Wangdue Phodrang
Wangdue Phodrang FAQ's
Travel advice
You can visit Bhutan and any town of Bhutan and follow all of these guidelines and dos and don’ts. This town has a solo airport at Paro for landing. You can also take a bus from a nearby city to visit this town.
Do not take photographs of people, events, or objects without their permission.
Do not take photographs inside temple, sacred places, and religious sites.
Follow the traditional dress code when you enter these temples and holy places.
Do not climb onto any of the religious sites or sacred places.
Do not touch holy objects inside the monastery or a sacred site.
Do not point your finger or feet at anyone while talking.
Do not touch the forehead of any person as it is considered a sign of disrespect.
If you are wearing hats or any of the fashionable headgear, please take them off before entering the monastery or religious place.
Do not wear revealing or skimpy clothes in this town, or when entering a place of religious significance.
Do not speak loudly inside the religious premises.
Do not through rubbish inside temples or scared sites.
Do not say anything negative about the country, its Royal couple, or discuss political issues with locals.
Drinking Law
Our Recommendations: What you can’t afford to miss
Outdoor and sightseeing
The Chimme Lhakhang, is a hillock accessible from Lobesa Valley. It is dedicated to a monk. You can take a walk to this hillock from the scenic paddy fields. Phobjikha Valley is a lush green valley where you can spot black-necked crane, as it is a home to these birds. This is also called a matchbox town, as it is very small and has many wooden residential buildings.
Religious places
Gangtey Monastery is a 17th century monastery that follows Nyingma Buddhism. It has a scenic view and looks over the Gangtey Valley and surrounding mountains. Langdra Nye is a religious Buddhist site closer to the Bai Village. Guru Rinpoche, a sacred guru meditated at this place. There are relics where there are thumb prints of this guru on the rocks of the sacred sites. This place has a history where the guru pacified a charging bull.
What you will like there
Outdoor and scenic view
This is a small town for walking routes and scenic spots. You can visit nature and other scenic spots when you visit the valleys. This is a haven for nature photographers. You will only find Bhutanese cuisine in this town. There are small placed for eating out. You can also find beer accompanies with food when dining out. Closer to the town is Lobesa Valley that can be visited in the month of June and July for its scenic view.
Phobjikha Valley is a scenic valley where you can spot many black crane birds. The weather in this valley is usually cold. There are bad roads, and you have to take a bus from the town for 3 hours journey to this valley. You can spend a day sightseeing and trekking on this valley. The white Chorten is one of the landmarks of this valley. You can also lookout for the pavilions when you take the Gangte Nature Trail. There are a total of 8 Chortens when you visit this town.
Local festival
Black crane festival is the only local festival that can be attended in Phobjikha Valley that celebrates the return of crane birds to the valley. This town has a country like weather and is a quaint town with no hustle bustle. There are also archery festivals that are held in this town.
Local areas
You can visit the local vegetable markets and buy hand woven carpets in this area. The Yue-Loki Guest House is closer to the area that sells these carpets. There is also a beautiful looking chapel in the Damchen Lhakhang. This is a14th century chapel. The Khewang Lhakhang is the 15th century Buddhist temple that can b visited in the Phobjikha Valley. It is a temple that celebrates victory over the demons according to the local folklore. Radak Neykhang is a 17th century old temple that has cypress trees. The Kuenzang Chholing Shedra is a pristine building that hosts 300 monks. Wangdue Phodrang Dzong is yet another 16th century old historical monument that can be visited when you visit this valley. There are many places of historical and religious significance in this valley. These sites have an interesting history with a story and inscriptions written on them.