Bhutan Travel Blog

Tour of the Dragon is an annual international mountain bike race organized in Bhutan. Regarded as one of the toughest one day mountain bike race in the world, the event has attracted daring cyclists from across the globe to participate in this competition of which many have failed to complete the race. Determined to either complete or win the race, the competition gets many repeat participants every year.

The establishment of political and economic center in the west has immensely benefitted the region in terms of public infrastructure development. It has also led to urban migration and this influx of population in the region has contributed to the booming trading activities. Socio economically, western Bhutan fares well compared to eastern Bhutan. The western region has transformed beyond recognition over the last two decades.

Beautifully painted two storied traditional houses lined on either side along the 100 meter main street was the entirety of Paro town until the recent years. Since then the town has grown laterally with modern structures over the years but the oldest street with western inspired renovated storefronts preserving the traditional aspects of the architecture still remains the charm of Paro town. The street has series of handicraft shops and cafes serving decent coffee and international cuisine.

The fort is built on a hill above the Pa Chu River overlooking the Ugyen Pelri Palace and the scenic Paro valley. A traditional cantilever bridge roofed with wooden shingles takes travelers across the river and onto a gently sloping cobblestone path leading towards the Paro Dzong. The Dzong is the administrative seat of the district of Paro and also houses the state monastic body.

Thimphu is the capital city of Bhutan. A city without traffic lights and an airport of its own, this small city is home to some 100,000 local residents including the Royal Family of the Kingdom of Bhutan. Thimphu is the political and economic center of the country. The city has a 17th century fortress which houses the Office of His Majesty the King and The House of Parliament stands on the eastern bank of the Thimphu River opposite to the fortress.

Ema Datshi (chili with cheese) is the most popular Bhutanese vegetarian dish. Sliced fresh green chilies or dried red chilies are cooked with local cheese and butter. Although the ingredients remain the same, every household have their own version of cooking the dish. The stages of when the ingredients are added may vary and thus every Ema Datshi may not taste the same.

Perfected traditional arts and craft skills passed down for millennia have gifted Bhutan with talented local artists. Through the support of the Royal Government of Bhutan, these artists spread across the rural communities are now able to showcase and sell their product in the capital city. This initiative aims to improve the socio economic status of these remote communities and incentivize these artists to preserve and further perfect their crafts. The Authentic Bhutanese Crafts Bazaar located along the Norzin road in Thimphu has a collection of over 80 stalls selling assortment of handicraft and textile products sourced from the rural community.

A defense fort built in 1649 to commemorate Bhutan’s victory over allied Tibetan- Mongol invasion. The structural design and the location of the fort was a preemptive measure to possible future invasion from the north. Built to defend the valley, the fort stood on the summit of a rocky hill which allowed military personnel to effectively guard the approach to the Paro valley from Tibet. With steep hill rising on three sides reinforced with high stone walls, the fort was only accessible from one side and that entrance was heavily guarded with three prominent towers. The towers had built in holes for the use of bows and arrows.

All tourists (except Indian, Bangladeshi and Maldivian) visiting Bhutan are subject to the all-inclusive minimum daily tariff of US$250 per person per night during the peak season and US$200 per person per night during the lean season. The minimum daily tariff includes a Sustainable Development Fee (Royalty) of US$65 per person per night. This fee goes into development of infrastructure, public health care and education.

Guru Padmasambhava in the 8th century prophesied that a young man named Namgyel would come to a mountain with the appearance of a sleeping elephant and build a Dzong upon the elephant’s trunk. The prophecy was fulfilled when Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel built the Punakha Dzong in 1637. According to the narratives, the chief carpenter “Zow Balep” commissioned to construct the Dzong was instructed to sleep in the small temple in the area where he is said to have dreamt about the impressive architectural design of the present Dzong. It is also believed that the construction of the Dzong was aided by the local deity in the region.