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man conjured
to create their clearest and cleanest image, it must be the
Paro valley in Bhutan. The town is located at an altitude of
2,250 m above the sea level with river flowing gently on its
side and making it the most beautiful valley in the country.
Though, the capital of Bhutan is Thimphu, but for a longer
time of the history Paro had the control of this part of the
country. The town of Paro in western Bhutan attracts tourists
due to its scenic locales, beautiful landscapes, wooded
villages and historic buildings. The Paro valley is unique in
beauty and in history. The only airport of Bhutan is located
in Paro. To the north, Mount Chamolhari (Mountain of the
Goddess), reigns in white glory and the waters from its “five
sisters” peaks passes through deep gorges, finally meeting in
the end to form the Paro Chu river that nourishes the rice
fields and apple and peach orchards.
History of Paro
Paro is a place full of legends and history and events which
marked the beginning of great cultural heritage of the
country. According to legends, Guru Rimpoche (Padmasambhava)
came on the back of a tigress to Paro in 761 AD, bringing with
him the teachings of Buddha from Tibet. Guru Rimpoche
established the most important religious site in Bhutan, the
Taktsang Lhakang or Tiger's Nest near Paro. Religious leaders
of Paro controlled Western Bhutan for quite a long time and
Nyingmapa School established by Guru Rimpoche gave great monks
and able leaders (the present monarchy also belong to same
school). Sgabdrung Ngwang Namgyal arrived in Bhutan in 1616
from Tibet and established the dual system of governance here
that remained in place till the beginning of last century. At
the end of 19th century Penlop of Paro was defeated by Penlop
of central and eastern Bhutan, who later became the first king
of the country.
Climate of Paro
Paro is the part of a country that displays more climatic
changes in a small area than any other part of the world.
While the day temperature in this region can go up to 15.5 ºC,
night temperature can go below the freezing point. The mid
December to mid January, is a beautiful experience here with
clear blue sky and dry climate. Summers are warm and wet and
visibility is very low during this season. Autumn, October
through November, is very mild with clear skies. The best time
to visit Paro is spring when weather is at its best and
blooming colours of nature makes it an unimaginable
destination.
Accommodation in Paro
Hotel Olathang is built on a hillside overlooking the
beautiful Paro valley. This hotel offers accommodation in the
main building and in 14 cottages spread over 43 acres. Most of
the rooms are done in traditional Bhutanese style that gives
you a feeling of living in a Dzong.
Adventure in Paro
Trekking, hiking, and nature and bird watching are some of the
activities in Paro Valley that can be taken in Paro.
Festivals in Paro
Paro Tshechu, celebrated in the spring season at Paro Dzong is
perhaps most famous event that takes place in Bhutan.
Celebrated in remembrance of Guru Rimpoche's arrival in Paro
Valley in the 8th century AD, the festival is one of the
purest manifestations of traditional Bhutanese traditions.
Main attractions of the festival are mask dance and music
performances of lamas enacting the events of the past.
Shopping in Paro
Weekend bazaars and small shops sell precious stones brought
from Tibet and India, local weaving products, local vegetables
and fruits, antique silverware, and old Tibetan coins.
Tourist Attractions in Paro
The various tourist attractions in Paro are the National
Museum, Philatellic Gallery, Taktsang Monastery, Rimpung Dzong
and Thongdroel. Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the kingdom’s oldest
and most sacred temples and Dungtse Lhakhang are other tourist
attractions in Paro. The National Museum is the main tourist
attraction in Paro. This national museum is housed in Ta dzong
which is an ancient watchtower. The Philatellic Gallery near
the top of the museum is also one of the great tourist
interest. This gallery contains a large collection of stamps.
The Taktsang Monastery means the Tiger’s Nest. This monastery
is the most important religious site for the Bhutanese people,
and located at a distance of around 80 km from Paro,
precariously perched on the edge of a cliff. The Taktsang
monastery is a pilgrimage place that every Bhutanese tries to
visit at least once in a lifetime.
More....
How to reach Paro
By Air
Paro International Airport is the gateway to the country of
Bhutan. Paro can be easily reached by air. It is connected by
national carrier Druk Air with New Delhi, Dhaka, Bangkok,
Kolkata and Kathmandu.
By Road
Paro is connected to Thimphu, the capital, with an all weather
road. |
