Thimphu
 Thimphu is the capital of the Kingdom of Bhutan. Although the Thimphu valley has supported small settlements for many centuries and a dzong has existed there since 1216, the city didn't really develop until the king declared Thimphu the new capital in 1961. The area around the dzong and government buildings is a particularly green and attractive district.
How To Reach:
By Plane: Nearly all visitors arrive via plane from Paro, the country's sole airport, a two-hour drive from the capital.
By Bus: All inter-district buses arrive and depart from the city's bus station, located across the river from the city center. It is a six to seven hour drive from the border town of Phuentsholing.
Places to See: The Folk Heritage Museum, Changangkha Temple, The National Memorial Stupa, The Textile Museum, Trashi Chhoe Dzong, Zangdopelri Temple, Takin Preserve.
Back to Top
Jakar
 Spacious and surrounded by tree covered mountains, the valley in which Jakar is located (Choekor Valley) is considered to be one of the most beautiful in all Bhutan, and it is commonly referred to as 'Little Switzerland.' The Jakar area is known as a bastion of Vajrayana Buddhism, especially the Nyingma tradition, and there are many monasteries and sacred sites located here.
How To Reach: Meto Transport coaster buses depart Thimphu bus station at 6:30AM daily. It is an 11 hour journey from the capital, and a one way ticket costs less than 300Nu. NB: The bus does not make a stop until lunch time, so take snacks.
Places to See: Jakar Dzong, Wangdichholing Palace, Kurje Lhakhang, Jambey Lhakhang, Lhodrak Kharchhu Monastery, Tamshing Goemba.
Back to Top
Mongar
 Mongar town is administrative head of Mongar district in Eastern Bhutan. Perched on a hill, the old bazaar area has been expanded extensively in recent years, making the town one of the region's largest settlements. One would never imagine that the upper parts of the mountains are so densely populated.
How To Reach: Buses from Thimphu - a two day journey with a night stoppover in Jakar
Places to See: Dramtse Goemba, Mongar Dzong, Lhuentse.
Back to Top
Paro
 The first thing you will notice as you disembark is the transparent purity of air and the absence of noise. The Paro valley has kept its bucolic nature in spite of the airport and the existence of development projects. Fields, brown or green depending on the season, cover most of the valley floor, while hamlets and isolated farms dot the countryside. The houses of Paro valley are considered to be among the most beautiful in the country. Paro is believed to be one of the first valleys to have received the imprint of Buddhism.
How To Reach: Paro Airport, PBH. -An international airport located in a deep valley.
Places to See: Taktshang Monastery, National Museum of Bhutan, Paro Dzong, Kichu Lhakang.
Back to Top
Punakha
 Punakha plays a primordial role in the history of Bhutan, in fact it was the country's winter capital for 300 years. Punakha Dzong, or Punthang Dechen Phodrang, was built in 1637. The Dzong resembles a gigantic ship exactly covering a split of land at the confluence of two rivers. The history of Punakha Dzong dates back to the year 1328 when a saint named Ngagi Rinchen build a temple there which can still be seen today opposite to the great Dzong.
How To Reach: Buses and taxis available from Thimpu..
Places to See: Punakha Dzong.
Back to Top
Phuentsholing
 Phuentsholing is the second largest town in Bhutan and is located on the Indian border, next to the town of Jaigaon. Phuentsholing is the point of entry for travelers arriving by bus from Kolkata and Siliguri and the town functions primarily as a place where Bhutanese and Indians do business. The architecture is modern, and there is no dzong, famous monastery or in fact anything of particular interest to tourists.
How To Reach:
By bus: From Kolkata, From Siliguri
By train: The nearest railway station to Phuentsholing is New Coochbihar, which is roughly a 3 hour bus journey from Phuentsholing. New Jalpaiguri Station (in Siliguri) is a four hour journey, but offers a greater number of services, and buses from Siliguri (Hill Cart Road Bus Station) to Phuentsholing are far more frequent than from New Coochbihar. Therefore, New Jalpaiguri is probably the best option for travelers coming by train.
Places to See: The Crocodile Breeding Centre, Bhutan Gate, Natural beauty of the surroundings, Chukha Hydrothermal Project, Karbandi Monastery.
Back to Top
Samdrup Jongkhar
 Often referred to as Phuentsholing's little sister due to the similarity in architectural style and the fact that both towns are on the border with India, Samdrup Jongkhar has, in fact, little of interest to tourists. Even the dzong is new and lacks the charm and artistic treasures of the traditional dzongs. The town is a very clean and pleasant place with an eclectic mixture of Bhutanese and Indian shops, restaurants and hotels, so it is worth a look around if visiting the area.
How To Reach: S/Jongkhar is a four day bus ride from Thimphu, and the nearest direct services terminate in Trashigang and Mongar, where travelers will need to spend the night before departing on a different bus the next morning (consider purchasing an onward ticket on arrival as buses on the final leg of the journey are often full). Prior to that, there is a one night stop in Jakar, but it is the same bus that continues the next morning. The most comfortable buses are the small Japanese Coaster buses, which operate as far as Mongar and Trashigang. As it is a long journey, if there are no seats available on the Coaster buses to either Mongar or Trashigang, consider taking one as far as Jakar (to where there is a more frequent service), and then purchase an onward ticket on an ordinary inter-district bus from there.
Places to See: Zangdo Pelri Temple, Khaling Weaving Centre.
Back to Top
Trashigang
 Trashigang is one of the most densely populated districts in Bhutan. After Thimphu, Trashigang is the biggest urban center in mountainous Bhutan. It is the heart of eastern Bhutan and was once the center of important trade with Tibet. There are several goembas and villages that make a visit worthwhile, but it is a remote region and requires a lot of driving to reach.
How To Reach: From Thimphu there are two routes, both requiring two days: On the northern route there are direct buses that make a night stop at Jakar and pass through Mongar. The southern route passes through Phuentsholing, where you'll need to arrange private transportation to Samdrup Jongkhar as there are no buses on this route. This leg of the journey passes through the Indian states of West Bengal and Assam. From Samdrup Jongkhar, there are direct buses to Trashigang.
Places to See: Zangtho Pelri Kanglung Lhakhang, Khaling Lhakhang, Radhi Lhakhang, Trashigang Dzong, Tashiyangtse Dzong, Gom Kora, Chorten Kora.
Back to Top
Trongsa
 Trongsa means 'the new village' and the founding of Trongsa first dates from the 16th century which is indeed relatively recent for Bhutan. It was the Drukpa lama, Ngagi Wangchuk (1517-54), the great grandfather of Shabdrung Nawang Namgyel, who founded the first temple at Trongsa in 1543. The landscape around Trongsa is spectacular, and for miles on the end the Dzong seems to tease you so that you wonder if you will ever reach Trongsa. The view extends for many kilometres and in the former times, nothing could escape the vigilance of its watchmen.
How To Reach: Roughly six hours by bus from Thimphu and two hours from Jakar.
Places to See: : Trongsa Dzong , Chendebji Chorten [Stupa] , Ta Dzong |
