Punakha

Places to visit in Punakha

• Dochula Pass
• Punakha Ritsha Village
• Nalanda Buddhist Institute
• Talo

Religious Places to visit in Punakha

• Punakha Dzong
• Chimi Lhakhang
• Limbukha
• Khamsum Yulley Chorten
• Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Nunnery

Things to do in Punakha

• Hiking to Talo
• Mountain Biking in Dochula Pass
• River rafting in Mo Chu
• Trekking

With Bhutan Tour Package of North Bengal Tourism, travelers can explore the historic town Punakha and itssurrounding places at a reasonable price.

Punakha Local Sightseeing

Punakha, as being of the ancient historical towns in Bhutan, has many tourist places and attractions. Some of the most visited Punakha tourist places are:

Punakha Dzong

Punakha Dzong, also known as Pungtang Dewa Chhenbi Phodrang, is one of the must-visit tourist attractions in Punakha. Built-in 1638, it is one of the oldest and the second largest Dzong in Bhutan. Due to its most exquisite architecture, fully decorated rooms and neat & clean prayer halls can undoubtedly be termed as the travelers' delight.

Chimi Lhakhang

Chimi Lhakhang, also known as Chime Monastery, is a quite popular destination in Punakha. It is also ssknown as a fertility temple. People from all around the globe visit this fascinating temple to pray for Children.

Surrounded by paddy fields, located on the edge of Loseba Valley, Chimi Lhakhang is a must-visit local sightseeing place in Punakha due to its scenic architecture and odd phallus symbols.

Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Lhakhang

Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Lhakhang is a Buddhist nunnery in Punakha. Surrounded by daunting hills, it represents the finest craftsmanship of Bhutanese architecture. Getting to know the life of the anim and meditating with nuns are what makes this one of the finest tourist attractions in Punakha.

Limbukha Village

Situated in the Dochula Hill of the Punakha Valley, Limbukha is a fascinating hamlet known for its serene ambiance, pictorial landscape and amusing history. This village is quite popular among tourists to enjoy an intense hiking activity. Hiking through the dense forest of Limbukha, crossing many paddy fields and quaint hamlets are what make the trekking quite memorable here.

Jigme Dorji National Park

Spread to many other districts in Bhutan, Jigme Dorji National Park in Punakha is the largest National Park. Built by the third king of Bhutan, Jigme Dorji, it is the natural habitat of many endangered wild animals such as Royal Bengal Tiger, Himalayan Musk Deer, beard, snow leopard, etc.

This national park in Punakha is also named as the trekkers' paradise due to its exceptional spread of flora and fauna. The distance from Punakha to Jigme Dorji National Park is approximate 80km.

Things and Activities to Do

Punakha, being a must-visit tourist attraction in Bhutan, has plenty of things and activities to offer to the tourists. So, let's have a look at some of the things and activities to do in Punakha with our Bhutan tour itinerary.

Punakha White Water Rafting

White water Rafting is one of the main attractions and also one of the best things to do in Punakha. Indulge yourself in a thrilling white water rafting in Mo Chu River and feel an intense adrenaline rush within you.

Photograph all the Tourist Places and Attractions of Punakha

If Photography is your hobby or even profession, Bhutan will not disappoint you. Snapping photos of monasteries and sightseeing places in Punakha will become one of the exciting things to do in Punakha. Transform these attractions of Punakha into the photographic form which can be cherished for a lifetime.

Walk through the Punakha Suspension Bridge

Walking through the Suspension Bridge is a thrilling experience in itself. This breathtaking bridge is quite old and no one knows how old the bridge actually is. This 180 meters bridge shakes while someone walks on it which makes walking on this bridge one of the best activities to do in Punakha.

Bird Watching at Jigme Dorji National Park

Jigme Dorji National Park in Bhutan is a renowned name among the nature enthusiasts of the world. Thousands of travelers visit Bhutan only because to explore the wildlife of this Park. However, not just wild animals, people also come here to see colorful Himalayan birds.

Hike to Talo Monastery

Hiking is one of the electrifying activities to do in Punakha and Talo, due to its high elevation, is a favored hiking destination among travelers. Talo is scenic monastery surrounded by lush green vegetation. Travelers have to trek for 1 long hour to finally reach here which is undoubtedly one of the exciting things to do in Punakha.

Hotels in Punakha

Being one of the must visit places in Bhutan, there are many options of accommodations in Punakha. Visitors can either stay in home stays, resorts, and budget hostels in Punakha. With Hotel Booking services of North Bengal Tourism, travelers can easily choose a place to stay in Punakha according to their liking and budget.

How to reach Punakha

By Rail: The nearest railway station of Punakha is the Hasimara Railway station. Visitors can either board a train for Hasimara or Alipurduar Railway Station. It is an overall 9hr trip to reach Punakha from these junctions.

Distance: The distance between Hasimara to Punakha is 259 km and the distance between Alipurduar to Punakha is 298 km.

By Road: Visitors can also reach Punakha by taking 7hr drive from Phuentsholing.

Distance: The distance between Phuentsholing to Punakha is 241 kilometers.

By Airport: The nearest airport of Punakha is the Paro International Airport. It is an overall 4hrs journey to reach Punakha from Paro International Airport.

Distance: The distance between Paro to Punakha is 124 kilometers.

Traveler can cover this distance to reach Punakha by directly hiring a car. With car rental service of North Bengal Tourism travelers can rent a car or hire a taxi to reach Punakha from all of these places at a reasonable car fare.

Best Time to visit Punakha

April-June: During this time of the year, Punakha is adorned with the colorful vista of blooming flowers. The pleasant weather of Punakha is an added charm of visiting Punakha Bhutan in spring season.

July-September: During this time of the year, Punakha receives an average rainfall and occasional thunder storm. Due to the sudden weather change the road leading to Punakha becomes prone to road block due to landslides. But if visitors can overlook this fact, monsoon is also an ideal time of visit Punakha.

October-March: Winter season is the best time to visit Punakha. During this time of the year, the sky remains mostly clear in Paro which ensure the panoramic view of mountains and meadows enclosing Punakha. This is also an ideal time to visit Punakha if visitors want to partake in activities like trekking, river rafting and mountain biking in Punakha.

Our Best Holiday Packages

North Bengal Tourism offers plenty of options when it comes to spending your holiday in Bhutan. With North Bengal tourism's best Bhutan Tour Packages, tourists can explore Punakha as well as its nearby places at an affordable price. Check out These budget-friendly Bhutan Packages covering Punakha and its surroundings.