Phuentsholing Travel Guide - Best Tourist Attractions in Phuentsholing, Bhutan

Phuentsholing Travel Guide – Best Tourist Attractions in Phuentsholing, Bhutan

Phuntsholing is the administrative headquarters of Chukha District and the second largest city in Bhutan on the Bhutan-India border. It is located about 15 kms from Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan. Phuntsholing houses the headquarters of Bank of Bhutan.

Geography of Phuntsholing:

Phuntsholing covers an area of Sampheling Gewog and Phuentsholing Gewog and is located opposite of Jaigaon, the town in West Bengal, India.

Phuntsholing is positioned in 28°18′ N latitude and 74°58′ E longitude and positioned at an altitude of 293 meters.

Connectivity to Phuntsholing:

Phuntsholing is served by the only international airport of Bhutan ‘Paro Airport, located about 140 kms away. This airport is connected with Kathmandu, Bangkok, Delhi, Kolkata, Dhaka, Gaya, Guwahati, Mumbai, Singapore, Jakar and Trashigang served by Buddha Air, Druk Air and Tashi Air.

Phuntsholing has good connectivity with all the major cities of Bhutan including Paro and Thimphu and the bordering regions of India through roadway.

Phuentsholing Bus Station is the most important bus station for Phuntsholing and its neighboring regions.

The railway station at Hasimara is the closest railway station to Phuntsholing. Tourists can hire cars from Kings Travels to travel within the city.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Phuntsholing:

Phuntsholing is one of the developed cities compared to other regions of Bhutan, houses the higher majority of Buddhists and minority of Hindu citizens. Dzongkha Language is the official language and a generally spoken language in Phuntsholing and some natives speak Bengali and other Indian languages.

Phuntsholing is home to different Indian and Bhutan food corners and almost all the shops accept Indian currency. Pastry Shop is a bakery serve customers with variety of cakes and pastries placed in the Tashi Commercial Complex.

Hotel Galing is a prime hotel in Phuntsholing offers diverse Indian vegetarian cuisine with top taste at affordable price.

Phuntsholing houses many supermarkets, electrical showrooms, a fresh vegetable market and computer shops.

Places to see in Phuntsholing:-

Zangtho Pelri Lhakhang:

Zangtho Pelri Lhakhang is a temple represents the paradise of Guru Rinpoche located in the centre of Phuntsholing city. The floors of temple contain the pictures and statues of saints and gods. The ground floor includes the figurines of eight appearances of Guru Rinpoche and Buddha’s life history paintings. Eight Bodhisattavas and figurines of Avalokiteshvara and Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal found in first floor of temple and main statue of Amitabha is in top floor.

Karbandi Monastery:

Karbandi Monastery is very famous monastery near Phuntsholing. It is visited by most numbers of ladies who don’t have children, after Indian women got child after praying at this monastery to conceive. Karbandi Monastery is located few kilometers away from Phuntsholing town.

Bhutan Gate:

Bhutan Gate separates Bhutan from India. Tourists can take the photo of this gate.

Amo Chuu:

Amo Chuu is a Crocodile Breeding Centre at the back of the bus station of Phuntsholing on the river bank.

Gumba:

Gumba is the popular temple of Lord Buddha located in the vicinity of royal family residence.

Simtokha Dzong:-

Simtokha Dzong is monastery built by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in 1627. It includes a language and cultural study centre located in Thimphu.

National Folk Heritage Museum:-

National Folk Heritage Museum is one of the prime museum in Bhutan located in the vicinity of National Library in Thimphu. It displays the culture and tradition of Bhutan.

The list of other tourist attractions in Phuntsholing:-

Chukha Hydrothermal Project
Changangkha Temple
Motithang Takin Preserve
Changangkha Lhakhang
Royal Academy of Performing Arts
National Library, Thimphu

Best time to visit Phuntsholing:-

The months of March, April, May, August and September is the ideal time to visit Phuntsholing.

Accommodation Options near Phuntsholing:-

The budget hotels of Phuntsholing generally charge single deluxe room for 450Nu, Single without TV for 325Nu, Deluxe double for 650Nu and Standard double for 550 Nu. The facilities available in the budget hotels of Phuntsholing include hot water, TV and variety of Bhutanese and Indian dishes.

The luxury hotels offer the facilities of TV, hot water, A/C, a swimming pool, a restaurant and a bar, garden area, tennis court, gym centre, doctor on call, air ticket booking, internet connectivity, 24 hour electricity and the foods from Bhutan, India, China, Thailand and Western countries. The hotels generally charge 2,000 Nu & 2,500 Nu for deluxe rooms and 1,100 Nu & 1,300 Nu for standard rooms.

The best budget and luxury hotels in Phuntsholing are as follows:

Budget Hotels in Phuntsholing: