Unveil the Wonders of Bhutan

Phoenix Coffee and Restaurant is a bright, clean place with potted green plants and just a few tables, located in the part of downtown closest to the ancient Rinpung Dzong that looms over Paro. Head here for pizza, burgers, and coffee — they nail their specialties quite well.

Wangchuk Dema Farmstay is located in Gangtey Valley, the valley of the gentle hills and the exotic black necked cranes that roost here every winter. Like the hills here, the proprietress, Wangchuk Dema and her family are also very gentle, always on a mission to help make your stay with them a once in a lifetime experience. With an experience of almost 5 years of hosting guests, their service deliverance has only gotten better over the years and now a days, they welcome guests like as if they are just relatives visiting them.

Aum Leki's two-story farmhouse has a beautiful view of Punakha valley and the surrounding forests. Guests get a good sense of daily life in the countryside, with villagers plying the rice paddy fields close by. Aum Leki prepares hot stone baths on request, and can arrange campfires where her neighbors dance and sing for guests. Many short hikes with views over the valley are easily accessible from here.

A unique property in Bhutan, this hotel is the converted Governor’s residence. A blend of old and new, the rooms in the outer structure are spacious, tastefully decorated and still exhibit some of the old methods of construction such as windows set into 2 foot thick pressed mud walls. The property has an amazing view of Paro town and the Paro Dzong, which is particularly beautiful at night from the large grassy lawn at the front of the property or the new restaurant complex, also an excellent space for functions. Includes wifi.

Gangtey Lodge has been recognized as a unique world-class accommodation by discerning travel industry publications from around the world. In 2014 alone — the lodge's first full year in business — Conde Nast Traveller put the lodge on its “Hot List of the Best New Hotels in the World,” Tatler UK said it was among the “101 Best Hotels in the World,” and Travel & Leisure Magazine named it the winner of its “Best Design Award.”

Mother-of-three Aum Passang Zangmo runs the show in this homestay about a 5-minute walk from the Black-Necked Crane Information Centre and a 10-minute drive from Gangtey Nature Trail. Aum Passang is a pro in the kitchen and can cook up a storm: 15–20 people is a piece of cake for her, and she caters to the Crane Centre whenever they have extra visitors or meetings. With the farmhouse accommodating 6–8 guests at a time in three rooms, you're sure to be well fed and cared for.

Phub Lham Farmhouse has three rooms converted for guests. In the rest of the two-story house live Phub Lham, his wife, their four children, and a grandfather. The hosts put mattresses on the floor for guests, and facilities are fairly rustic, with no showers or flushing toilets. The experience is authentic and heartfelt, nonetheless. Guests usually eat meals with the family, and on request Phub Lham can arrange for his neighbors and the villagers to come dance and sing afterward.

Tashi Namgay Resort is a sprawling eight-acre idyll of lush green landscapes and fruit trees on the bank of the Paro Chhu that flows through Paro Valley, one of the most beautiful valleys in the kingdom and widely known as Bhutan’s “rice bowl.” The compound's location in the heart of the valley but away from Paro town gives it an atmosphere of serenity, and the architecture and décor blend traditional Bhutanese with contemporary styling.

Perched at an elevation of 3,000 meters above the acclaimed Dochula Pass, Lungchuzekha Goemba was built by Terton Drukdra Dorji and houses sacred statues like the self-spoken statue of Guru Rinpoche, Terton Drukdra Dorji and the statue of Lama Sonam Zangpo. In front of the Goemba stands a beautiful stupa built by Her Majesty Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck.

The 12th Je Khenpo (Chief Abbot), Lam Kunga Jamtsho, is credited with the birth of one of the most holy and solicited meditation centres in Bhutan, Trashigang Goemba. Trashigang Goemba is a perfect tourist destination not only for the spiritual richness this place exudes but also for the amazing flora and fauna. It can also be the perfect ending to a day hike from Thimphu.

Built over a century ago by the dzongda (district leader) of Haa, Ugyen Farmhouse passed on as a gift to the grandfather of current owner Ugyen. Now, he and his wife Doley Bidha have created an exceptionally fine farm stay experience here. The house consists of three spacious floors, with comfortable beds, running water, and electric space heaters in each room. Water will be gladly heated upon request, and Doley even offers traditional Bhutanese hot stone baths, a luxurious delight for weary travelers.

A great Tibetan ruler and lama, or Buddhist teacher, named Songtsan Gampo supposedly started construction of the temple in the 7th century. According to local legend, two birds, one black and one white, emanated from his consciousness and flew from Tibet to this location. The white bird landed on the site of Karpo Lhakhang, hence “white temple.” Locals built Nagpo Lhakhang, the “black temple,” where the black bird landed.

The smoke-smudged walls of Drukgyel Dzong's four-story utse (central tower) still stand intact among the surrounding ruins. Located at the head of the Paro Valley, the once-magnificent Drukgyel Dzong was built in 1649 and stood along a major route into Tibet for three centuries until it burned to the ground in a 1951 fire. The dzong's name, which translates as “Bhutan's Victory,” commemorates a 1644 defeat of Tibetan forces in this region.

Kila Goemba in Paro stands true to its Sanskrit translation, ‘the spiritual dagger that subdues all negativity’ as it stands very calmly on a sheer dizzy cliff face waiting to eliminate any negative elements coming its way. Located below the Chelela Pass and standing at an altitude of about 3,500m, Kila Goemba is one of the oldest nunneries in Bhutan dating back to the 9th century.

Hotel Olathang is set on 28 acres of blue pine forest, offering a quiet refuge from the urban bustle of Paro though only 5km from the international airport. The hotel was constructed in 1974 as a showcase of Bhutanese style for foreign guests attending the coronation of the Fourth King of Bhutan, making it one of the oldest tourist hotels in the country. Tourist attractions are close by, and many trekking routes are accessible from the property as well.

Built in the seventeenth century, Rinpung Dzong is visible across the Paro Valley, which it successfully defended against a succession of attacks by Tibetan armies. With its thick buttressed walls and fine woodwork, the dzong offers an excellent example of traditional Bhutanese architecture - befitting the seat of legislative and religious authority in one of Bhutan's wealthiest regions. Each spring, the dzong fills to capacity when it hosts Paro Tsechu, one of Bhutan's liveliest festivals.