Geology of Bhutan. It’ll help you understand and appreciate the country much much more. The oldest buddhist temple in Bhutan is also located in Paro and definitely worth a visit.

The next day we did the world famed Taktsang (which literally translates to “Tiger’s nest”). The entire experience is worth way more than I had imagined it to be. While the epitome lies in taking the pic from the famous viewpoint across from the Taktsang , the whole experience of trekking up the pine forest mountain with fantastic weather is something to experience ! Its difficult to imagine how such a magnificent edifice as that could be constructed on a cliff edge , that too at around 3200 mtrs above sea level where temperatures are nippy , and the area is subject to a lot of precipitation and storms. The trek starts at the base camp located just outside the city of Paro (about 10 kms) from where you can actually see the Tiger’s nest up the mountain side. Stock up on Water , light snacks and a hiking stick if you have one (else you can rent one from Base camp). The trek is a good 3-4 hours up hill and the terrain is rugged, so is the inclination. So definitely not recommended for children / babies or elders as well people with heart disease or any disabilities as it requires a fair deal of physical exertion. You do have an option of taking a Pony upto half the way , however Pony isn’t for  the faint hearted. Word of advise , if taking the Pony put your entire faith on the accompanying animal guardian and refrain from making a ruckus or noise as it can be agitating to the animal as well as dangerous for you as the rider. For the first half of the trek you go through beautiful pine forests, which offer magnificent views of the Paro valley on one side and the towering snow capped Himalayan Peaks on the other. In fact from some points , Mt Jhomolhari (Alt 7100 mts) the second highest peak in Bhutan can be seen. Watch out for the Ponies coming downhill ! There is a cafeteria half way up where you can rejuvenate over a light snack or cup of tea / cool drink. From there, there are 3-4 viewpoints from where pics can be clicked until you reach the Tigers nest. A permit / ticket is needed if you need to enter the tiger’s nest temple but you can visit upto the monastery entrance without one. The ticket needs to be bought at base camp only. No facility to buy a ticket at the top. Downhill should take roughly half the time as you took uphill and less exerting of course. The successful trip to Tigers nest, was in my opinion a feather in the cap !!

Accomodation : We stayed at Mandala Resort in Paro, Namseling Hotel in Thimphu and Zhingkham Resort in Punakha. These were booked as part of a package and through a reputed tour operator. However, given a choice to book myself too , I might have chosen the same hotels. These come highly recommended, as they offer basic amenities like heaters (Which are totally needed in Bhutan at all places), Wifi connectivity (albeit slow sometimes) and hot running water , rooms are clean and spacious, restaurant is good in terms of food quality and cleanliness / comfort. All places also had an ala carte menu in case you wanted to order something different or savor some local cuisine. Staff at all places were very courteous. I was especially impressed with the fact that all hotels have female staff as porters in addition to male staff. Women employment is given absolute priority and seriousness in Bhutan as a nation. Some resorts in the countryside may be a bit further from Town but on the plus side offer views and landscapes that are far more beautiful , so weigh your options and preferences before booking.

General Travel Tips in Bhutan:

Tip: if you aren’t a very good traveler in mountainous terrain / altitude etc. maybe a good idea to carry some medication just in case the nausea or the headaches set in

TIP : Bhutanese are very proud of their monarchy and culture and of course, take their religion very seriously. Its important as a tourist to adhere to these basic hygiene aspects such as dressing modestly when visiting sacred sites like temples , shrines etc. Respecting the king is important . Cleanliness and protection of the environment is given lots of importance here (no littering, no spitting , etc.). All the tourist sites are very clean and well maintained.

TIP : Usually in Spring (when we visited), precipitation picks up in the mountains noon onwards , so maybe a good idea to carry some light rain gear in addition to warm clothing (which is of course a must).

TIP: Its important to maintain key rules and do and donts when visiting Dzongs and Shrines as the local people as well as the guards take these very seriously . Violation could mean deviating from protocol and a mark of disrespect.