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Dancer at the Talo Tshechu festival, performed on the grounds of the mountaintop Talo Goenpa monastery.
Bhutan is famous for its iconic sights: trekking to Tiger’s Nest monastery, exploring Punakha Dzong palace, attending the vibrant Paro Tshechu festival, and taking a selfie with the gold-covered Buddha Dordenma statue.
Yet, the real magic of this Himalayan kingdom goes beyond these landmarks. The country offers deeper cultural experiences that reveal the rich traditions and unique heritage of Bhutan.
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Bar Hop Thimphu
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Thimphu, nestled in a narrow mountain valley, surprises visitors with a vibrant bar scene. There are numerous spots to sample local drinks, enjoy live music, and meet residents of Bhutan’s capital and largest city.
The Rooftop Drunken Yeti offers panoramic views and a signature cocktail called “The Yeti”, crafted with eight different spirits. They also serve ara, a fermented wheat beverage, and the special edition 1907 12 Year Single Malt Whisky, named after the year Bhutan’s first modern king was crowned.
On the other side of Thimphu’s nightlife is Tipsy Cow — a basement Euro-style club on the main street. It features a dance floor, disco lights, local craft beers, and a variety of Bhutanese music videos.
Meanwhile, The Grey Area offers a boho vibe with art-covered walls and live folk music. It’s known for unique cocktails, like the herb-and-vodka “Cardi B”.
Thimphu’s nightlife caters to all tastes—whether you’re looking for panoramic views, lively dancing, or relaxed cultural ambiance.
Glamp the Himalayas
Bhutan’s sleep scene has taken a quantum leap in recent years with the advent of upscale glamping resorts.
Renowned for its over-the-top African safari camps, &Beyond makes its first splash in Asia with the spectacular Punakha River Lodge. The waterfront property renders gourmet cuisine, innovative outdoor activities, extensive gardens, spa treatments and yoga sessions, swimming pool, and overnights in lavish tented suites with views of the snowcapped Himalayas.
Arrayed along a hilltop overlooking Paro, Tenzinling Luxury Villa offers spacious and well-equipped tents around a common area with swimming pool, spa, bar and restaurant that serves excellent Bhutanese and Indian cuisine.
Atsara posing with a fair-goer at the Talo Tshechu.
Relish a Rural Festival
Bhutan Festivals: Local Color and Hidden Gems
Festivals:
Bhutan is famous for its vibrant festivals. The Paro Tshechu, held in March or April, is the most well-known. Thousands of locals and tourists gather to enjoy traditional mask dances, lively music, and colorful costumes.
Escape the Crowds:
To avoid large crowds, explore festivals in the Bhutanese countryside. Village and monastery events offer an intimate atmosphere—here, locals outnumber tourists. You’ll have better views and easier access for taking great photos.
Hidden Gem – Talo Tshechu:
A standout is the Talo Tshechu, a three-day festival each spring at the mountaintop Talo Goenpa Monastery, about two hours east of Thimphu. Talo is famous for its red-masked atsara clowns and the mesmerizing Zhungdra dance performed by the local troupe.
Strange but true: A takin takes a drink at the Motithang Takin Preserve near Thimphu.
Take Time for Takins
Bhutan Festivals: Local Color and Hidden Gems
Festivals:
Bhutan is famous for its vibrant festivals. The Paro Tshechu, held in March or April, is the most well-known. Thousands of locals and tourists gather to enjoy traditional mask dances, lively music, and colorful costumes.
Escape the Crowds:
To avoid large crowds, explore festivals in the Bhutanese countryside. Village and monastery events offer an intimate atmosphere—here, locals outnumber tourists. You’ll have better views and easier access for taking great photos.
Hidden Gem – Talo Tshechu:
A standout is the Talo Tshechu, a three-day festival each spring at the mountaintop Talo Goenpa Monastery, about two hours east of Thimphu. Talo is famous for its red-masked atsara clowns and the mesmerizing Zhungdra dance performed by the local troupe.
Discover Bhutan’s Unique Wildlife and Scenic Beauty
Bhutan’s national animal, the takin, is a unique creature that defies easy description. Resembling a mix of animals, it’s often compared to a musk ox or mountain goat, but is more closely related to sheep. These animals are hard to spot in the wild due to their remote habitats. The Motithang Takin Preserve, near Thimphu, is the perfect place to see these strange, horned beasts up close.
The preserve, which can be explored via elevated walkways, also shelters other native species like sambar deer, blue sheep, muntjac, and the golden pheasant.
Catch the Sunrise Over the Himalayas
To experience Bhutan at its best, rise early and trek to a temple to catch the first light of the day over the Himalayas. Beat the crowds who arrive later and enjoy a peaceful moment, or even have a breakfast picnic. You can pack your own breakfast or arrange a breakfast box through your hotel.
While the Tiger’s Nest (Taktshang) trek is the most famous, it’s crowded with people even at dawn. Instead, opt for a remote temple like Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten above the Punakha Valley. After crossing a narrow suspension bridge over a fast-flowing river, enjoy a scenic one-hour hike through rice terraces and forest to reach this gold-clad shrine.
Book Your Vacation with MWR LIFE
Want to explore Bhutan’s hidden gems and natural wonders? Book your dream vacation with MWR LIFE and immerse yourself in the serene beauty of this Himalayan kingdom.
All of the guest rooms at Mendegang Heritage Home flaunt traditional Bhutanese design.
Sleep at a Homestay
Rather than a hotel or glamping resort, reserve at least one night for a homestay. Some are more like small palaces built by former royal courtiers or family members rather than ordinary homes.
Located just off the highway between Thimphu and Punakha, Mendegang Heritage Home offers rooms and meals in an elaborate country manor house where Gyaldroen Thinley (chief secretary of the third king) lived with his two wives and many children.
The home is still owned and operated by his descendants, including a granddaughter who manages the property. If you ask nicely, she’ll show you the mansion’s three extravagant Buddhist temples.
Sink Into a Hot Stone Bath
For as long as anyone can remember, Bhutanese have treasured hot stone baths.
Heated by a wood fire, the water is infused with minerals released from the rocks and wormwood leaves (Artemisia absinthium) — the key ingredient of absinthe spirit — before it’s dispensed into rectangular wooden tubs in private compartments.
Beyond blissful relaxation, hot stone baths are thought to soothe many different ailments from digestive issues and hypertension to various skin conditions.
Some hotels and homestays feature hot stone baths. But there are also independent bathhouses like Eco Farm Estate on the outskirts of Paro.
Get Your Fortune Told by a Buddhist Monk
Find out what your future holds at the Pangri Zampa College for Astrology in Thimphu, where saffron-clad Buddhist monks use a variety of ancient texts and books to determine your fate.
Readings take around half an hour, but visitors are free to explore the complex and chat with monks at their leisure. There’s no fee per se, the fortune tellers do expect a small gratuity.
In addition to training young astrologers — all those boys playing soccer in the schoolyard — the college creates the official national calendar and decides on the most auspicious dates for royal weddings, funerals, coronations and other significant occasions.