Punakha: Three Perfect Days

AT COMO UMA PUNAKHA

Destination 5 minute read

Punakha is one of western Bhutan’s most culturally significant locations, due to its strategic position at the confluence of the Mo Chhu and Pho Chhu rivers.

When Bhutan was unified in the 17th century, Punakha was chosen as the country’s capital, and remained so for over 300 years until the 1950s. The area also has a rich agrarian tradition with the hillsides blanketed with rice paddies and orchards. We have designed three perfect days at COMO Uma Punakha to help you make the most of your stay, from visiting Punakha Dzong to white-water rafting down the Mo Chhu River.

Day One:

Punakha’s cultural landscape

After settling into the lodge and enjoying some refreshments, set off on a gentle hike to the Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten, built in 2004 by Bhutan’s Queen Mother to represent peace and harmony. The chorten is stacked in three gleaming tiers, and painted with Buddhist symbols and legends — look out especially for the protector deity riding a yeti. There are also far-reaching views over the Punakha Valley.

Next, take a trip to Punakha Dzong, a twenty-minute drive away. This fortified monastery was established in 1637 as a fortress and administrative centre by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, the Tibetan lama who unified Bhutan in the 17th century. The dzong served as the seat of government as well as the religious headquarters of Bhutan. Every king of Bhutan has been crowned here, at the precise confluence of the Mo Chhu and Pho Chhu rivers, and the fortress still serves as the winter residence of Bhutan’s ‘dratshang’ or official monk body. If you visit in spring, the whitewashed exterior is lined with jacarandas in full lilac bloom. But regardless of the season, the dzong is a must-visit. You can spend hours wandering the courtyards, admiring the six-storey tower, and looking at the various shrines and paintings. The ‘hundred-pillar’ assembly hall is particularly elaborate, with murals depicting the life of Buddha, gold panelling, and impressive statues.

Continue on to the nearby Punakha Suspension Bridge, which spans the Pho Chuu River. It’s the longest suspension bridge in Bhutan, at around 160 metres, and connects Punakha Dzong with the villages on the other side of the river. The bridge is garlanded with prayer flags — carrying prayers and mantras to be spread by the wind — and offers sweeping views of the surrounding landscapes.

Afterwards, head to Chimi Lhakhang, Bhutan’s famous fertility temple. The 15th-century complex is dedicated to Drukpa Kunley, also known as the ‘Divine Madman’. The temple and nearby village of Sopsokha are known for their wall paintings and carvings of phallic symbols; an important part of Bhutanese belief and custom regarding fertility and protection from evil.

Once you’ve returned to COMO Uma Punakha, enjoy supper at Bukhari, serving local, seasonal produce in a range of traditional and international dishes including red rice, chillies and cheese, and fern tips.

Day Two

Mountains and rivers

An early start will give you the advantage of fresh, cool air as you set off from the lodge on a gentle hike to Chorten Nyingpo Lhakhang, an eighteenth-century Buddhist monastery. The hour-long route winds through cultivated fields, the occasional village, and sub-tropical forest teeming with rare plants.

Once at the monastery, there’s plenty to see, from the statues of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, to the prayer hall which is home to precious ancient texts. The sacred stupa is at the monastery’s heart, enshrining a relic of Guru Rinpoche.

After you’ve satisfied your curiosity, head to the banks of the Mo Chhu River for a picnic lunch prepared by the chef at COMO Uma Punakha, or if you’re still feeling energetic, you could make the return hike back to the lodge and enjoy lunch there.

Then it’s time for an adrenaline rush with a white-water rafting adventure. The Mo Chhu River has various rapids suitable for different experience levels, including calmer stretches as well as grade two rapids that will have your heart racing. If you’d prefer to avoid the water, a riverside stroll is a gentler alternative.

On your return to COMO Uma Punakha, indulge in a COMO Shambhala Bhutanese hot stone bath. This relaxing treatment comprises a bath and massage that uses heated river stones to relieve any aches and pains from your exertions. When the hot stones are put in water, they crack and steam, releasing soothing minerals The treatment ends with a signature 60-minute COMO Shambhala Massage, leaving you revitalised for another evening meal at Bukhari.

Day Three

Everyday Bhutanese life

After a leisurely breakfast at COMO Uma Punakha, visit the nearby Talo Village, for a window into traditional rural life in Bhutan. Talo Village refers to a collection of small settlements scattered along a ridge above the Punakha valley, including Lapsakha, Nobgang and Gangthramo.

In addition to great shopping opportunities — many locals sell exquisite handicrafts including handwoven yak-hair scarves and blankets — the Talo Village is also home to several monasteries, temples and religious buildings. Among them is Sangchen Dorji Lhendrup, a nunnery which also houses a higher learning and meditation school. The nunnery also provides vocational training in tailoring, embroidery, thangka-painting and sculpture.

Finish the day with a visit to another of Talo Village’s jewels: the Nalada Buddhist Institute. The institute was established to provide monastic education, including Buddhist philosophy, rituals, meditation, and the Tibetan language. Around 100 monks live at the institute, and if you’re lucky, you might catch them practising their philosophical debate during your visit.

For your final evening, enjoy a meal in our restaurant, and take a post-supper stroll around the local village.