Punakha Valley, Bhutan

Summary

Airport Rating n/a
Reception of locals *****
Cost: ££

• The old capital city of Bhutan between the 17th and 20th centuries
• 1200 metres above sea level, significantly lower than Paro or Thimphu
• The city is small, but the sites around it make it a must-do trip
• No issues as a Sikh during my time 
• Main Sights: Dochula Pass, Punakha Dzong, Punakha Suspension Bridge, Chimi Lhakhang Temple, Aum Toebzam Homestay

Punakha

This is my third article on Bhutan as I make my way from Paro, east through Thimphu, and continue onto the Punakha Valley. You can read my article on Paro here, and my article on Thimphu here.

I visited Punakha in early February, and while the weather was pleasant in Thimphu, it was still only in the mid to high teens. But Punakha, which despite only being a couple hours' drive from Thimphu, is in a valley that is over a thousand metres lower and so the weather there was significantly warmer.

Punakha is a relatively small town, but it isn't the town that you go to visit, it's the temples, dzongs and ancient sites. For three centuries, Punakha was the capital of Bhutan and only in the mid-20th century did it lose that status to Thimphu. The city is built at the confluence of two major rivers, the Pho Chhu, and the Mo Chhu. These rivers originate in the Himalayas and descend into the valley, depositing sediment that supports agriculture. This means the terrain is flatter and more arable than much of Bhutan’s mountainous landscape, which has historically made Punakha one of the country’s key agricultural regions. 

The main town itself is small but neatly packed together into squares. It looks almost southern European at points, and I thought it was a beautiful urban area. Streets are clean, architecture fairly uniform, and the road are well paved. I walked through the town a little bit and it really had the feel of a quiet southern Spanish town - maybe it's just me.

One of the more interesting sites, just on the outskirts of the city is Galam House, which is the original home of Bhutan's version of Juliet. In Bhutan, the two lovers are Singye and Galam, and their story is equally as tragic as some of the famous love stories you might be familiar with from your Panjabi or western background. Basically, the two meet at a market in Punakha where they fall in love and start a relationship. The ruler, captivated by reports of Galam's beauty, proposes marriage to elevate her family's status, pressuring her parents to accept. She ends up getting pregnant by Singye, which enrages her family and leads to her getting kicked out her home. On discovering the affair, the local ruler reassigns Singye to serve in the remote northern district of Gasa. Isolated, Galam survives by singing to passersby until her health fails, and she dies alone. A sympathetic traveler relays her plight to Singye during a local archery contest in Gasa; he races back and sees her spirit on the riverside offering him some food to eat. It's only when he arrives at her funeral pyre that he realises what has happened and jumps in after her. The house is over 400 years old and is a reminder of the story.

Dochula Pass

To get from Thimphu to Punakha you get to drive through some of the most scenic landscapes in the world. At the same time, the road is incredibly winding, and I won't lie, I struggled with motion sickness on this one. Tight turns around mountain corners and the constant ascending and descending sent me on a bit of a loop. That being said, if you can stomach it, the views are extraordinary.

About halfway into the journey, you find Dochula Pass, one of Bhutan’s most recognisable mountain crossings which is about 3,100 metres above sea level. The thing you'll notice straight away at Dochula Pass is the 108 chortens, collectively known as the Druk Wangyal Chortens. These structures were commissioned in 2004 by the Queen Mother of Bhutan in honour of Bhutanese soldiers who died during a military operation against insurgents in southern Bhutan. You can just park right outside the chortens and have a little walk around.

Each chorten follows a traditional Bhutanese design, with a whitewashed dome, a square base, and a golden looking spire. You also have prayer flags and the whole thing feels a little sci-fi. You can take a walk about the gardens where they are located and see far into the distance on a nice day. I visited twice, and both times was blown away by the spectacle. It's absolutely stunning.

Next to the chortens is the Druk Wangyal Lhakhang, a temple built to complement the memorial structures, but it's not clear to me that tourists can enter - at least both times that I went the driver told us it wouldn't be possible. Nearby is a small cafe with wonderful views across the mountains and large windows so you can sit pretty much anywhere and get a decent view. 

Punakha Dzong

I've visited three Dzongs (and had a close view of a fourth from the outside). These religious and political buildings are some of the most extraordinary examples of architecture in Bhutan, and without doubt my favourite is Punakha Dzong. The dzong is located right the confluence of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers on a piece of land directly between the two rivers. It's incredible to see from the outside. ​

The dzong was built in 1638 for much of Bhutan's history the dzong functioned as the seat of government. It is still the winter residence of the central monastic body which shows how important it is. The dzong has also played a central role in Bhutan’s political evolution. It was the site of the coronation of Ugyen Wangchuck in 1907 which marked the establishment of the hereditary monarchy. 

I entered the dzong is cross over a traditional cantilever bridge, which has been rebuilt several times following flood damage. Below the bridge is beautiful clean waters and you can see fish swimming in large numbers in the river below. Inside you enter courtyards and corridors with beautiful trees and incredible temples and administrative buildings. Birds are perched on the roofs of some of the buildings while crimson and saffron clad monks roam the courtyards and corridors.

The main temple is stunning and you can enter by leaving your shoes out front. Inside are statues of various deities and historical figures and a genuinely peaceful vibe. I spent quite a bit of time in the dzong, going through the maze like corridors and looking at all the different buildings with intricate designs. Punakha dzong for me was one of the most beautiful landmarks I visited in Bhutan.

Punakha Suspension Bridge

Nearby, and Stretching across the Pho Chhu River is one of the longest pedestrian suspension bridges in Bhutan, measuring about 180 metres in length. It sits slightly downstream from Punakha Dzong, on a quieter section of the valley surrounded by homes and farms. 

The bridge is quite modern and is built using steel cables anchored into concrete on either side of the river. A narrow walkway runs along its length and the bridge serves as a connection between communities on either side of the Pho Chhu.

​Crossing the river on a nice day is a worthwhile experience. I could feel the bridge wobbling under my feet, but the nice cool air on a hot day meant it felt very relaxing. Underneath me I saw a couple of canoes doing rafting on the river and it was a moment of genuine peace and contentment for me. On the other side of the bridge I got a small ice lolly from a small convenience store, watched some kids play football, and then headed back over the bridge. 

Chimi Lhakhang Temple

A little further out in Punakha Valley is Chimi Lhakhang, a small but culturally distinctive temple associated with fertility.

The temple was built in 1499 in honour of Drukpa Kunley, a figure commonly referred to as the “Divine Madman.” Drukpa Kunley is known for his unorthodox teaching methods, which often involved humour, provocation, and explicit symbolism. His approach departed from more formal monastic traditions, using shock and irreverence as tools to challenge social norms and communicate spiritual ideas. Chimi Lhakhang marks the site where he is said to have subdued a local demon.

The temple has a lot of fertility rituals and is widely regarded as a place where couples, particularly those seeking to conceive, come to receive blessings. A distinctive ritual involves the use of a wooden phallus, which is placed on the head of visitors by a monk while prayers are recited. By the way, pretty much every store in the village at the foothills of the temple sells wooden phalluses for insanely inflated prices. The phallic symbol in Bhutan is very different to how we perceive it - people generally have the symbols painted on walls and even on the outside of their houses to ward off bad spirits. 

The temple is built on a small hill so there are nice views of the fields surrounding it and to get to the temple you need to walk up a very small hill from the village. The temple itself is relatively simple and small, but inside there are an assortment of objects from wooden phalluses to guns and swords. It's definitely worth a visit because it is just so different from every other temple that I have visited.

Aum Toebzam Homestay

On the way home I stopped off at Aum Toebzam Homestay which is a bed and breakfast that aims to give you an insight into the life of rural Bhutan. I really enjoyed it. On arriving, there was a home cooked meal ready, and it was eaten on traditional Bhutanese setting. Located at the bottom of a ravine, it's literally off the beaten track despite its fame (the van struggled to get up and down the hill at some points). 

But in the house you get to experience the way rural villagers have traditionally (and still to this day in some instances) get around. From the steep stairs that are basically ladders, to low ceilings and doors, and the clay pot and earthen cooking. You're basically integrated into the household routine which makes it very good, and it helps that the food is incredible. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

Is Punakha worth visiting?

For me, if you are in Bhutan, this is a clear yes. It's fairly accessible from Thimphu, and you can do a single day trip, or spend a night or two there and explore the city a little more. The dzong is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life, but the landscape of the area is just incredible. Again, no issues as a Sikh and if you avoid the October rush, you can really enjoy quiet and meaningful time in the area.