Road to the Land of Happiness - Bhutan !

Bhutan indeed is a land where you are greeted with smiles (literally) by whomever you cross paths with :)

Important Points to Note - at the end of the article**

First & Second day @ Thimphu, Capital of Bhutan : A small city with almost identical buildings, perched in the valley of beauty, exhibits the epitome of serenity, culture and glory in every bit of frame.

Places to explore here are many, but we handpicked few considering we had senior citizens in our group. There are certain places where one has to trek a bit or more. Places visited were :

1. "National Memorial Chorten" - its a memorial Stupa, whitewashed structure with a golden crown atop. This Stupa does not enshrine human remains. Entry fee for foreign tourists is 500/-. For locals, its free.

2. "Buddha Dordenma Statue" - known to be the largest Sitting Buddha. No entry fee is needed here. There is an enormous temple underneath the statue where around 1.25lacs of small Buddha statues are placed, along with remarkable big statues . Photography is not allowed inside the temple, but its always more memorable if we capture the moments through our eyes.

Buddha's journey of life was elegantly depicted inside the temple, and its a must visit place in Thimphu. The statue is so huge that it can be seen from most of the corners of Thimphu city, as its located on the top of the hill.

3. "Siva Temple" - its a Hindu temple, near to Buddha Dordenma Statue. Very neatly maintained, and provides a panoramic view of the city. It gives a very different vibe overall when we visit a Hindu temple in a foreign land.

4. "Sangaygang Viewpoint" - with a series of colourful player flags and the scenic valley at the backdrop, this place is bound to keep you attached to its ground for sometime. One word - picturesque.

5. "Thimphu - Tashichho Dzong" - Dzong means fortress, but at present it is served as the main government building. The view of the entire Dzong can be better experienced from a nearby highway. Tourists are allowed inside as well with an entry fee of 500/- post office hours.

6. "Royal Takin Preserve" - Takin is a rare species, with head of like a goat and body of like a cow. They are preserved in Bhutan. We could not visit the place, but had a view from the roadside area. You need to walk a lot inside, and not much preferable for the senior citizens.

7. "Handicrafts Market" - Series of hut shaped shops, close to the clock tower area which is at the center of the city. One can purchase many souvenirs under one roof.

8. "Simply Bhutan - Live Museum" - One of its kind, this place will engage you with quite a lot of activities which locals are acquainted with like singing, dancing, archery, grinding, etc. It showcases the livelihood of a local through the replicas of their kitchen, courtyard etc. Entry fee is 1000/- per head, its expensive but the visit was worth !

Third Day @ Punakha. Punakha was the capital of Bhutan many years ago. Its a tiny little town, around 72kms away from Thimphu. Places we toured were :

1. "Dochu La Pass" - A mountain pass with 108+ Stupas, provides a mesmerizing view of snow clad Himalayan mountain range. No entry fees here.

One can also spot the highest peak of Bhutan which is still not climbed by any yet. We were fortunate enough to witness the clear view as it was not cloudy ! We also got to see snow on the way:)

2. "Punakha Dzong" - its the 2nd oldest and 2nd largest fortress in Bhutan. It has an antique wooden bridge before the entrance which gives an alluring view of the Mo Chhu river which flows underneath. Entry fee here is 500/-. The structure is quite aged and has steep staircases to climb. Sr. citizens were waiting outside, while others took a quick tour of the fortress. It has 3 big courtyards and many temples. Tourists are permitted in only one of the temple.

The Buddha statue inside this temple was gigantic, and this quaint fortress will definitely gift you with peace. The guide explained the history and the culture in detail. The respect and beliefs what the locals had towards their culture is something which kept me thinking about the importance of our lives and existence. Buddha's preaching were always taught in curriculum but I could understand the real meaning (bit more) in this pure land of Bhutan !

3. "Suspension Bridge" - Next to the fortress swings the famous suspension bridge of Punakha. With numerous prayer flags flying on the sides of the bridge and the crystal clear turquoise river flowing below, this place becomes a must visit ! Elderly people can avoid, as there is small hike to reach to the bridge, but can give a try. This place is heavenly beautiful. A stroll in this swinging bridge is fun :)

Fourth Day @ Paro. Its a valley town which possesses the only international airport of Bhutan, only an hour away from Thimphu. Its a quaint town, with old-fashioned architectures and buildings across. Our places of interests were :

1. "View of Paro Airport" - its known as one of the world's most dangerous airport. Only 8 pilots are permitted to land and fly the aircraft from here. The airport's view from the top of the valley must be added to the tourist attraction, as this is indeed unique.

2. "River side @ Paro" - On the way to Paro from Thimphu, we halted near a river side. The place was so quite, with only the sound of river water beating against the small pebbles at the shore. I was amazed seeing the glass like water flowing so near to me. There is a cute little shop to purchase souvenirs which is owned by a lady, and the price was much lesser than the city. I wanted to sit here longer, but alas :( , we had to restart.

3. "Oldest Suspension Bridge" - On the way to Paro, we also stopped by the oldest suspension bridge of Bhutan. Unlike Punakha's, this one is not allowed to walk across. The length of this bridge is smaller than that of Punkha's. There was an old fortress in the backdrop.

4. "Paro Dzong" - Its a large fortress and monastery, houses the government offices. Here as well, only one temple was permitted for the tourists. By the way, no entry fees needed here. We got to notice many monks occupied in their day-to-day activities.

Finally we reached the conclusion of this chapter with a happy note :) Hopefully I will be able to implement certain teachings in day to day life which I have learnt from the people of Bhutan. When we travel any new places, we tend to search our true self as we meet new faces, learn new culture and try to understand their beliefs. We try to come out from our usual lifestyle, and discover a new self. So lets keep travelling and keep our environment clean, as Bhutanese follows : Green Bhutan - Clean Bhutan !

** Tourist Guide, SDF Charges (1200 per person), 3 star accommodation advance booking and a vehicle are now mandate in Bhutan for Indian tourists. It varies for different countries though.

We entered Bhutan through Phuentsholing (Bhutan & West Bengal, India Border). One can stay in this city with only Rs.10 for 24 hours. No SDF charges will be asked to stay in the border area. We travelled to the border by road from Bagdogra airport (nearest airport in India to access Bhutan). It takes around 4 hours to reach Thimphu by road from Phuentsholing. Indian and Bhutanese currencies hold same value, and they accept our currency notes as well. Cards possibly won't function in Bhutan, hence its highly recommended to carry enough cash. Traffic rules are followed strictly.