Asian Travel Blog

In the midst of forests, the capital city of Bhutan, Thimphu, has a magnificent 17th century fortress monastery known as Tashichoedzong on its northern edge, and this has now become the seat of the Bhutan government. Towards the end of the summer Tashichoedzong hosts a colourful masked-dance festival which attracts both tourists and locals alike.

The main street, Norzin Lam, is full of interesting shops and retail arcades, as well as a fair number of restaurants where you can both sample local cuisine, or get more international dishes. There are plenty of elegant public buildings on this street too, and it is interesting to note that in Bhutan it is the law that all buildings have to be designed in traditional Buddhist style – which gives all buildings, both public and private, old and modern, a certain formal and beautiful air. For example, the National Library, built in the sixties, is in the style of a traditional Buddhist temple.

Thimphu has a market that takes place near the river at the weekend, as well as selling meat and vegetables, there are also plenty of clothes, ornaments and tourist items for sale.

To the north of the city you can find Dechenphu Monastery, Tango Monastery and Cheri Monastery, as well as Dechenchoeling Palace, which is the official royal residence of the King.

It is interesting to note that Thimphu is the only national capital in Asia that does not have traffic lights. The story goes that when a set of traffic lights were installed, people complained that they were too impersonal, so the lights were replaced with hand waving traffic police, who can still be seen today – a sight not often seen in Europe or North American any more!

With its serenity and beautiful architecture, Thimphu is a wonderful place to visit, and still well off the usual tourist track.