Paro is a valley town in Bhutan, west of the capital, Thimphu. A historic town in the valley extends from the confluence of the Paro Chhu and the Wang Chhu. The town known for its food and festivals has many sacred sites and historical buildings scattered throughout the area; There are over 155 temples and monasteries in the area, some dating as far back as the 7th century; It is the site of the country’s only international airport and is also known among tourist for its’ sacred sites in the area.
The modern city built in 1985, is known to be situated at the height of about 2280 meters on the banks of the Paro Chu river, which is spread across an area of 1259 sq.m. The Paro Chhu river is the lifeline of Paro, Paro is dotted with traditionally built houses as well as paddy fields. There are numerous hotels, cafes, restaurants, museums, and places of nature hiking that will certainly keep you engaged throughout your trip. To the north of Paro, about 10 km away is the famed Taktsang Palphug (Tiger’s Nest) monastery that looks like clinging to cliffs above the densely forested Paro Valley.
Some Bhutanese believe that Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) flew on the back of a tigress to this location from Tibet. The trek to the Tiger’s Nest monastery takes about 3 hours one way. A scenic view of the town of Paro can be seen from the Tiger’s Nest. Northwest of Paro town 16 km away are the remains of a defensive fortress, 5the palace was partly destroyed by fire in 1951, Drukgyel Dzong (Dzong means fortress), built in the 17th century. The town’s main street has many examples of traditionally decorated buildings; including the Dungtse Lhakhang (a 15th-century temple) and the Ugyen Perli For the adventure junkies Paro is the perfect destination to try your guts! Paro has some of the most challenging biking trails of the world which is bound to allure any biker who wants to scale the height on the wheels.
Apart from that visitors, can go on hiking, trekking, river rafting, kayaking, and stargazing. The Snowman Trek which is one of the highest trekking trails in the world will leave you awestruck as you ride along the trail and get a bird’s eye view of the stunning panorama from a height of 5,400 meters. Summer is the best time to visit Paro when the climate is temperate and suitable for adventurous activities. Apart from that, the tourist can visit the Rinpung Dzong, the National Museum of Bhutan, and the Paro weekend market for Shopping. Paro has transformed enormously, and this is one of the prime reasons for the increase in tourism in the town.
Tourists can also visit the Tachogang Lhakhang Bridge, Paro Tsechu, Kyichu Lhakhang, Dobji Dzong, and Chele La Pass the highest motorable road pass in Bhutan. Also worth visiting is Jangtsa Dumgtseg Lhakhang a Buddhist temple in Jangtsa, Paro; Tamchog Lhakhang temple. Tourists can also visit the Tashi Gongphel handmade paper factory and Sangay Wood Turning Factory. Rinpung Dzong at an altitude of just over 7000 feet, also known as the Paro Dzong, has a very spiritual environment. Beautifully lit up at night, the dzong has many illustrations portraying the life of Buddha. Paro can be reached easily by road from India through the Jaigaon – Phuentsholing border.
The distance between Phuentsholing and Paro is about 175 km and takes about 6 hours. The airport is connected with major cities of India such as New Delhi, Guwahati, Bagdogra, and Kolkata as well as neighboring country capitals such as Kathmandu, Nepal, and Dhaka, Bangladesh. The town is a few kilometers north of the Airport. Tourists arriving to Paro by flight can go to other places of Bhutan via road. The distance From Paro to Thimphu is 65 km, Paro to Haa is 65 km, Paro to Phuentsholing is 175 km and from Paro to Punakha via Thimphu is 140 km. a visit to Paro is a must for the mesmerizing experience of Bhutan.
