• Understand
• Get in
• Get around
• See
• Do
• Buy
• Eat
• Drink
• Sleep
• Get out

Punakha Dzong

Punakha, a former capital of Bhutan, is located in the west of the country.

[edit] Understand

Punakha was the capital of Bhutan until the 1960's, and still retains the serene atmosphere of a place with a regal past. The dzong is the main attraction, but there are also other sites of interest in and around this pleasant little town. Along with Paro and Jakar, Punakha completes the triangle of most popular tourist destinations.

[edit] Get in

Buses and taxis available from Thimphu. Shared taxis terminate at (and depart from) Kuruthang, which is a few kilometers from Punakha. A shared taxi costs around 150nu for the 90 minute to two hour journey to/from the capital.

[edit] Get around

All attractions in the town (including the dzong) can be reached on foot. There is a taxi rank near the dzong, where taxis can be hired for visiting sites of interest outside the town, but within the valley.

[edit] See

• Punakha Dzong. Majestically standing on an island between the confluence of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers, the city's dzong is one of the most photogenic of all Bhutan's ancient fortresses, and you will see pictures of it hanging in hotels and restaurants throughout the country. The dzong is joined to the mainland by an arched wooden bridge, and contains many precious relics from the days when successive kings reigned the kingdom from this valley. The dzong serves as the winter home of the monastic body.

[edit] Do

• Trekking. Go for trekking anywhere and everywhere from Punakha. Crime has got no possibilites here. One can walk for long hours.

[edit] Buy

[edit] Eat

[edit] Drink

[edit] Sleep

[edit] Get out

• Guru Rinpoche Caves (Geon Tsephu) and Koma Hot Springs (Koma Tsachu). A twelve kilometer drive from Punakha followed by a two hour hike. (See Punakha district for more details.)