Oktatabyebye

Thimphu
Uniquely, Thimpu is the only Capital in the world without traffic lights! This quaint capital city of Bhutan, lies in a beautiful, wooded valley, sprawling up a hillside on the banks of the Thimphu River. The rich Bhutanese culture of this city charms you with brightly painted, elaborately decorated facades and rich woodwork.  

Dominating the horizon is the imposing Tashi Chho Dzong (Fortress of the Great Religion), which now houses the King and the central monk body. The most visible religious structure in the city is the much revered National Memorial Chorten which contains numerous sacred religious paintings and tantric statues.
For panoramic views of the Thimpu valley, a visit to the transmission tower is a must, while interesting sight-seeing in Thimpu includes the Mini zoo, the National Library where ancient manuscripts are well preserved, the School of Arts & Crafts - where the traditional art and painting is kept alive, the Textile & Folk Heritage Museum, Handmade Paper factory, Anim Dratshang (nunnery) and the magnificeint Zangtho Pelri Lhakahng (lhakhang = temple).

Visit Simtokha Dzong (6 km from Thimphu) the oldest Dzong in Bhutan built in 1629 A.D. the Simtokja Dzong houses the largest monastic school in Bhutan.

Shopping in Thimpu is best done off the street -  for silver jewelry, thangkas, textiles in wool, silk and cotton, basketwork, and other traditional crafts of the Kingdom. But don’t miss the Government Handicraft Emporioum at Thimpu for hand-woven textiles, masks, silver jewelry, artwork and the Weekend (Sunday) Market (again at Thimpu) for the best bargains and an amazing array of antiques, religious art, Tibetan and Indian collectibles.

Paro
Paro is colder than Thimpu and is a beautiful place bursting with color and natural beauty. The exquisite houses, the winding Paro River, the green rice fields and the entire area surrounded by fog-covered mountains makes it a paradise on earth.
It is good to take a taxi for sight-seeing in Paro. The 1st stopover would be the ruins of Drugyal Dzong, a fort cum monastery to commemorate the victory of the Bhutanese over the Tibetans. It offers superb views of Mount Chomolhari, “Mountain of Goddess” (7329 m) - the highest in Bhutan (24,000 ft.) and a gateway to Tibet.

A short distance south of the road is Kyichu Lhakhang; this Monastery was built in 659 A.D by King Songtsen Gampo of Tibet, as one of the 108 such Monasteries, which he built across the Himalayas to spread Buddhism. This temple is the oldest monastery in Bhutan and marks the advent of Buddhism into Bhutan.

The dramatic Rinpung Dzong (Paro Dzong) dominates Paro.  This massive fortress is located on a hill top above the Pachu (Paro river) in the Paro valley. And if it seems familiar it is because this was the site of the movie Little Buddha by Bertolucci!
The National Museum (Ta-Dzong) at Paro is a former Dzong that houses 7 levels of various artifacts detailing the spiritual and secular history of Bhutan. It is one of the rare round fortresses in Bhutan. Paro museum is open on all days except Mondays and closes by 1600 hrs. It contains several photos of the Bhutanese kings and their dynasties, a huge collection of Bhutanese stamps, majestic `thankas', hats, swords, dresses, silver and copper vessels The most gorgeous of the exhibits is a 4 sided carved alter with statues of Lord Buddha with rows of lighted oil lamps and incense that lend a sense of piety to the whole place.
Ask also, to see the Dungtse Lhakhang; this is a rare circular temple, and is practically pitch dark inside but torchligh reveals awesomely beautiful frescoes and statues inside this 4-storied temple.

While a trip to Bhutan with the family, does mean a fair bit of visits to various monasteries, the sheer variety of the landscape, the availability of short hikes, mild adventure activities, a wealth of well preserved handicraft tours and the sheer ability to slow you down and mend bonds is like a boon.

There are many other places to see in Bhutan...

Phobjika Valley - This is a glacial valley on the Western slopes of the Black Mountains and is a designated conservation area. It is one of the most important wildlife preserves in the country, because of the large flock of rare, black-necked cranes that winter here. These birds have a special place in Bhutanese folklore. Other residents of the valley include muntjaks (barking deer), wild boars, sambars, Himalayan black bears and red foxes. The Black Mountain National Park is a vast area still in its natural state and has an impressive array of plant species and animals, such as tigers, red pandas, gorals, leopards, serows and golden langurs.
 

Punakha is the ancient capital of Bhutan and located at a height of 5,000 ft. Approached via the the 10,000 ft high Dochulla Pass and offering a stunning  views of the Eastern Himalayas. At the confluence of the Pho Chu (Male River) and the Mo Chu (Female River),  is the Dzonchung Monastary. This monastery is a 4 storied building with the top prayer room housing the statue of Lord Buddha. The Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten is another treat in this area

By Air: There are only Druk Air flights. 2 a week from Delhi and daily from Kolkata. & Katmandu.

By Road: One can fly to Bagdogra or take the Train till New Jalpaiguri. Then on, it is by road to Phuentsholing ( through Kalimpong and Darjeeling) and then on to Thimpu (the capital of Bhutan)

Best time to Visit Bhutan: March to May ( at this time there’s the glorious delight of fresh and pristine forests of conifer, oak and rhododendrons (in full bloom in May) as well as encountering yak herders while they establish their summer camps) &  October to November (the season when the maximum festivals are celebrated) apple, orange and peach trees can be seen.

Bhutan is a fascinating land where time has stood still and preserved the exquisite beauty of this mystical country
The result allows you an encounter with a stunning, pristine landscape of forest and mountains, a proud, friendly people and a vibrant, living religious tradition.

A vacation with the family in Bhutan, would be really to catch up with life and with each other. Bhutan has that effect of slowing you down, till you let happy discoveries come your way rather than spending your time chasing them.
Each destination at Bhutan requires a day and so a Holiday in Bhutan requires a minimum of 5 - 6 days.