Interested places to visit in Bhutan

Interested places to visit in Bhutan

Paro

Paro: Paro is one of the most beautiful valleys in the country with Bhutan’s only airport located here, among the terraced fields, and elegant farm houses. Willow trees line many of the roads, contrasting with bright colors of the fields and the most popular and important sites also found within Paro district. Paro town (2,280m) is still a small with one main street and less then one hundred small

Family-run shops. The weekend market in Paro is held on Saturdays
Rinpung Dzong: meaning "fortress of the heap of jewels". Built in mid 17th century, it now serves as the administrative and judicial seat of Paro district and residence for the 200 monks of Paro. It is also the venue for Paro festival held in the spring. Several years ago, the colourful movie Little Buddha was filmed here.
Farm House

Kyichu temple: Tibetan King Songtsen Gompo in the 7th century miraculously built 108 temples, along with Jorkhang in Lhasa. Kyichu is considered to be one of them and is one of the oldest temples in Bhutan.
 
National Museum: Established in 1967, the museum is housed inside a circular Ta Dzong, an ancient Watch Tower. It holds fascinating collection of arts, relics, religious thangkha paintings, households stuffs, arms, handicrafts, stuffed animals and Bhutan’s famous Stamps among others. (open 10-4pm – closed on Monday).
 
 Hike to Taktsang: Drive to north of Paro town for about ½ hr and embark on a trek to the famed Taktsang (Tiger’s lair) monastery. Taktsang monastery is located on the face of a 1,000m seemingly impossible sheer, vertical cliff, above Paro valley.
Taktsang Monastery
The trail begins near the Satsam (2650m) and climbs steeply uphill to the Cafeteria (2,940m), an area of exposed ridge with panoramic view of Takstang. This takes little more then an hour. (Ponies are provided on request to ride up till this Cafeteria, but rest of way, including return downhill must be on foot.) You can get a good view from the Cafeteria or hike further uphill for another hour or so to the temple itself. There are several other temples and sites within the vicinity. Lunch is served at the tea house. The return trek to the road head is quite steep downhill, where you will be met by the transport.
 
Drukgyel Dzong: Ruins of Drukgyel dzong stands 14 km north of Paro town at the end of the road. It was built in 1644 to commemorate the victory f Bhutan over Tibet. It served as the administrative and religious center for Paro until 1951 when fire broke out and damaged this huge structure. Now it stands in complete ruin.
 
Thimphu (2,300m) was a wooded farming valley until 1961, when it became Bhutan's official national capital. The massive Tashicho Dzong, about 700 years old, was carefully revamped in the 1960s by the late King Jigme Dorji Wangchuk to house the royal and main government offices. Even today, it still only has a few streets and no traffic lights with estimated population of 90,000 people.

 Memorial Chorten: This landmark of Thimphu was built in 1974 in the memory of third King, Jigme Dorji Wangchuk, who is popularly regarded as Father of Modern Bhutan. It is a four-storey tall white building, containing statues and iconography of deities from complex tantric teachings and serves as an important place of worship for Thimphu residents, as well as from other parts of the country.
 
Zilukha Nunnery:  It has been housed in Drubthob Goemba (monastery). There are about 70 nuns who live and pray everyday in the monastery. The beautiful view of Tashicho Dzong can be seen from the nunnery.    
 
Takin Sanctuary:   Takin (Budorcas taxicolor) has been chosen as the national animal of Bhutan is based both on its uniqueness and its association with country’s history and mythology.  It is said that Devine Madman, a popular saint is said to have created it with his magical power at a large congregation of devotees. It resembles like a cow from back and goat in the front and continues to befuddle taxonomists, who cannot quite relate to other animal.
 
Indigenous Hospital or National Institute of Traditional Medicine (Open 9-5pm Mon-Fri, 9-1pm on Sat) is government funded institute that facilitates research of traditional medicine and practices. It prepares and dispenses herbal and other medicines with clinic where doctors diagnose and prescribe traditional medicines or treatments.
 
School of arts & Crafts  (open 9-5pm mon-fri and 9-1pm on Sat –with exceptions of holidays and breaks). Commonly known as ‘the painting school’ is a national institute where children attend six-year course that provides instruction in Bhutan’s traditional arts and crafts called Zorig Chuksum - meaning 13 crafts.
 
Tashichhodzong: This fortress serves as the office of the King, ministers and various government organizations. It also is the headquarters for central monastic body of Bhutan. Bhutan's spiritual leader Je-Khenpo and the monks of both Thimphu and Punakha reside here during summer. It is also the venue for Thimphu Festival in the fall season.
 
Heritage Museum: Heritage Museum is also a recent addition; housed in a traditional home displays the living style of the Bhutanese family in 19th century.
 
Textile Museum: A recent addition in the capital city, this museum displays the colorful and intricately hand woven textile, both old and new.
 
Paper Factory:  Traditional papers were made from the daphne plant, using simple methods.
 
Khamsum Yuelley Stupa: Drive to the idyllic countryside north of Punakha to the village of Nezigang, starting point for our gradual hiking ascent through cultivated fields and little hamlets to the Khamsum Yuley Namgay Chorten, a shrine recently built by the royal family. The shrine is an amazingly elaborate structure with a rainbow of Guru Rimpoche images and superb views of the Punakha Valley. The hike uphill takes about 1 hour and you can return via different route following ancient riverside trails amid whitewashed farmhouses to Punakha Dzong.
 
Wangdiphodrang Dzong: Shubdrung Nawang Namgyal in 1638 had built this massive fortress sitting on a hilltop at the confluence of Punakha Chu and Tang Chu Rivers. It is built in the shape of a sleeping bull. Wangdi festival is celebrated here in the autumn.
 
Drive from Punakha to Paro via Thimphu. The drive from Punakha to Paro via Thimphu takes about 4 hours, covering total of 140 km. From Punakha, climb back to the Dochula pass (3,050m), where you have another opportunity to view the peaks of the eastern Himalayas. Descend to Thimphu from Dochula takes about 40 minutes. The drive from Thimphu to Paro takes little more than 1 hour. The western branch of lateral highway from Thimphu, runs close to the Wangchu river in the valley foor, through the suburbs and villages of Thimphu to arrive at the river confluence of Chuzom, which is also the hub of road network going to Paro, Ha, Thimphu and Phuntsholing. From Chuzom, it is north-west for about an ½ hour, following Pa Chu river upstream, passing Tachogang temple on the other side of the river, then through relatively straight road, into the villages and farm houses of Paro valley.
 Bhutan Textile
Farm House or Village Home: Bhutanese farmhouses are colorful, decorative and traditionally built without any nails. Majority of the houses are with three story, first floor is utilized for sheltering cattle, second floor for the family to live in and the top for storing and drying of foods and fodder for animal. Almost all the farmhouses follow the same architectural pattern. A visit to farmhouse is interesting and provides you with an experience to the daily life of average

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