Bhutan’s only international airport is located in Paro, but the airport is the least important reason to visit this town. Paro is a lively place located in a fertile valley about an hour west of Thimphu. A river with clear water runs through the town. If you have a day or two to spare during your visit to Bhutan then you can do worse than coming to Paro. Here is a set of suggestions for what you can do if you find yourself in this fine place:
Tiger’s Nest: Get up at dawn and drive 20 minutes to the base of the trek up to the Tiger’s Nest. Aside from the awe-inspiring beauty of this mountain-side monastery, the Tiger’s Nest is famous for being the place where Guru Rinpoche, one of Big Boys of Bhutan (see blog post) landed on his tiger, when he brought Buddhism to Bhutan. Tiger’s Nest is perched on a mountain side nearly 1km above the base for the trek. Given that the trek is 5.5 kms each way, the average gradient of the trek about 20%, which you definitely notice at this altitude (the highest point on the trek is 3,150 above sea level). Expect at least 1 hour of steady steep incline to the café, then another hour of the same before you finally have to negotiate the stairs, first down and then up again in the final approach to the Tiger’s Nest. You will want to spend at least 30 minutes at the Tiger’s Nest before you return, because there are no fewer than 8 temples to see plus the most amazing views of the Paro Valley you will ever see (but cannot photograph, because camaras are not allowed within the Tiger’s Nest itself).
Take lunch at a farmhouse followed by a hot stone bath: Bhutanese food is delicious. It tastes home cooked and the ingredients are farm-fresh. The staple is red rice, which is usually accompanied by a selection of vegetarian dishes plus one or two dishes of meat, which may be chicken, pork, beef, yak, or fish. ‘Datse’, a Bhutanese speciality, is cheese sauce with vegetable, often mushrooms or large red dried chilies. Meat, when served, is often dried and plated either as jerky or softened in a sauce of some sort. Many of the farm houses around Paro offer hot stone baths after lunch. You are allocated a small private wooden cabin with individual bath tubs inside. A section of the bath tub extends outside through the wall of the building into which stones heated in a fire are placed, heating up the water within the cabin. Herbs are added to the water. You soak in this hot herbal bath for as long as you wish, typically 15-30 minutes. Your blood circulation improves no end and you feel that peace has been restored to the universe.
Visit the National Museum: There are some exceptionally beautiful brass statues of Buddha and other Buddhist deities as well as costumes and some weaponry to behold within the National Museum. Also, don’t miss the remarkable air-dried clay statues. Still, the highlight is the building itself, which was originally a watch tower built in the middle of the 1600s to protect the Dzong located immediately below. The walls of the building are four meters thick and as you make your way through the museum you descend through six levels along a complex set of staircases and spiral walkways. The view from the museum as you exit is absolutely breath-taking.
Try to catch one of Bhutan’s many ceremonies at the Dzong: Guru Rinpoche’s birthday is celebrated at the end of March each year. To celebrate this occasion, monks dress up and dance in the courtyard of the monastic section of the Dzong. The ceremony is extremely colourful and attended by locals, who don their best garb in order to show off, impress the other sex, or simply out of respect for the occasion. At night, the bridge over the river beneath the Dzong, the Dzong, and the National Museum above it are lit and make a beautiful spectacle.
Take a walk around town: Downtown Paro lines the Paro River, which runs with clear fresh water from the snow-covered peaks at the head of the valley. The old part of Paro town is lined with traditional Bhutanese houses in wood and elaborate decorations. You can buy trinkets, eat many types of food, take cash out of ATMs, have a drink, or find lodging in this vibrant part of town. There are also great coffee bars along the main street.
Catch an archery contest: Archery is Bhutan’s national sport. Every town has many teams, which meet on Sundays to compete to establish superiority. The sportsmanship is impressive. Using traditional bamboo bows, the archers send their arrows a distance of 145 meters to hit a target no larger than 1x3 feet. Each time a team hits the target, the opposing team will do a short ceremonial song and dance. Literally. On the other hand, if a team fails to hit the target there is no shortage of taunting, including displays of dare-devilry with opposing contestants provocatively standing right next to the target even as deadly arrows zoom past. Spirits are high and there is no way one can watch this spectacle without getting into a really good mood! By the way, the biggest archery festival of the year takes place at harvest time in October. This event is even more fun than the little local jests; not only is the quality of the archery world class, it also comes complete with beautiful cheerleaders, food and drink, music, and other entertainment. Bhutanese people, you see, like a good party!
Comments