Paro

As home to the only international airport in the country, Paro district is the one place in Bhutan that virtually every foreign tourist gets to visit. This is fortunate, because Paro district is a microcosm of Bhutan. In its 1287 square kilometers (497 square miles) are contained some of Bhutan's oldest fortresses, the precious artifacts of the National Museum, and cliff-clinging religious centers like Kila Goemba nunnery and Taktsang (Tiger's Nest) monastery that to many foreigners are iconic of Bhutan. Mt. Jomolhari rises to 7,326 meters (24,035 feet) on the district's northern flank near the border with Chinese Tibet. This sacred mountain — abode of protector goddess Jomo, bound under oath by Guru Rinpoche to protect the local land and people — is the source of two mighty rivers, the Amo Chhu and the Paro Chhu. The latter flows south down the entire length of the district, through Paro Valley and the capital, Paro. The valley is one of the country's widest and is the thriving heart of the district, containing terraced working rice fields and the country's highest concentration of tourist accommodations, everything from humble homestays to 5-star luxury resorts that meet the most stringent global standards for service. Tourism accounts for a greater percentage of the economy ...