Thimphu, the modern-day capital of Bhutan, is known to the small but growing band of visitors to the tiny Himalayan kingdom, but if it's tranquillity and antique charm you're after, the former capital of Punakha is the place to head for.
Located in central Bhutan, this sleepy town was the administrative hub of Bhutan until the 1960s and it still retains the serene atmosphere of a place with a regal past. It is home to the country's most idyllic dzong (fortress), the Punakha Dzong, where Bhutan's most significant ceremonies are still held.
Punakha still holds the title of "winter capital" due to its relatively mild weather during that time of year.
Traditionally, many of the Buddhist monks from Thimphu would spend the winter months holed up in Punakha.
The road journey to Punakha allows you to view the true face of Bhutan. From Thimphu, the route snakes up and around a range of mountains. Once through the Dochula Pass, the descent begins, the road climbing down through thick, sub-tropical forests which gradually give way to a stunning panorama of rice paddies painstakingly hewed from the steep slopes.

If you don’t venture beyond Thimphu, you won’t get a chance to see any of Bhutan’s bizarre phallic paintings since these are now only to be found on the walls of rural houses. In traditional Bhutanese society, representations of an erect penis were intended to drive away ‘‘the evil eye’’ and malicious gossip. This esoteric symbol has its origins in the Chimi Lhakhang monastery near Punakha which was built to honour Lama Drukpa Kunley (1455-1529), a highly respected lama who was known as ‘‘the Divine Madman’’ or ‘‘the Saint of 5,000 Women’’ because of his predilection for enlightening female followers; women would seek his blessing in the form of sex. He is often credited with introducing the practice of phallic painting to Bhutan. Local legend has it that he turned demonesses into protective deities by hitting them with his penis — which was referred to as ‘‘the Thunderbolt of Flaming Wisdom’’. More cosmopolitan Bhutanese now tend to find such paintings embarrassing.
While Thimphu is undergoing massive changes, as the Bhutanese slowly open up to the outside world, Punakha and its environs remain largely unaltered. You can see isolated villages scattered across the vast fertile valley in which Punakha is located, as well as on the shoulders of the surrounding mountains. Farmers here still seem content with their self-sufficient way of life. Monks and novices study and practise dhamma in the peaceful confines of ancient monasteries.
The valley is crossed by two wide, glacier-fed rivers that meet right next to the picturesque Punakha Dzong, one of the main reasons why foreigners make side trips to this town. Breathtaking from the outside, this gigantic fortified structure is even more stunning when viewed from the inside, which has been intricately carved, painted and decorated by generations of artisans. My visit to Punakha Dzong happened to coincide with a big consecration ceremony that had attracted thousands of pilgrims.
I felt like an alien surrounded as I was by hordes of people decked out in their traditional Bhutanese finery, speaking a language of which I could understand no more than 10 words. They were all crossing the drawbridge to participate in a Buddhist rite being held in the mediaeval fortress.
But what impressed me most of all was the strength of these people's religious faith. The Bhutanese practise a form of Tantric Buddhism, one of the main principles of which is a belief in the karmic cycle of reincarnation. Good people achieve good rebirths and the ultimate goal of all pious Bhutanese is to accumulate enough positive karma to be freed from the cycle of rebirth.
The Bhutanese accumulate merit through good deeds and the performance of rituals. It is very common to see people of all ages muttering mantras as they walk along the street or turning prayer wheels, many of which are conveniently located next to footpaths in the towns as well as around the various temples and stupas.
You also see lots of massive prayer wheels set up along the banks of streams where the flow of water keeps them revolving constantly. Prayer flags, another devotional tool and a means of accumulating good karma, are typically placed next to rivers or on ridgelines. The locals believe that prayers written on these flags are absorbed by the wind and the water which then carry their sacred messages to all the creatures of the world.
Roaming around the tranquil alleyways of Punakha you get a glimpse of Buddhism in action as lived by the Bhutanese. Taking in the sights and sounds of this country and coming face to face with the deep faith and simple lifestyles of its people can be a breathtaking experience, creating memories that are likely to linger in your mind long after you have returned home.

Punakha Dzong — or Pungthang Dewachen Phodrang (Palace of Great Happiness) to give it its full official title — was constructed in 1637 and is the winter residence of Bhutan’s central monastic body. It was only the second dzong (fortress) to be built in the country and occupies a strategic position at the confluence of the Phochu (male) and Mochu (female) rivers. Over the years it has been badly damaged by four separate fires, by an earthquake in 1897 and by frequent floods and the fine condition of the present structure is due to the great efforts made to restore it to its original splendour. All the tradesmen, craftsmen and artists who worked on it contributed their labour for free. Apart from the good kharma they earned for so doing, the work they did here is to their everlasting credit, a good way of showing off their skills to potential clients who are looking for builders or decorators. Nowadays this huge complex is still used as a venue for significant religious and royal ceremonies as well as for cultural activities like the mask dance.

Anyone travelling between Thimphu and Punakha has to negotiate the Dochula Pass. At 3,150m above sea level, it is a popular location from which to get spectacular panoramic views of the mighty Himalaya mountain range, especially on clear winter days. The other main attraction here is Druk Wangyal Khangzang Chhortens, a unique cluster of 108 stupas that spiral up to a main monument. It was commissioned by Queen Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck, aunt of the current monarch.

Situated on a hill right in the heart of Phobjika Valley, Gangteng is an important monastery of the Nyingmapa sect, the oldest of the four schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Built in 1613, it is one of the two main centres of Nyingmapa Buddhism in Bhutan. In the shedra (monastic college) here, men enrol for an eight-year programme of studies which includes subjects like art and music as well as Buddhist scripture and philosophy.

Tourists having lunch before the vistas offered by Punakha Valley. This fertile corner of Bhutan gets sufficient water to allow farmers to grow two crops of rice a year.

Black-necked cranes can be seen all across the vast valley of Probjika during the winter months. This migrant from Tibet usually arrives in Probjika in late October. It is 139cm long, has whitish-grey feathers with a black head, red crown patch and a white patch to the rear of its eyes. This bird is regarded as sacred in Bhutan and the government has gone to great lengths to protect its habitat. One consequence of this is that all electrical cables in this valley are buried below the ground.

If you get the chance to travel through central Bhutan, Phobjika is a place you should definitely visit, particularly during the winter months. This isolated village is situated in a vast, U-shaped, glacial valley at an elevation of around 3,000m. The valley is home to a fertile marshland rich in faunal biodiversity. It is the winter refuge of the threatened black-necked crane (Grus nigricollis ) which arrives here in October after flying over the Himalayas from Tibet.

TRAVEL TIPS
While Punakha is only 40km from Thimphu as the crow flies, the journey may take up to two hours as the only way to get there is by negotiating a series of steep and winding mountain roads. With the exception of Indian, Bangladeshi and Maldivian tourists, foreign visitors need a visa, which is normally issued once you book a holiday there with one of the tour operators authorised by the government of Bhutan. Tourists are required to spend a minimum of US$200 per person per day if they are there during the months of January, February, June, July, August or December. The minimum daily expenditure rises to US$250 per tourist if you are in Bhutan during the months of March, April, May, September, October or November. For a list of tour operators and more information on tour packages, visit www.tourism.gov.bt. Although regulations governing the behaviour of tourists were relaxed recently, it is still forbidden to take photos within the Punakha Dzong, or inside any Buddhist temple for that matter.