Before We Start: You may also see this episode as a visual travel story here on The Urban Nomad Youtube Channel!
Last night we entered Phuntosholing after completing all immigration processes and put up into Park Hotel. We woke up with much excitement and had our breakfast.
While others were still getting ready, I went to the market with our guide Norbu to get Sim cards.
The process was easy and we only had to submit copies of our entry permit.
We paid NT 300 for a tourist SIM from Tashi Cell, which was valid for 1 week. It had 2 GB of data and 50NT of talk time.
We found the Tashi cell signals are available almost everywhere, including the Tigers Nest monastery!
The journey begins!
The first thing you notice after coming here is the cleanliness! Bhutan is one of the most clean countries in the world are only carbon-negative country which means they absorb more carbon dioxide than what they produce.
Karbandi Monastery
Karibandhi Monastery was part of our itinerary, this one is pretty close to Phuntsholing and a nice place but unfortunately, we did not go inside because they were taking 1000 rupees per head ( now reduced to Rs500) for entry. we talked to Norbu and he said there are bigger monasteries we are going to cover.
Please remember now to enter almost all the public attractions and monuments and museums in Bhutan you need to pay an entry fee which is somewhere between Five hundred to thousand rupees per head! so if you are travelling on a budget you can plan accordingly by visiting selective sites!
From here we proceeded towards Thimphu. But stopped on the way to buy some fresh bananas and oranges! The interaction with locals here was fun!
When we started from Phuntshoing, it was quite hot. But as we started to go upwards, the temperature dropped drastically. The winding beautiful roads became foggy and Misty from bright and shiny! We had to put on our jackets as it was quite cold!
The roads were very scenic as they passed through lush green valleys and beautiful mountains.
We stopped by to see the iconic Cukha Hydle powerplant from a distance! I remember reading about this joint venture in school!
Do remember, the roads are beautiful but winding and those having motion sickness may have problems. So do carry motion sickness medicines!
We stopped at Divine Mid Way Restaurant, Chhukha for lunch! The place has an amazing view of the valley, especially if you decide to sit on the balcony!
I was feeling puckish and having a little headache so decided to skip the food. However, I sat by the comfort heater and had some casual interaction with locals! Others said the food and service were very good!
So if you are travelling towards Thimphu from Phuntsholing I can recommend this restaurant Divine Midway.
After lunch, we resumed our journey! On our way, we met a group of bikers near a beautiful waterfall! They came all the way from Hyderabad! Wished them the best of luck and proceeded towards Thimphu!
But did not miss doing vlogging and photoshoots on the famous Tanalung Bridge! Norbu told us Will Smith did bungee jumping from here while he was shooting for some documentary! Believe me, it was so deep that just looking at the river from the bridge is enough to give you cold feet!
As we approached Thimphu, the daylight was dimming! And the road started to run along the Wang Chu River! The sight of the hills, valley and river was absolutely magical under the twilight! We stopped to get some pictures and absorb some positive energy!
It was quite cold out there so decided to have some tea in one of those small cosy tea stalls! These places have cosy interiors and traditional wood-fired heaters ( they call it Bukhara and I believe in Kasmir they have the same!). I would highly recommend stopping by such stalls while travelling in Bhutan! The warmth of the people and place is just unparallel!
After making numerous pitstops ( because we enjoy the journey as much as the destination), we reached Thimphu! It was already 7 PM!
Our travel agent Tashi ( of Amedewa Tours and Treks) booked Hotel Gakyil in Thimphu! We had a very nice and comfortable state there for the next two days! The room was spacious and comfortable with nice beds and room heaters! The staffs are very friendly and hospitable, they welcomed us with a nice hot cup of tea!
The hotel is right next to the clock tower which is the city centre of Thimphu! There are plenty of hotels, restaurants and shops within walking distance. If you are visiting Thimphu, Hotel Gakyil could be a very good option to stay!
The hotel had a restaurant, but we decided to go out and try some local restaurants!
But before that, we went to the open-air theatre near the clock tower to watch the grand finale of the Voice of Bhutan! The Bhutanese music and dance performances were simply awesome!
For our dinner, we went to The Rice Bowl Restaurant & Bar. The food was very tasty and reasonably priced! I was excited to try out the national dish of Bhutan; Ema Dastshi ( chilly cheese) which turned out to be amazing!
After dinner, we all but myself went back to the hotel as the temperature was -1 degree Celsius! I decided to roam around the nearly empty streets of Thimphu and do some vlogging!
It was just 9 pm and almost all shops were closed except some bars and restaurants! The number of cars and people was very less! It was an amazing feeling for me! As I spent till 10 PM on my office calls!
After roaming for some time I came back to the hotel and called it a day! The next day was very exciting as we covered some of the most famous tourist attractions of Thimphu!
Do come back here to read that!
P:S: This blog was originally posted on my website www.TheUrbanNomad.co.in
You May Find Other Blogs of The Series Here!
A Day in Thimphu: My Personal Guide to the Best Tourist Attractions
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