Punakha The Past Capital of Bhutan

Punakha is the most beautiful destination in Bhutan for its beautiful valleys of the Himalayan range, rivers generated from glaciers, and stunning architecture. This town is located on the banks of the male and female rivers – Pho Chu and Mo Chu. Punakha is also known as the rice bowl of Bhutan. A major part of the red and white rice in Bhutan is produced here. The city was the oldest capital of Bhutan till 1955. [caption id="attachment_7705" align="aligncenter" width="709"]                                                                              

 fig: Punakha

Dzong[/caption] Punakha Dzong. built at the convergence of the two rivers of Punakha – Pho Chu and Mo Chu is one of the top-billed tourist attractions in Punakha. Punakha Dzong is mostly appreciated for its majestic architecture. This is also the second-largest Dzong in Bhutan. Today it is the administrative building of Punakha district. There are two main buildings inside of the Dzong, one is for spiritual purposes and another is used for administrative purposes. Punakha Suspension Bridge is one of the most thrilling things in Bhutan. The Punakha suspension Bridge takes you on a thrilling 180 meters or 15-minute walk over the waters of River Mo Chhu. It is insanely gorgeous and the view is unworldly. River rafting in Punakha is a must. The Pho Chhu in Punakha Valley takes you on a 16 km course with about 15 rapids of grade II-IV. This is the most popular place for rafting in Bhutan. There is one more river in Punakha Valley that is ideal for river rafting. Mo Chu with a 10 km course comprising around 10 rapids of grade II and II+ is also very popular. Dochula Pass is perhaps one of the most beautiful mountain passes. The elevation of this pass is 10200 feet or 3100m. The spot is a concentration of 108 memorial stupas known as “Druk Wangyal Chortens.”. The best time to visit Dochula Pass is from September to February if you want to see the snowcapped mountains of the Himalayas. If the sky is clear the high mountain peaks including Masaganang (7,200m), Kangphugang (7,170m), Tsendagang (6,960 m), Jejegangphugang (7,158m), and Terigang (7,060 m) can be seen from Dochula Pass.

Chime Lhakhang Temple is also quite popular. It is devoted to the divine madman of Bhutan Lam Drukpa Kuenley. It is a fertility temple. Punakha is very fertile land and thus here grows some of the best fruits, vegetables, and rice in the entire Bhutan. Also, monks all over Bhutan arrive here during winter to meditate.

How to go:

Bhutan's only International Airport is at Paro. Royal Bhutan Airlines and Druk Air fly between Paro International Airport and New Delhi, Kolkata, Kathmandu,  Guwahati and Bagdogra. The best and fastest way to reach Punakha is to take a flight to Paro International Airport and hire a shared taxi or bus to Punakha Valley. Punakha is 123.8 km away from the Paro International Airport. You can stop at Thimphu to get the permit for Punakha

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Written by, Sabbir Ahmed Seam

Reference (Information Collected)        

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