Bhutan is a place of beauty and nature, as it is near the eastern Himalayas in South Asia. It is renowned for its Highest Gross National Happiness index. The nation is putting more effort into sustainable tourism, making it the best destination, characterized by its joyful nature and welcoming people. Whether you are in any part of Bhutan, majestic mountains welcome you, clear rivers flow, and traditional practices are upheld. There is a plethora of Bhutan tourist places to visit and explore, along with traditional dishes and various activities to try. Bhutan boasts the best places to visit with many breathtaking sceneries.

Top 11 Bhutan’s Tourist Places

There are the best Bhutan places to visit, which cannot be replaced in terms of natural beauty and peace.

1. Paro (Best for Nature’s Spot)

The historic town in Bhutan, Has a special place in the heart of Buddhists. The place is known for its mountains and its national museum, which has traditional weapons, stamp collections, and more. The best places to visit in Paro are Tiger’s Nest, Chele La Pass, Tamchoe Monastery, Rinpung Dzong, Drukgyal Dzong, etc. The Buddha viewpoint and monasteries are also the main attractions here. If you want to shop at the local market here, you can roam around Paro weekend market for the best shopping and appetite.

2. Thimphu (Best to enjoy city life with beauty)

Bhutan’s capital city is where you can enjoy sunset in the mountains and a night at bars with traditional spirits made from rice. The city looks more beautiful & brighter at night as all the lights sparkle like stars against the backdrop of the mountains. Famous Thimphu tourist places are Tashichho Dzong, National Memorial Chorten, Buddha Dordenma, Simtokha Dzong, Changangkha Lhakhang, The Textile Museum etc. You can also enjoy adventure activities such as Paragliding, river rafting, Mountain biking, Kayaking, and Canoeing at Thimpu.

3. Punakha (best to explore tradition and culture)

Punakha is one of the warmest valleys in Bhutan and will give you a rural flavor of Bhutan. Beautiful rivers and monasteries like dzong (fortress) are the main attractions.
You can walk along rivers and find cows grazing in fields. The bridges have monastery flags all over the bridge. Travelers enjoy river rafting in these rivers. If you visit Bhutan in between Feb to March, you can enjoy the famous Punakha Tshechu festival here.

4. Khoma (Best for traditional textile lovers)

Khoma is a small village that is famous for a particular type of woven cloth called Kishuthara. You can reach it by taking a two-hour-long walk from Lhuentse Dzong. The women in the village sit in little huts and use looms to weave detailed and beautiful patterns on the Kishuthara cloth. This is one of Bhutan’s famous places for authentic Bhutanese textiles and shawls. If you are visiting this place, you can buy woven clothes at a very affordable price.

5. Gangtey Valley (Best for Adventures)

The valley, also known as Phobjikha Valley, is located in the heart of the country Bhutan. Gangtey Valley is heaven for travelers who love nature and wildlife. Especially in winter, endangered black-necked cranes come to this valley. This is one of the best places to visit in Bhutan, where you can relax and enjoy the peaceful feeling of the valley. The best part is you can also take advantage of many activities here, including Archery, camping, bird watching, mountain biking, and more, making unique memories.

6. Dochu La Pass (Best for pit stop)

This mountain peak provides the best beauty of Bhutan between Punakha and Thimphu. The place has 108 stupas to honor soldiers who died in battle against Indian insurgents. The best times to go to Dochu La Pass are spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November). During the winter, the places are covered with snow-capped mountains, making the views of the tall Himalayan mountains even more beautiful. And if you love adventure, you can go hiking or trekking around Dochula Pass to capture the amazing nature and landscapes here.

7. Buumthang Valley(Spirituality seekers)

if you love to be alone and seek silence, then Bhumtang is for you. It is located on high hills at 2600m above sea level in the center of Bhutan. It has 4 main valleys – Tang, Ura, Chumey, and Choekhor. The tourist place in bhutan has lots of ancient temples and monasteries. If you plan sightseeing at Buumthang, you must visit Jakar Dzongn, an ancient fortress. You can do a fantastic trek in Bumthang called the Bumthang Owl Trek. The trek starts in Machung, goes through Dhur village and Drangela Pass, and ends at Tharpaling Monastery. You’ll see beautiful trees like maple, pine, and rhododendrons along the way.

8. Wangdue Phodrang (Best for Art attraction)

This is one of the largest districts in Bhutan with a lot more to attract tourists with its beauty. The place is situated at a huge 4308 sq. kilometers from sea level. The area is diverse, with forests in the south and snowy mountains in the north. You can visit old temples, the biggest monasteries, wildlife, rustic villages, and natural beauty. There are two huge national parks in Wangdue Phodrang – Wangchuck Centennial Park and Jigme Dorji National Park. These parks are home to rare and special plants and animals, like orchids, rhododendrons, red pandas, and snow leopards.

9. Haa Valley (Best of viewing beauty near the river)

This is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Bhutan. It is located in the Himalayan mountains, close to the border between India and China. Here, you can enjoy a 360-degree view of various old temples and villages that come along your way. The valley is surrounded by three different districts in Bhutan – Paro, Chhukha, and Samtse. The valley covers a vast area of about 1,700 square kilometers. It is less crowded in Bhutan due to its less connectivity to other villages and districts. It is the reason the natural beauty and local culture are unspoiled here. When you go to Haa Valley, you’ll feel like you’re in a magical place. The world seems peaceful and calm, and the light is pure and clean. It is best for hiking and the Sagala trek.

10. Mongar and Lhuntse

Mongar and Lhuntse are the most scenic places in Bhutan for people who love nature and want to see the countryside. These located In the eastern parts, represent the beauty of Himalayan villages. Lhuntse is 77 km from Mongar, which can take a 3-hour ride. The place is surrounded by green, dense forests that attract nature lovers the most. Various temples and monasteries were built on beautiful mountains from the Peak Mountains. Monasteries at these Bhutan Tourist places are built with no nails or drawings.

11. Gelephu

Gelephu, a town in southern Bhutan, is in the Sarpang district. Gelephu picnic spot is popular for its hot spring (Gelephu Tshachu), attracting both locals and tourists. You can visit Royal Manas Park in Biological Parks here. They have all sorts of excellent plants, animals, and natural landscapes. You can also do trekking as it has been a base for the trek routes due to its vast mountain range.

Top Things To Do in Bhutan

Are you too confused what to do in bhutan? You would enjoy visiting Bhutan as it offers diverse activities to do in almost all central locations. Some of the popular activities include;

1. Trekking at Hanging Tiger’s Nest (Paro)

Trekking to this place is a two-hour process on the mountain. The monastery is built at this location, and thus, you must try to reach the monastery. Horses are even available to reach the place.

2. Archery

This is the most common activity to perform in Bhutan. Archery is considered a symbol of manhood, and individuals can be found to perform Archery in every part of the nation. It would help to try local alcohol and Archery like local Bhutanese.

3. Rafting

It is thrilling to enjoy river rafting up to 16 km by the Mo Chhu and Po Chhu rivers. The surrounding mountains, forests, fields, and ministries add to the beauty of river adventures.

4. Yeti Search Operation (Trashigang)

You could participate yearly in many search operations and campaigns. Many cases are reported for yeti being spotted. Operations in Sakteng Wildlife are developed to protect Yeti, which is once to do an activity.

5. Tsechu festival (Paro)

In this festival, dresses and masks are used and group dances are performed; people dine together and celebrate together. On the 10th of the Lunar month, the festival is celebrated.

6. Cycling

Chilling season and environment around the mountain, cycling is among the most incredible things to do in bhutan. Cycling among nature is a breathtaking experience. One of the best destinations is Dochu La Pass which has 108 Chortens to pay respect to martyr soldiers.

7. Bike riding

During autumn and Spring, Bikers from faraway locations come to explore Bhutan. Religious sites and more add the gigantic mountains, valleys covered with flower sheets, and gurgling rivers.

8. Weekend markets

These weekend markets are the best way to explore the local life of Bhutan’s people. You can easily purchase local clothing, foods, and other artifacts of Bhutan that can be your memorable purchase from Bhutan. You can have authentic local items at the least cost.

Traditional dishes for food lovers in Bhutan

1. Ema Dastshi

The dish is most widespread in Bhutan and is made of red chilies, cheese, and tomatoes. It can be found in the local markets of Bhutan.

2. Shakam Paa

There are numerous dishes in Bhutan in the Name of Paa, though Shakam Paa is a gravy-based dish based on dried beef. Based on your preference, you can change the meat.

3. Zow Shunga

It is rice served with fresh vegetables and is found in local markets at low prices for budget lovers.

4. Juma

This is a type of sausage made up of rice, meat, and Sichuan pepper. It can be a side dish with other items or some local spirit.

What is Best time to visit Bhutan?

March and April are the best times to visit Bhutan as they are the warmer months and flora booms, while October and November are recommended for visiting Bhutan to have clear views of the Himalayas, and you can enjoy a majority of festivals during this time of the year.
There are discounts for winter and monsoon seasons to attract tourists, and if you are focusing on a budget, you can visit these months.

Things to Know before planning to visit Bhutan

• Bhutan has developed new tourism rules under which tourists need to pay $200 per person as sustainable development fees.
• Tour prices are no longer fixed; thus, tour companies can charge based on the services they provide, and consumers can make choices based on hotel costs.
• Before visiting, you can choose the best places to stay in Bhutan and make advance bookings to avoid any inconvenience.
• If you are visiting Bhutan and you are a citizen of Bangladesh, India, or the Maldives, you don’t need any visa. However, if you are a citizen of other foreign countries, you should obtain a visa in advance through a licensed tour operator and receive visa approval before traveling. Also, you can apply for a Bhutan visa directly from the Bhutan Department of Immigration’s website.
• Additional tourism fees to main sights will be charged, ranging from $25 for Tiger’s Nest monastery to $12.50 for other popular destinations.
• Major temples and monasteries will be closed on Buddhist holidays for tourists.