Paro Valley – The Land of Joy

Rising almost 2,200 m (7,200 ft) above the sea level, Paro Valley boasts of being one of the most magnificent towns as well as tourist destinations in Bhutan. Donned with an array of pious sites, historic landmarks, heritage sites, and a prismatic list of tourist destinations and attraction points, this gorgeous valley origins from Chuzom; confluence point of the gurgling Paro Chhu and Wang Chhu rivers. Here onwards, the valley extends till Mt. Jomolhari at the Tibetan border.

Revered as the most fertile valley in the Land of Thunder Dragons, Paro Valley is the home to around 155 Buddhist temples and devout monasteries. Some of these religious sites date back to as long as the 14th century or even more. Adding to this, the colourful shops stacked with traditional souvenirs, the quaint houses built in Bhutanese architecture, the colourful plains, and the pleasant rice fields all around Paro Valley makes it an must visit tourist destination in Bhutan.

Well connected with the rest of the world via Paro International Airport; the only international airport in Bhutan, Paro Valley is also known for the Taktsang Monastery or the ‘Tiger’s Nest’. Hanging over a cliff, this monastery is a globally famed tourist spot, and should not be missed during your Bhutan trip.

Best Time to Visit Paro Valley: Spring (March to May) and Autumn (September to November)

How to Reach Paro Valley

By Air

If you are planning to reach Paro by air, you can book either a direct or connecting flight to Paro International Airport from the below mentioned Indian airports:

Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata

Bodhgaya Airport in Gaya

Bagdogra Airport in Siliguri (West Bengal)

Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati (Assam)

For foreign nationals planning to fly directly to Paro International Airport, they can book flights to Paro from Singapore, Kathmandu (Nepal), Bangkok (Thailand), and Dhaka (Bangladesh).

By Train

New Jalpaiguri, Siliguri, New Alipurduar, and Hasimara are the nearest railway stations to reach Paro via Jaigaon and Phuentsholing. From any of these railway stations in West Bengal, you can take a roadway journey to reach Jaigaon town to finally reach Paro through Phuentsholing.

By Road

Jaigaon in Alipurduar district of West Bengal is located adjacent to Bhutanese town of Phuentsholing. From Jaigaon, you can take a drive around 50km through Phuentsholing to reach Paro by road.

Places to Visit in Paro Valley

Tiger’s Nest (Paro Taktsang)

Jangtsa Dumtseg Lhakhang Temple

Chele La Pass

Drukgyal Dzong Monastery

Zuri Dzong Fort

Rinpung Dzong Monastery

Druk Choeding

Ugyen Pelri Palace

Dasho Nishioka Chorten Museum

Namgay Artisanal Brewery

Airport Viewpoint

Paro Weekend Market

Things to Do in Paro Valley

Historical tour

Heritage tour

Leisure activities

Sightseeing

Monastery visits

Local shopping

Beer tasting